2013 Dominio de Atauta Ribera del Duero

Silky, Seamless Ribera from 140-Year-Old Vines

Bodegas Dominio de Atauta has been hailed as “an extraordinary estate” by Robert Parker. From ungrafted, largely pre-phylloxera vineyards in the Ribera del Duero’s coolest zone, the 2013 Dominio de Atauta balances trademark Ribera concentration with striking freshness and minerality. This Wine Access exclusive earned dual 92-point scores from Wine Advocate and Vinous, which calls the wine “silky, seamless,” “bright and energetic,” and “intense.” From one of the best bodegas in the renowned DO of Ribera del Duero, this is simply a steal at $35.99, and our 40-case allocation will fly.

In 1995, Madrid wine merchant Miguel Sanchez began the painstaking process of assembling an estate from a patchwork of ancient vineyards. After beginning the rehabilitation of the vineyards, Sanchez recruited winemaker Bertrand Sourdais, whose resume includes stints at Château Mouton Rothschild, Léoville-Las Cases, and Alvaro Palacios. By 2000, Dominio de Atauta produced its first vintage. Today, winemaker Almudena Alberca and viticulturist Ismael Sanz continue the work begun by Sanchez and Sourdais: the work that has led Robert Parker, Antonio Galloni, and other international critics to agree that Atauta is one of Ribera del Duero’s best.

The grapes of Atauta — some from vines up to 140 years old — need little intervention; The wine is aged in mostly used barriques, complementing naturally occurring Ribera richness and the cool-climate freshness.

• ABV 15.00%
• 1 hour
• Now – 2027
• % Tempranillo
• Serving temperature – 64°