2007 Creta Roble Ribera del Duero

90 points Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate: "The 2007 Creta Roble is 100% Tempranillo aged 4-5 months in neutral French and American oak. Purple-colored it exhibits a brooding bouquet of mineral, spice box, violets, and assorted black fruits. On the palate it is medium to full-bodied with exceptional volume for its humble price. Smooth-textured, dense, and savory, this nicely balanced effort may well evolve for 1-2 years but can be enjoyed now. It is an outstanding value." (April 2010) 90 points Stephen Tanzer’s International Wine Cellar: "Glass-staining ruby. Spicy dark berry and cherry-vanilla aromas are complemented by anise, tobacco and herbs. Juicy cherry and blackcurrant flavors are pure and nicely focused, with no obvious tannins and a seductively sweet quality. Reminds me a bit of a Pesquera wine. Finishes on a lively bittersweet cherry note, with very good persistence and lingering spice and vanilla notes." (Nov/Dec 2010) This is a terrific, juicy, wonderfully balanced take on Ribera del Duero. The combination of old vines from La Horra, one of the region’s best districts, along with the supervision of the very talented oenologist Isaac Fernandez make for a very complete wine: rich and fruit forward, yet a bit meaty, savory and substantial as well. There is a traditional sensibility (perhaps you caught IWC critic Josh Raynold’s "reminds me a bit of a Pesquera wine" commentary?) to this wine that I find to be a welcome departure from the more modernly styled 06.