The latest edition of a favorite from one of Spain's most talented winemakers has arrived, and it's a perfect partner for flavorful fare from the grill! We're excited to offer Telmo Rodriguez's Matallana, his small production red from the Ribero del Duero region. The vines in this sunny, dry region in the heart of northern Spain lie on high plateaus anchored by the Duero River. Appropriate for its dramatic climate, the local Tempranillo they call Tinto Fino is a heartier version of Rioja's grapes, with thicker skins and a lot of color intensity. The interplay of place and grape makes for bold, well-structured reds, capable of a distinctive intensity, while retaining a textural eleganceand balancing, mineral freshness that other regions can struggle to find.
WINE ADVOCATE 96 POINTS - "The current release from Ribera del Duero is the 2022 Matallana, the only wine they produce in the appellation, mixing origins and soils from five different villages—Sotillo de la Ribera, Roa, Fuentecén, Fuentemolinos and Pardilla. It fermented in oak and stainless steel vats and matured in French oak barrels of different ages for 14 months. It's a serious and traditional Ribera, with power, the concentration from the year and the elegant rusticity from the zone. But it doesn't feel like a wine from a warm vintage, and IT WAS warm, extremely warm... The grapes—a Tempranillo-based field blend that also contains some Garnacha, Bobal and Albillo—delivered a wine with 14.5% alcohol, a pH of 3.72 and 4.34 grams of acidity. It's serious, harmonious and very balanced, with fine-grained tannins. It's a triumph over the adverse conditions of the year. 23,883 bottles produced. It was bottled in May 2024."
JAMES SUCKLING 96 POINTS - "Dark-fruited with subtle chocolate, this Ribera del Duero opens with layers of blackberries, pepper and graphite0. The palate is full-bodied and composed, with finely etched, dusty yet refined tannins that frame the velvety fruit without overpowering it. It is broad but with precision and tension. A great effort in one of the warmest and driest vintages in recent history. It can be drunk now, but best from 2027."
Telmo's style focuses on a purity of the fruit's character and a textural quality that Luis Gutierrez of Wine Advocate describes as "elegant rusticity." After some breathing time in the glass, the Matallana exudes aromas of pure boysenberry and plum skin, along with stony earth and dusted cocoa and cedar. On the palate, an enticing saline minerality greets you, quickly followed by those intense flavors from the skins and a touch of juiciness. A coating of very fine, chalky-textured tannins fleshes out the middle of the wine, then grounds it on the dry, softly chewy finish. Just give it time to open in your glass and it'll shine with hearty dishes, like a well-seasoned mixed grill of mushrooms, red & yellow bell peppers and well-seasoned meats, along with moderately-aged cheeses like Manchego.
The drive for Telmo Rodriguez to make Matallana is to create his version of regional traditions. That begins with old, organically farmed vineyards that he helped reclaim 25 years ago, planted with traditional mix of local varieties that are planted like bushes. It extends to the cellar, where the winemaking is not overbearing, protecting the quality that nature - and hard work in the vineyard - has provided. His modern reflection on the old ways results in a wine that's delicious and evocative.
WINE ADVOCATE 96 POINTS - "The current release from Ribera del Duero is the 2022 Matallana, the only wine they produce in the appellation, mixing origins and soils from five different villages—Sotillo de la Ribera, Roa, Fuentecén, Fuentemolinos and Pardilla. It fermented in oak and stainless steel vats and matured in French oak barrels of different ages for 14 months. It's a serious and traditional Ribera, with power, the concentration from the year and the elegant rusticity from the zone. But it doesn't feel like a wine from a warm vintage, and IT WAS warm, extremely warm... The grapes—a Tempranillo-based field blend that also contains some Garnacha, Bobal and Albillo—delivered a wine with 14.5% alcohol, a pH of 3.72 and 4.34 grams of acidity. It's serious, harmonious and very balanced, with fine-grained tannins. It's a triumph over the adverse conditions of the year. 23,883 bottles produced. It was bottled in May 2024."
JAMES SUCKLING 96 POINTS - "Dark-fruited with subtle chocolate, this Ribera del Duero opens with layers of blackberries, pepper and graphite0. The palate is full-bodied and composed, with finely etched, dusty yet refined tannins that frame the velvety fruit without overpowering it. It is broad but with precision and tension. A great effort in one of the warmest and driest vintages in recent history. It can be drunk now, but best from 2027."
Telmo's style focuses on a purity of the fruit's character and a textural quality that Luis Gutierrez of Wine Advocate describes as "elegant rusticity." After some breathing time in the glass, the Matallana exudes aromas of pure boysenberry and plum skin, along with stony earth and dusted cocoa and cedar. On the palate, an enticing saline minerality greets you, quickly followed by those intense flavors from the skins and a touch of juiciness. A coating of very fine, chalky-textured tannins fleshes out the middle of the wine, then grounds it on the dry, softly chewy finish. Just give it time to open in your glass and it'll shine with hearty dishes, like a well-seasoned mixed grill of mushrooms, red & yellow bell peppers and well-seasoned meats, along with moderately-aged cheeses like Manchego.
The drive for Telmo Rodriguez to make Matallana is to create his version of regional traditions. That begins with old, organically farmed vineyards that he helped reclaim 25 years ago, planted with traditional mix of local varieties that are planted like bushes. It extends to the cellar, where the winemaking is not overbearing, protecting the quality that nature - and hard work in the vineyard - has provided. His modern reflection on the old ways results in a wine that's delicious and evocative.
