The 2012 Terreus Pago de Cueva Baja is a single-vineyard Tempranillo from a plot of old vines in the village of Tudela de Duero. In 2012 they have added grapes from some younger vines in the same Pago de la Cueva Baja on very chalky soils at higher altitude (at some 800 meters) in search of a more elegant, fresher wine, and it shows here. The color is a dark, bright ruby color (it's not black at all). The nose is very sharp with red berries, and is focused, gentle, subtle and complex with great freshness. The palate is less spectacular than in other previous vintages; it's tight and more serious with awesome balance. This has all the components and the balance to have a long life in bottle. They still age the wine in 100% new oak, but through viticulture, with higher acidity and less alcohol, the oak has a different impact in the wine. Here the oak is not even a secondary actor. With this new style, the wine is drinkable now, but it will gain much more complexity and depth if you have the patience to keep your bottles. Some 9,000 bottles were filled. There already told me that there will be no Terreus in 2013. - Luis Gutierrez