Tinto Pesquera Crianza 2021

Alejandro Fernández is the man who put Ribera del Duero on the map. Robert Parker called Pesquera 'the Pétrus of Spain.' Whether you think that comparison holds or not, the point is clear — this is Tempranillo at a level that demands attention. The Crianza is the entry point. Dark cherry, raspberry, roasted coffee, toast. Silky texture with well-integrated oak from 12 months in new American barrels. It is elegant but not timid. There is a darkness to Ribera del Duero Tempranillo that Rioja does not have — more earth, more leather, more intensity. Scored 91 points. $35. The Reserva and Gran Reserva are worth chasing if you have patience, but the Crianza delivers the soul of Pesquera without the wait. This is the Spanish red that belongs in every serious cellar.