Red Wine from Ribera Del Duero

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 96 points: Neal Martin had already tasted the 2005 Único in 2012, before I joined The Wine Advocate, but then they released 2007 and 2008 before and the 2005 has been kept until now, as they thought the vintage required some more...

Wine Spectator, 94 points: This brawny red shows a thick texture, supported by muscular tannins. A bit chewy but with impressive concentration. The savory character offers tar, smoke, sanguine and mineral flavors, with a core of plum and floral...

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 95 points: The 2012 Valbuena was cropped from a vintage with a very dry and warm summer that resulted in very healthy grapes. Since the 2010 vintage, this wine is fermented plot by plot following the findings from a soils study they...

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 96 points: Since the 2010 harvest, they ferment plot by plot, and it shows. This Valbuena has almost 100 components in it, smaller lots, all of them corresponding to a plot of vines. It has all the signs of being one of the best...

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 95 points: The one non-vintage wine released yearly, as a blend of different harvests, is now the NV 2017 Único Release Reserva Especial, which contains wine from the 2003, 2004 and 2006 vintages—very warm and ripe years in general...

Jancis Robinson's Purple Pages, 98 points: Dark purplish crimson. Actually this smells more obviously ripe and opulent than the 2005, perhaps because of its seductive and already complex undertow. Beautiful completeness. So beautifully balanced that it is already...

Stephen Tanzer's IWC, 95 points: Inky ruby. Highly aromatic scents of ripe cherry and dark berries, singed plum, cured tobacco and succulent herbs, with a vanilla undertone. Sweet, expansive and powerful, offering intense black and blue fruit flavors...

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 95 points: The NV 2016 Único Release Reserva Especial is a blend of different harvests looking for a consistent style. In the case of the wine that will be sold in 2016, it's a blend of 1996, 1998 and 2002. The nose is complex...

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 96 points: 2008 was a challenging vintage in Ribera del Duero, a vintage marked by a severe frost on September 24th. The vineyards of Vega Sicilia were saved by some anti-frost burners that really made the difference. Even though...

Wine Spectator, 95 points: This polished red shows power and grace. Black cherry, currant and licorice flavors are fresh and clean, backed by mineral, loamy earth and espresso notes. The firm tannins are well-integrated, and juicy acidity gives way...

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 96 points: The 1994 Unico is a blend of 80% Tinto Fino, 13% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Merlot (presumably 2% is unknown varieties) that was picked from September 28. It is very intense with notes of raspberry, wild strawberry and...

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 95 points: They have kept 2005 and 2006 for now, and they are releasing the 2007 Único from a lighter vintage that is accessible already; they will even sell 2008 before 2005 and 2006. 2007 was a cold vintage in Ribera and it...

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 94 points: The 2011 Valbuena was fermented plot by plot, something they started after a deep soil study in the 2010 vintage. 2011 was a very warm and ripe vintage in the zone, and the challenge was to keep the freshness. There are...

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 93 points: I must confess that I am not such an ardent supported of the Reserva Especiale as others. It is not that I dislike the blend, but I find it less intellectual satisfying without a temporal “anchor” i.e. vintage. This 2012...