Dominio del Aguila Picaro Tinto 2015 | It’s already good – 2 more years, it’s an off the charts value!

92 Points, Luis Gutierrez, Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate: “I also tasted the Dominio del Aguila Picaro Tinto 2015, which should be released sometime in the spring of 2017. 2015 is a warmer year than 2014, and all the vineyards selected for this cuvée are north-facing, which is the cooler exposition, ideal to compensate for the heat of the year. The élevage was a little shorter than in previous vintages to try to avoid a strong effect in the wine.

Dominio del Aguila Picaro Tinto 2015 is still in the fruit-driven phase.   It’s juicy and it has some tannins and the seriousness of the limestone soils.  Yet, a little riper than the Reserva, without the same length. This is usually produced with grapes from vineyards on soils with a little more clay, where the wine is more forward and there’s better ripeness and less austerity. Their barrels are aging and the effect is a lot less noticeable than when the barrels were new.

 Red Wine Gems under $35

This is a fresh interpretation of 2015. So, I wish more Crianzas from Ribera del Duero had this joviality and approachability while keeping the balance and the serious quality profile. I’d say this is a real triumph over the vintage, at the same (or even a little better) quality level than 2014. This has all the ingredients to be a commercial success. 14,300 bottles and some 200 magnums produced.

94JS | Very complex, light pink-berry aromas with baking spices, wild herbs, and bright floral notes. The palate is musky and delicious with a really superb textural build and a smooth, fine and fresh blood-orange and strawberry finish. Drink Dominio del Aguila Picaro Tinto 2015 now.

Winemaker Jorge Monzón | Domain of the Eagle

Up a hill that your car might not be able to climb.  Next, on a street that you’ll never find in a tiny town that your GPS will have no idea about.  Then finding a fellow human to ask for directions can take upwards of an hour.  Finally, there’s something special and, dare we say, “artisanal” happening.

So, Artisanal is a word that’s thrown around haphazardly lately in the hopes of scraping up foodie credibility.  Still, there isn’t an argument in the world you could make that could deny that Jorge Monzón and his wife Isabel Rodero are nothing short of artisanal.  And… (organic… and special…) at their Dominio del Aguila — “Domain of the Eagle” en Español — winery in Ribera del Duero.

Shop American Wines at Zachys

Here’s the thing about Jorge Monzón winemaking creds: Don’t let his current in-the-middle-of-nowhere locale fool you. He learned the process of studying at the Universities of Bordeaux and Burgundy.  And then worked at Domaine De La Romanée-Conti — yep, “DRC,” universally considered one of the greatest wines in the world. His next winemaking stint? No big deal, he then spent a year at Vega Sicilia Group before honing his craft for nine years at Bodegas Arzuaga Navarro. In case you’re not a wine-obsessed person, here’s a basketball metaphor…   He’s worked for the Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant and Lebron James’ of the wine world.