From the high-altitude, limestone plateaus in the heartland of Spain's Ribera del Duero, Hacienda Monasterio's 2022 flagship red shows off the elegant side of a region that has boldness in its DNA. Dry and sunny summer days quickly turn to cool nights, and while these are full-bodied wines, that boldness really comes through in the sapid, structured mouthfeel of fruit-enrobed, crushed-chalk tannins and veins of acidity. The local thick-skinned Tempranillo is in the driver's seat, bringing soft red fruits like strawberry and red plum along with accents of darker fruit and floral qualities from the Bordeaux varieties Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Malbec. A stony mineral current and fresh herbal hints ground the fruit while adding more dimensions. The 18 months spent in French oak provides a well-meshed balsam, licorice, and vanilla and softens the edges a bit. The gentle chewiness, mouth-filling weight, inner vibrancy, and the sun-kissed mix of savory, fruity, and earthy aromas make this an outstanding partner for flavor-rich stews and roasts with mushroom & red wine sauce!
Hacienda Monasterio is the original project for the well-known proprietor & winemaker behind Dominio Pingus, Peter Sisseck. Training at the chateaux of Bordeaux inspired him to make modern, sophisticated expressions from the Ribera del Duero, helping to bring the old winemaking region to international attention. He brought on Duero native Carlos De La Fuente to manage the winemaking, another way of keeping it a "wine of its place." They farm organically and ferment with local yeast.
WINE ADVOCATE 94 POINTS - "The 2022 Hacienda Monasterio is a blend of 86% Tinto Fino, 13% Cabernet Sauvignon and 1% Malbec. They only got 170 liters of rain and suffered five heat waves—what happens in Ribera is accentuated at the Monasterio estate—but they were able to manage it quite well. Since 2018, they have been harvesting earlier, in early September, because they have managed to achieve ripeness a little earlier, and it shows in the wine, which has 14.5% alcohol on the label (perhaps a little lower in the real analysis, but they need to round up to half a degree on the labels). The skins were thick, so the vinification was softer to avoid too much extraction. They also did a longer aging in barrel; it's usually 15 to 17 months, depending on the lot, but this year, the average was 17 months and it helped. In contrast, they did a shorter élevage in 2023, because it was what the wine called for. The nose is harmonious and shows no heat or excess ripeness (or oak), and the palate is silky with surprisingly ripe and round tannins, escaping the excess grip I found in many 2022s in the zone. 199,200 bottles produced in total, including some 10,000 magnums. It was bottled in July 2024."
Hacienda Monasterio is the original project for the well-known proprietor & winemaker behind Dominio Pingus, Peter Sisseck. Training at the chateaux of Bordeaux inspired him to make modern, sophisticated expressions from the Ribera del Duero, helping to bring the old winemaking region to international attention. He brought on Duero native Carlos De La Fuente to manage the winemaking, another way of keeping it a "wine of its place." They farm organically and ferment with local yeast.
WINE ADVOCATE 94 POINTS - "The 2022 Hacienda Monasterio is a blend of 86% Tinto Fino, 13% Cabernet Sauvignon and 1% Malbec. They only got 170 liters of rain and suffered five heat waves—what happens in Ribera is accentuated at the Monasterio estate—but they were able to manage it quite well. Since 2018, they have been harvesting earlier, in early September, because they have managed to achieve ripeness a little earlier, and it shows in the wine, which has 14.5% alcohol on the label (perhaps a little lower in the real analysis, but they need to round up to half a degree on the labels). The skins were thick, so the vinification was softer to avoid too much extraction. They also did a longer aging in barrel; it's usually 15 to 17 months, depending on the lot, but this year, the average was 17 months and it helped. In contrast, they did a shorter élevage in 2023, because it was what the wine called for. The nose is harmonious and shows no heat or excess ripeness (or oak), and the palate is silky with surprisingly ripe and round tannins, escaping the excess grip I found in many 2022s in the zone. 199,200 bottles produced in total, including some 10,000 magnums. It was bottled in July 2024."
