Los Tres Dones - The Three Gifts 2023

The Los Tres Dones 2023 is a sinewy, spicy Tempranillo from Ribera del Duero. At its core lies deep, dark fruit: mulberry, blackberry, wild raspberry, ripe plum and cassis, overlaid by a broad spice register of cinnamon, juniper, black pepper and allspice. With air, cigar box, undergrowth and damp forest floor emerge, later joined by roasted coffee, liquorice, rosemary and a hint of black olive.

Valdemonjas farms nine hectares in Quintanilla de Arriba on the Golden Mile, at 700 to 750 metres of altitude. On the north-facing slope, cool nights preserve acidity in the grapes. Clay, limestone, marl and chalk shift within a tight space, with each parcel harvested and fermented separately. This cuvée comes mainly from the parcels with the highest clay content and natural moisture in Valdemonjas and El Nogal.

Tempranillo from vines planted in 1998. 2023 was an extremely dry and consistently hot vintage; the grapes were thinned early, and harvest deliberately began in early September to stabilise acidity levels and avoid over-ripeness. Fermentation takes place in large concrete eggs without forced extraction, followed by malolactic fermentation in oak barrels. This is followed by 14 months in French oak barrels of 225 and 228 litres, then six months in concrete tank for stabilisation.

Firm, juicy tannin with pronounced yet finely integrated astringency, carried by bright acidity. The fruit remains concentrated yet dry-contoured and framed by bitter notes, almost fleshy in texture. The finish is long, spicy and structured.

Herb-crusted rack of lamb, duck breast with pepper sauce and beef fillet in red wine jus all suit this structure well, as does a wild mushroom ragout or Manchego.

This award-winning bodega operates self-sufficiently, with no connection to the power or water grid: photovoltaics cover 90 to 95 percent of its needs, while the sloped roof collects rainwater. Inside, gravity moves the grapes, with no pumps used. Since 2011, Luca d'Attoma has advised the estate, favouring less extraction, shorter maceration times and precise use of oak.