APPELLATION: D.O. Ribera del Duero ALCOHOL: 14.5% VARIETY: 100% Tempranillo. VINTAGE: 2016 PRODUCTION: 1,200 Bottles ORIGIN: On some occasions and only in great vintages, the winemaker finds among all the barrels those with exceptional qualities, which are clearly differentiated from the rest even though they were originally created pursuing the same objective. This is the case of MAGALLANES OPTIMUM. A wine from one or more of the exclusive Magallanes vineyards (centennial vineyards and sitting at almost a thousand meters above sea level) that, due to the suitability of multiple and sometimes unknown factors, have the ability to impress us. VITICULTURE: The vineyards are in the paramos and adjacent slopes of the eastern area of the Ribera del Duero, in the municipalities of Baños de Valdearados and Bocigas de Perales. The extraordinary altitude (between 900 and 1000 meters) for the latitude where they are located (41º N) provides exceptional characteristics to the wines and is not an impediment to reaching maturation. Both vineyards, made up of small plots, have a similar soil structure: with an abundance of fine gravel on the surface, a sandy layer that facilitates colonization by roots and a clay layer at a variable depth between 60 cm and 1,5 meters, ideal for adequate water and nutritional retention and for the longevity of the vines that are more than centuries old in Bocigas de Perales and are around 80 years old in Baños. WINEMAKING: The harvest is carried out manually during the first half of October, selecting only healthy and mature grapes. Fermentation is carried out in 8,000-liter capacity tanks, subjecting the grapes to a long and gentle maceration to extract the best of our concentrated grapes. After vatting, the wine is taken to barrels where it undergoes malolactic fermentation. Once the fermentation process is finished, the wine will remain refining in French Oak barrels (Troncais) for approximately 20 months. TASTING NOTES: Intense and dark cherry color with scarlet edges. Magallanes Optimum red wine forms an elegant and dense slow-falling tear. Intense aromatic complexity, with very ripe red fruit wrapped in a wide range of aging aromas. Very suggestive, this Tempranillo from Ribera del Duero shows an assortment of spices (mocha, cocoa and cinnamon together with pepper, curry and cloves), mixed with intense toasted and smoked notes. The aromatic complexity of this Magallanes Optimum wine leaves a persistent balsamic and mineral background that appears from the first moment. The wine has a wide and enveloping attack, the wood comes to the fore, intense and complex. Notes of fruit jam give it a sweet touch, offset by magnificent acidity and a strong tannin charge, still present, which produces a slightly astringent sensation. This César Muñoz wine has a long and complex finish, with an aftertaste of toasted and smoked notes, as well as fresh balsamic aftertaste. RECOMMENDED SERVING: Red meats, poultry, game, cured meats, and semi-cured cheeses.
