Regions: D.O. Ribera del Duero, Spain

Vintage: 2019

Composition: 86% Tempranillo, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Merlot

History: The first written proof of the existence of this Duero farm refers to its founder, the Franciscan monk Pedro de Villacreces, who established a monastery in this beautiful place as a place to pray and grow food. For several centuries, Villacreces was a place of retreat for Franciscan monks to meditate, repent, work the land, and contemplate nature. After the Mendizábal Confiscations in 1836, the land passed into private hands, those of the Marquis Teodosio Alonso-Pesquera, royal senator of Alfonso XIII. Soon after, the king granted the Marquis water rights to the Duero River. The second Marquis sold the estate to the Cuadrado de Valladolid family at the beginning of the 20th century. They used the estate as a vacation home, entertaining many famous guests, including Peter Sisseck, who used the cellar and part of the vineyard to make his Flor de Pingus. In 2004 Gonzalo and Lalo Antón met the Cuadrado family. The Antón family had already run a winery in Rioja (Izadi) and Toro (Vetus) and had been studying the Ribera de Duero for some time. Pedro Cuadrado hinted at his interest in leaving his wine business and farm in good hands. The Antóns responded and soon became the owners of one of the most spectacular vineyards in the Ribera del Duero. After rebuilding the winery and restoring the vineyard, Villacreces was relaunched in 2007. Finca Villacreces is the emblematic wine of the estate. Through meticulous selection, it is made from the estate’s 15 most prized low-yielding vines.

Tasting Notes:

Purple has an expressive aroma of mocha, toast, graphite, wild blueberries, and blackberry liqueur, with a good body, full flavor, and layers of spicy black fruits. It has a balanced, long finish with smoky touches.