Style Profile at a Glance
| Attribute | Profile | Scale |
|---|---|---|
| Body | Light-to-Medium-Bodied, Vibrant & Crystalline | ●●●●● |
| Sweetness | Dry | ●●●●● |
| Tannins | Chalky, Light & Fine-Grained | ●●●●● |
| Acidity | High, Electric & Refreshing Drive | ●●●●● |
| Oak | Subtle & Neutral (Aged in neutral French oak barrels) | ●●●●● |
Terroir, History & Acclaim
Critical Recognition:
Wine Advocate 93 pts
- 93 Points - Luis Gutiérrez (Robert Parker's Wine Advocate): The 2022 Clarete is a blend of white and red grapes—Tempranillo, Garnacha, Bobal, Pirulés, Albillo and Malvasía—that fermented together. The grapes were foot trodden in lagar and pressed in a hydraulic press, and the wine aged in used French oak barrels for 12 months. It has perhaps 20% white grapes, sourced from different plots and villages, and it has a little darker color than the single-vineyard Navazal. It's aromatic and perfumed, floral and spicy. It has good ripeness, a round palate, 13.5% alcohol, a pH of 3.35 and 5.8 grams of acidity. It's tender but still showing the grip from the limestone. 2,200 bottles produced. It was bottled in October 2023
- Historic Field-Blended Old Vines: Sourced from old bush-trained vines co-planted in high-altitude sandy and limestone soils around Peñafiel (Ribera del Duero). A true field blend of red grape varieties (Tinto Fino, Garnacha) and white varieties (Albillo Mayor), mirroring how wine was traditionally made in the region before modern red-only mandates.
- Artisanal Co-Fermentation: Whole-cluster pressed and co-fermented naturally with wild yeasts in neutral vessels, then aged in seasoned French oak. This historic *clarete* style yields a luminous, pale red wine packed with energy, tension, and pure mineral drive.
Highlights
- Traditional field blend of red (Tinto Fino, Garnacha) and white (Albillo Mayor) grapes from Peñafiel, Ribera del Duero.
- A radiant 2022 release packed with wild strawberries, blood orange peel, crushed rose petals, and thyme.
- Crafted by Terry Kandyna (Bendito Destino), offering 5 to 10+ years of fresh cellar evolution.
Tasting Notes
- Appearance: Pale, luminous translucent garnet-pink with orange reflections.
- Nose: Ethereal, lifted, and fragrant. It opens with aromas of wild red strawberries, red currant, and pomegranate, accompanied by blood orange peel, rose petals, dried thyme, and crushed limestone.
- Palate: Dry, light-to-medium-bodied, and mouth-watering. The entry delivers a bright wave of tart red fruit sap that flows across a crystalline mid-palate, held together by electric acidity and light chalky tannins into a long, saline finish.
Serving Suggestion
- Temperature: Serve chilled at 12–14°C to highlight its refreshing berry acidity and vibrant citrus aromatics.
- Decanting: No decanting needed; open and serve directly. Best enjoyed now through 2032+.
- Western Pairing: Charcuterie, roasted pork chops, grilled salmon, pan-seared duck breast, or tapas.
- Asian Pairing: Peking duck, Soy-sauce chicken, Taiwanese braised pork belly, or Cantonese dim sum.
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