Ribera del Duero, 2017
2019 was more or less a classic Ribera del Duero vintage. Produced from 40-80 year old vines, Aalto is the product of nine villages in the provinces of Burgos and Valladolid, and offers up deep, supple, rich fruit flavours and dark spicy notes. It was aged for 18 months in a combination of French and American oak.
critic reviews
Opaque ruby. An expressive bouquet evokes ripe red and dark berries, licorice, mocha and woodsmoke, and a spicy note builds in the glass. Juicy and energetic on the palate, offering appealingly sweet blackberry, cherry cola and lavender pastille flavors that are sharpened by a peppery nuance. Smooth tannins come in late on a long, dark-fruit-driven finish, which leaves a subtle touch of vanilla behind.
The 2017 Aalto was a surprise for the vintage. They had to select the grapes from their own vineyards, and they produced less wine. It feels a little lighter and fresher, more approachable at this point in time. The oak also seems to be more integrated. It's a very drinkable Aalto in its style. They only used some 20% new oak and possibly did a softer vinification. It's approachable now, but it should also develop nicely in bottle, as the year had more acidity. 220,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in June 2019.