I spent this last weekend in San Sebbastien. Always have a wonderful time there…
Anyway, my family and I had two different Ribero del Deuro wines on Friday and Saturday nights.
The 2009 “Malleolus” from Emilio Moro was unfortunately an oaky mess. Fine deep color and a decent nose, but completely overwhelmed, indeed, assassinated by the oak. No amount of time will even that out.
Another 2009 - Alion from the same region - was everthing the Malleolus was not. There was a deep, warming cherry-briar flavor, but without any alcoholic burn. Lovely smooth aftertaste. Great to drink now, but will undoubtedly keep for years. At 55 euros restaurant price (the other was 32), this was very worthwhile value for money.
Alex, interesting notes. I recently attended a tasting of top 2004 Spanish wines and the Alion was my WOTN, oozing class. Definitely a label to seek out, I think.
2001 Alion is a completely different wine from the 2009 but the Alion is almost never a better buy than the Valbeuna IMHO. The Alion was supposed to be a $25 wine. Now it’s a $80 wine. I’d pick the Valbeuna for a few dollars more, other than the mid-1990s when they all had a lot of TCA issues. If memory serves, the 2001 Alion was oaky as hell on release. I have a few so should check in on one in the near future.
As far as the Malleolus goes, it’s always oaky on release and the 2009 is really young. Give it some time and see what happens in 10 years or so. It’s always going to be a bit oaky, but the oak integrates a lot with time.
Thanks for telling me about Valbuena which I will watch out for.
As for the Malleolus, please pardon my French, but if a wine is f*cked when it’s young, it will always stay that way. The oak was so overbearing to the point where no amount of age will bring balance to it IMHO. Hey, I taste great Bordeaux en primeur every year. That by no means makes me an expert in the wines of Ribero des Duero. But what it does mean is that I am used to tasting wines mean to age for 20-30 years in their infancy.
However, I may be wrong .
It would be fascinating to taste this wine in 2025 to see who’s right!!!
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