2009 Reserva, Pago de los Capellanes, Ribera del Duero, Spain

From the clay and limestone soils of the high plateau of Pedrosa in the Ribera del Duero, this aromatic Tinto Fino (aka Tempranillo) wine is richly concentrated with mulberry and black cherry fruit aromas and flavours, all framed by stylish, spicy new oak and bright damsony acidity. The wine includes 10% of Cabernet Sauvignon and has spent 18 months in French oak and was bottled unfiltered. Purple-coloured, it has an uplifting perfume of pain grillé, scorched earth, violets, cinnamon, and blackberry liqueur, then a dense rich and velvety palate, pleasingly decadent but with a refreshing cerebral twist on the finish.
Simon Field MW - Wine Buyer

The bodega of Pago de los Capellanes is located one kilometre from the village of Pedrosa de Duero, in the heart of Ribera del Duero. The name means ‘land of the chaplains’, a reminder that the land was owned by chaplains until the church donated it to the city council in 1855. The vineyards are planted with a 100%Tempranillo and are divided into 35 different plots which are harvested separately. The wines are aged for one to three years (depending on style) in 22 different types of French oak, and offer a modern style alternative to the wines of Vega Sicilia. I have enjoyed the wines of Pago de los Capellanes for a number of years no, but it’s at least 2-3 years since I tasted this excellent 2009 Reserva. On the nose this is very much of the vintage, rich and opulent fruit floods out of the glass with the warm spice and sweetness of oak framing the waves red and black fruit. This is a very generous wine on the palate too, mouthfilling red fruit with spice which seems to darken and become ever more brooding as the wine develops on the palate. This is a wine which is perfectly ‘á point’ at the moment, to borrow a French phrase, it is a wine which cries out for long slowly braised lamb, many friends and a second bottle. Really very enjoyable.
Gary Owen, Private Account Manager, Fine Wine Dept.