Highlights: Pinea Korde, a serious rosé from Ribera del Duero
Pinea Korde Rosé 2023 Ribera del Duero, Spain
14% alcohol. This is a brave new project from Vicente Pliego, who came to Ribera del Duero from Mexico. He says that it’s not so much a rosé as a claret, a traditional village wine of Castilla, made from Tempranillo with just under 10% of Albillo Mayor (a white grape). These were macerated for 7 hours and then the must was drained to 500 litre barrels, where it was fermented and aged for 18 months. The result is a deeply coloured red/pink wine with complex flavours and aromas of strawberries, cherries and spice. There’s nice density and texture and the wine is really well balanced. Vicente says it has 15 years’ ageing potential, which is a strong claim. But there’s lots of spice and mineral goodness here that makes me think it could go on for quite a long time. Great to see more serious rosé being made. 94/100
