Score: 90+/100
The Cuvée Luci & Begoña is the entry point into Dominio de Cair’s universe and range of wines. This Ribera del Duero winery founded by famous Rioja producer Luis Canas specializes in rich high-end reds.
It is made from 85% Tempranillo and 15% Merlot, vines averaging 20 to 25 years of age.
Grapes are picked by hand and go through a double sorting table to eliminate any undesired vegetal debris.
Fermentation takes place in stainless steel tanks. The Cuvée wine then ages for about 9 months in 60% French and 40% American oak barrels. These wine barrels average 1 to 3 years of age and were used for the Cuvée’s big brother wines de Dominio de Cair Crianza , or Tierras de Cair.
So how good is 2014 Dominio de Cair Cuvée?
Tasting Notes
This Ribera red comes in quite a dark red color.
Stick your nose into the glass, and intensity strikes, with a burst of red berry liqueur, and dark roasted oaky notes, dark cocoa in particular.
Picture a black forest cake and you’re close to what it smells like, with the depth and complexity only wine can provide obviously. You won’t quite get it out of a cake for sure!
The aroma profile is layered and quite complex with loads of spices (clove, nutmeg, licorice) and oaky tones (vanilla, roasted hazelnut, some coconut too), yet a dominant upfront fruitiness making it lively.
The impression of completeness is even more obvious on the plate as you put the wine in your mouth. Everything seems to come together at once:
- Juiciness of the intense red fruit flavors
- Dark roast of the oaky tones
- A big burst of spices
- Solid body and oily texture
- A lot of dense slightly granulous, let’s call them velvety tannins
- Warmth from the alcohol
The whole feels concentrated, both explosively fruity and savory from so many spices and depth.
Theirs is lot going on in a frantic way on your taste buds, but it’s all well controlled within a well-though balanced frame.
Overall
A powerful and solidly structured Ribera del Duero wine, as we like and expect them to be.
Heaps of concentrated fruit characters have married a wealth of subtle oak flavors and tannins, delivering a complex experience, yet upfront fruity and approachable for those who love solid not-overcomplicated reds with depth.
Enjoy 🙂
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