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News
98 points from Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: "The 2004 Aalto PS is expressive aromatically, on the palate this voluptuous wine reveals elegance combined with power. Large in scale but light on its feet, it has beautiful balance, density, and concentration. It can be enjoyed now but should evolve for 12-15 years and drink well through 2050." (Feb. 2007) 95 points from Wine Spectator: "Expressive and intense, this impressive red marries elegance and power, delivering rich flavors of blackberry, pomegranate, dark chocolate, mineral and spice over ripe, firm tannins. The texture is as smooth as velvet, the finish long and sweet. Best from 2008 through 2018." (Nov. 30, 2007) 94 points from Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar: "Dark ruby. Strongly perfumed scents of exotic cherry-cola, blackberry, vanilla and Asian spices. Weighty but focused dark fruit flavors offer striking clarity and palate-staining concentration, with soft tannins building on the close. The cola quality lingers on the long, sweet finish. This wonderfully balances richness and vivacity." (Sept/Oct '07)
Wine Description
The Story
AALTO was created in February 1999 when Mariano García - who had been Vega Sicilia's winemaking director for 30 years - and Javier Zaccagnini - for 6 years head of Ribera del Duero's Consejo Regulador - decided to join their expertise in a very special project: to make a wine that in a space of 15-20 years should reach the quality of the best wines in the world. Also, from the very beginning this wine had to exhibit distinct personality.
AALTO is based on three solid pillars:
- The exceptional quality of old Tinto Fino clones (Tempranillo vines which have adapted to Ribera del Duero's climate and soils). We believe that Tinto Fino can offer similar quality to the world's best known varieties: Cabernet in the Médoc, Pinot Noir in Burgundy, Syrah in the Rhône, etc.
- The considerable complexity of our soils combined with the microclimate of our region.
- The winemaking talent and vast experience of Mariano García.
The AALTO project has been one of continual development. We now cultivate 110 hectares of old block Tinto Fino vines in seven villages within the region denominated as Ribera del Duero. We designed and built a modern winery in Quintanilla de Arriba, following strict criteria to ensure optimal winemaking conditions. We use a low temperatura chamber to cool harvested grapes prior to de-stemming and harness gravity to move grapes and musts around the winery, thus avoidin aggressive pumps. We ferment in wood, concrete and stainless steel, employing tanks designed by us. Our two underground oak-ageing halls offer excellent natural conditions to allow perfect malolactic fermentation in wood and gentle, controlled barrel ageing.
AALTO PS (Pagos Seleccionados), is our top wine. It is a selection within the selection, from the very best areas (Pagos) of our vineyards. We expect to be able to offer AALTO PS six or seven vintages each decade.
Today AALTO is widely regarded as one of Spain's leading wineries. AALTO PS 2001 was voted Spain's Best Wine in 2005 and our winery has recently been selected in Paris as on of the Best 100 wineries in the world in Michel Bettane's and Thierry Desseayve's recently published book.