Milsetentayseis Tinto Ribera Del Duero 2020

96 Points - Tim Atkin

Notes from the Winemaker

Milsetentayseis is Fuentenebro. A unique setting in Ribera del Duero that sees the vines grown at around 1,000 metres above sea level. The extraordinary biodiversity and mesoclimate define the distinctive nature and identity of each small plot. The complex, textured soils offer extraordinary mineral wealth, in which quartz, felspar 
and mica play a leading role.  Milsetentayseis Tinto is a wine with an identity specific to its origin. It represents the interpretation of a singular environment where the vineyard is sheltered away between valleys, outcrops and depressions.  Milsetentayseis Tinto transports us to an extraordinary landscape on account of its minerals, extreme climate and exceptional biodiversity. An elegant wine. Delicate and vibrant. The complexity of a unique environment and the tension of a vine conceived for long ageing.
 A complex climatic vintage
 The 2020 vintage was marked by a winter of persistent rainfall which, together with the snow that fell in January, provided a significant water reserve, which was very beneficial for the Fuentenebro vineyards. The vegetative cycle was gradual and balanced. The organic care and the cultural techniques used in the vineyard allowed the vines to grow homogeneously, achieving an exceptional quality. Harvesting took place early, starting on 12 September and ending on 3 October.

 High altitude vineyard and varietal richness The small plots of Milsetentayseis are nestled in one of the most unique areas of Ribera del Duero: Fuentenebro. Its mining past 
reveals reddish-clay soils where felspar, quartz and mica lend a unique character to these vineyards. The extreme climate and the altitude, at over 1,000 metres, are characteristic and decisive. An ancestral vineyard that has transcended the years and that reveals 
a past of extraordinary varietal richness that we seek to preserve and give visibility. The project to identify and restore varieties has managed to produce twenty-six different categories in just six plots of land. Old vines that live side by side with new plantations, with the future in mind.

 A meticulous preparation
 The grapes of Milsetentayseis Tinto 2020 were harvested by hand following an exhaustive selection of bunches in each plot. Subsequently, a double selection takes place in the winery: of bunches and berries. As part of its preparation, particular importance is 
placed on the raw material and its origin, with each plot processed separately. The aim is to achieve the maximum expression of each vine and soil. For this purpose, the winery has different formats for vinification: from six hundred-litre micro-vinifiers to small wooden 
vats, concrete and stainless steel tanks, icosahedrons (diamond) and even clay amphorae. Milsetentayseis Tinto spent eighteen months ageing in French oak barrels and foudres and concrete and twelve months ageing in the bottle before being released to the 
market.