Telmo Rodríguez’s Matallana 2023 is a Tempranillo (locally, Tinto Fino)–based red from Ribera del Duero, built from a broad patchwork of estate holdings rather than a single site. The Matallana vineyards cover 21.5 hectares spread across five villages—Sotillo de la Ribera, Roa, Fuentecén, Fuentemolinos, and Pardilla—drawing on 11 different “terms,” a structure that aims for balance through blending across soils and exposures.

The 2023 growing season was warm, with uneven rainfall patterns that favored established vines and required careful timing. Honest Grapes’ vintage note describes “heat and drought,” alongside “cooler conditions in late August and September” that helped skins develop, finishing with “a late September warm spell” that completed ripening while limiting fungal pressure. In the cellar, Matallana 2023 was fermented in a mix of oak and stainless-steel vats with indigenous yeasts, then matured for 14 months in French oak barrels of different ages. Production is small for the category: 13,369 bottles, bottled in July 2025 (per Honest Grapes).

Critical reception is a clear headline. This wine earned two excellent 97-point scores as reported by Honest Grapes: Luis Gutiérrez (Wine Advocate) rated it 97/100, and James Suckling also rated it 97/100. Those matching high scores place Matallana 2023 among the most acclaimed Ribera del Duero releases of the vintage in its peer set.

While detailed technicals for 2023 (final blend breakdown, alcohol, acidity) are not confirmed in the provided material, the estate’s approach—multi-village sourcing, measured oak handling, and low overall volume—signals an intent toward depth and structure over simple fruitiness. For buyers seeking a modern Ribera with serious critical backing, Matallana 2023 stands out on reputation, method, and top-tier scores.