2018 Pinea 17 by Pinea Ribera del Duero 750 ml

Seriously deep. Intense. Opulent.

No wines from the European continent fit that description better than those from Ribera del Duero. Ripened to perfection in the unrelenting sun, boosted by vibrant acidity from the cool nights, and cloaked in toasted oak, these inky Tempranillo blockbusters challenge Rioja and Priorat for Spanish supremacy—and Napa Valley for pure hedonism. 

We were thrilled when a friend poured us the 2018 17 by Pinea Ribera del Duero. It’s Tempranillo mastery on display, and it’s further evidence of one of the most auspicious starts we’ve ever seen for a Spanish winery. 17 by Pinea is the second wine from the estate that produces the $150 Pinea, which was served at golfer Sergio García’s Masters Champions Dinner. 

Like the flagship, 17 by Pinea is crafted by the man Wine Spectator lauded as one of “Spain’s brightest young winemaking stars”: Isaac Fernández Montaña, whose mentor and uncle is longtime Vega Sicilia legend Mariano García Fernández. 

In 2018, Montaña sourced fruit from 30, 40, and 70+ year-old vines planted in Olmedillo de Roa, which lies in the far north of the Ribera del Duero appellation close to vineyards used by legends like Pingus, Sastre, and Roda. These older vines produce grapes that bring forth intensely concentrated Tempranillo with tremendous structure and packed to the brim with flavors of ripe cassis, black cherry, and elegant spices, while a generous 20 months in French and American oak lends accents of toasted vanilla and cedar. 

Decanter World Wine Awards gave this stunner 95-point Gold Medal honors, and it’s well deserved. Treat yourself to a few bottles and indulge in the kind of luscious sensory experience that only Ribera del Duero can provide.