For those who love their reds oaky, toasty, bold, and ripe, you've got to get some of the Federico Ribera del Duero. Aged in 100% American oak, it eerily reminds me of a bottle of Silver Oak Napa Cab I recently had. It just costs a fraction of the price....
Federico Fernandez's brother Alejandro gets all of the attention. He's the guy who manages Pesquera and Condado de Haza, two of the most legendary estates of the Ribera del Duero region. Great wines for sure, but you'd pay 2-3x the price, and I promise you the quality isn't as high as that found in Federico's wine.
For lovers of traditional, oak-aged Spanish reds (and Silver Oak), give this one a try. I guarantee you'll love it!
2022 Bodegas Federico Ribera del Duero Roble
Love big, toasty, and ripe Spanish reds? Try this!
This wine was hugely popular in the early days of Table Wine. For whatever reason, it just disappeared from distribution for nearly a decade, but it's back, and it's better than ever. Matching bold and rich Tempranillo fruit with toasty and spicy American oak, this is a feast for the senses.
You probably think I'm "stretching it" a bit when I compare this to Silver Oak, but when you smell and taste this wine, you'll see what I mean. I'm not saying it's exactly like Silver Oak, as this wine isn't quite as tannic and full-bodied, but it's really dang close, and it costs a fraction of the price.
Based in the village of Pesquera de Duero, husband and wife Federico and Celia have been crafting true and traditional Ribera del Duero since 1986. They work entirely with old Tempranillo vines, and they only use American oak to age their big and hearty reds. This might seem strange, but American oak has a long history of use in Spanish reds. It's also the barrel program that has been in place at Silver Oak since inception.
All Tempranillo from organically farmed estate vineyards, this sees 12 months of aging in new and used American oak. The finished wine smells of ripe dark cherry, blueberry, black currant, vanilla, toasty oak, and baking spices. Full-flavored, with a generous texture, ripe tannin, and mild acidity, it saturates the palate with overt and highly satisfying flavors and a long finish.
Drinking great now and ideal for grilled meats, especially lamb, it will drink well through 2030, perhaps even longer.
