2019 Hacienda Monasterio, Ribera del Duero, Spain

The 2019 Hacienda Monasterio is floral, aromatic and precise, showing good but contained ripeness, with 15% alcohol. It's a similar blend as in previous years—80% Tinto Fino, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot and 2% Malbec. This is the first vintage they used their new 10,000-liter oak vat, so there are more lots fermented separately and then blended to create this cuvée that shows very good balance, juiciness, concentration, structure and power but with freshness and balance. Their idea is to gradually replace the Merlot with Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon, but that's going to be a slow process. They have 12 different soils classified on the property, and in 2019 they selected different soils for each wine, something that was not done in 2017; there will be more changes in this direction in the future. 182,666 bottles produced. It was bottled in June 2021.Drink 2022 - 2028Luis Gutiérrez, Wine Advocate (Oct 2021)