We had a great time trying this  – it’s a wonderful wine from the Duero. It’s smooth, iron-earthy, rather than fruity. It has some of the taste of a hot weather wine – a Nero D’avola from Sicily for example, or a Pugliese wine. It’s made 100% from Tempranillo hand-harvested grapes (those used in most Riojas).

The supplier, Ralph Smith, comments:

This wine is made by a family we all love, and they love us! It comes from Ribera del Duero, the area which I started to import from when I first set up Ralph’s Wines (see this post for more on that). Antonio Polo learnt his winemaking skills in the late ‘90s and at his first vintage he won a gold medal. He’s been winning awards ever since – a good winemaker shows consistency.

It is a dry wine that is big and bold and compliments big red meats like beef wellington, or other rich, fatty meats like lamb or it’s excellent with goose!

Antonio’s top wine is called a Vendimia Seleccionada and he has only made this wine on three occasions each time receiving top marks from Decanter, I gave this wine to our guests at my daughter’s christening. It’s a big wine with dry tannins with an almost caramel finish, but not sweet!

£23 from Ralph’s Wines Online

Roast beef, beef Wellington, goose