Ribera del Duero

Protos Roble 2005

Wines labeled as Roble are usually a young wine that spends less than 6 months in oak. It can be a bit hit and miss as if they use all new oak, the wine soaks up all the oak flavour but doesn't get the small amount of oxygen contact that oak barrels allow. This one from Protos has been done very well, the oak is a passenger on this ride, the fruit is doing the driving.

A clean fruity nose of cherry and plum, with a touch of raspberry followed by some vanilla and herbs. Really nice fruit here: sappy plums, dark cherry and black current with Christmas cake spices and earthy/gamey animal notes in the mouth . Some chocolate joins the party as the wine gets more air. Very clean and driven by some quality acid that leaves your mouth fresh and ready for more. Some fluffy tannins on the finish round it out. This would be a killer by the glass in a bar. 90 Pts.

Source: Broadway Liquor Distributors Price: $30 Closure: Conventional Cork

Web: www.bodegasprotos.com