Alonso del Yerro 2018

The 2018 Alonso del Yerro comes from the different plots in their 26 hectares of vines that are worked without herbicides or systemic treatments. 2018 was not an easy vintage, but they managed to get their largest crop to date, thanks to a warm end of the season. The grapes were picked between October 4th and 17th, fermented in 10,000-liter stainless steel vats with indigenous yeasts and matured in mostly used French oak barrels for nine to 15 months, depending on the lot, and in stainless steel and oak vats. This is their bread and butter, the wine that represents the house style; it's ripe without excess and has 14.5% alcohol, mellow acidity and integrated oak that enhances the wine and feels neatly folded into the fruit. It's juicy, fine-boned and balanced, with power and elegance. 80,000 bottles and 1,500 magnums produced. It was bottled in July 2021.

This impressive estate Tinto Fino is blended across Alonso del Yerro's 33 sub-parcels and sees 10% new French wood. Showing good ageing potential, as the bodega's wines generally do, it has a lovely combination of grip, texture and intensity, with finely judged vanilla oak, lots of underlying structure and savoury tannins. A Ribera del Duero for grown ups. 2023-30