2015 Bodegas Resalte de Peñafiel Ribera del Duero de Restia Crianza 750 ml

We can’t get enough of the full-throttle power and savory spice seduction of Ribera del Duero’s famed reds, but we don’t always feel like shelling out the triple digit prices associated with its $400+ flagship wines like Vega Sicilia and Tinto Pesquera. 

Bodegas Resalte de Peñafiel’s 2015 Crianza has everything we crave in a 100% Tempranillo from this landmark region, and with its hot-off-the-press 93-point score from the Wine Spectator, it stands tall, just one point behind Vega Sicialia’s $200 Valbuena bottling from the very same vintage. 

A near-flawless value Spanish red that can play at the same level as Spain’s critical colossus, it’s no wonder this cuvée from Bodegas Resalte de Peñafiel has landed on the Wine Spectator Top 100 two years in a row—an incredible feat for a bottle that we’re offering for just $19 today.   

And while it would be tough to compete with the rave Wine Access member reviews the last vintage received, we think this 2015 vintage might be the Bodega’s best Crianza yet. 

Born in the rugged, high-altitude terroir that gets every Spanish wine lover’s heart pounding, this ruby red steal captures Ribera del Duero’s rustic glamour, layering complex licorice, tar, and black pepper over deep, rich bass notes of bold black currant flecked with exotic soy. Structured yet luxuriously plush, mouthwatering nuances of seared steak create an addictive umami character on a finish framed by big, fine-grained tannins. 

With five years of age on it, this velvety Crianza has only become more beautifully integrated, though it has the structure to continue its impressive evolution over the next five years. 

Located in Peñafiel, a majestic medieval bullfighting town less than a ten-minute drive east of Vega Sicilia’s hallowed terroir, Bodegas Resalte benefits from the same sandy limestone soils and hot, dry conditions that result in similarly concentrated yet structured red wines. Wine Spectator has raved about the “outstanding reputation” of “this promising young estate,” though the 2,500-foot elevation vines are anything but young—averaging 40 years of age, the savory complexity on the finish could only come from those mature, deep-rooted, wind-battered Tempranillo bushes in the sky. 

Rising to international prominence (and the stuff of sommelier lore) over the last two decades, Ribera del Duero is indeed a region of harsh extremes. We have baked under its sweltering sun in mid-August. We’ve warmed our toes by a wood fire while looking out over frozen vineyards blanketed with white snow, and can attest that coming in from the cold to a bottle of this Crianza, a roaring fire, and a roasted rack of lamb is one of winter’s great pleasures.

Winemaker Enrique Andrades and his team only further enhance the natural elegance and power in their grapes. The state-of-the-art winery uses no pumps, only a gravity-flow system to preserve delicacy and aromatic finesse. Fermentation tanks are keyed to specific vineyards, and a three-week maceration maintains the fine nuance of the vintage. Aging is at least 14 months in 80% French and 20% American oak, achieving polish and beautiful cedar spice.

A powerful red for all seasons, you won’t regret having this 2015 Bodegas Resalte de Peñafiel Crianza to enjoy year-round.