Bodegas Emilio Moro Tempranillo Ribera del Duero Malleolus 2005

The 2005 Malleolus is 100% Tinta del Pais which was barrel-fermented and aged for 18 months in French oak. Dark ruby-colored, it offers an expressive perfume of toasty oak, pencil lead, spice box, mineral, and black fruits. This is followed by a structured, firm wine that has excellent depth and length. It will evolve for 5-7 years and provide pleasure through 2020. Deep ruby. Explosively perfumed, wild aromas of red and dark fruit liqueur, spices and flowers. Dense, sweet raspberry and blackberry flavors overwhelm the palate but possess uncanny freshness and improbable finesse, with no obvious tannins. Seems to get sweeter on the long, gently spicy finish and picks up a deeper espresso quality. At least as impressive as the superb 2004, and perhaps more elegant. This red offers ripe, jammy flavors of blackberry, currant, chocolate and licorice, with solid tannins and enough acidity to keep it lively. Expressive and appealing. Drink now through 2015. 400 cases imported. &ndash...

RP: 93 Points ST: 92+ Points WS: 90 Points

The 2005 Mallelous de Valderramiro is 100% Tempranillo sourced from a single 85-year-old vineyard with tiny yields. The wine went through malolactic fermentation in new American oak with batonnage followed by aging in new French oak for 18 months. Inky purple-hued, the wine has stunning aromatics, kinky and complex. Notes of mineral/slate, pencil lead, espresso, wild blueberry and blackberry lead to a layered, opulent wine with superb concentration and great length. Give it 6-8 years of additional cellaring and drink it through 2030. Glass-staining ruby. High-pitched red and dark berry aromas are brightened by exotic Asian spices and minerals. Powerful raspberry and blackberry flavors are sweetened by coconut, vanilla and mocha but theres a buffering bitter licorice quality. Supple tannins build on the long, pliant finish, which leaves a cherry-cola flavor behind. Very sexy wine.