Ribera del Duero, 2018

Name: Ribera del Duero
Brand: Aalto
Price: 93.17 GBP

Available Vintages

all 2009 2012 2014 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022

justerini & brooks tasting note

Aalto 2018, from 40-80 year old vines, is the product of a fresher vintage. In typical Ribera fashion, it is still impressively deep and powerful but with a certain suppleness and sweet, contoured tannins that support rather than dominate. Both red and black fruits, fresh flowers, and dark spicy notes aid complexity. It was aged for 16 months in French and American oak before bottling in July 2020. A very high quality wine for the money, with a sleek, glossy palate and lots of intensity and age-ability, Aalto is surely one of Spain’s most compelling fine wines.

critic reviews

94/100Luis Gutierrez,Robert Parker Wine Advocate

The 2018 Aalto reflects the cooler conditions of the year, with a more austere profile, subtle aromas and a harmonious palate. This is a classic example of modern, ripe and well-oaked Tempranillo from Ribera del Duero, which this year feels creamy, juicy and balanced. This follows the path of 2017 with integrated oak (they used only around 20% new oak) and a lively palate in a more drinkable and approachable style. They added some new vineyards from the zone of Boada where the soils are red and the wines bring freshness and lots of fruit. The wine had a shorter maceration with the skins and a softer vinification. This is finer and more balanced, with finesse but still very much recognizable as Aalto. 300,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in July 2020.

DRINKING WINDOW 2021 - 2026

date of review 06/2021