Wine Advisor
Aalto, Ribera del Duero 2018
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Luis Gutiérrez
The 2018 Aalto reflects the cooler conditions of the year, with a more austere profile, subtle aromas and a harmonious palate. This is a classic example of modern, ripe and well-oaked Tempranillo from Ribera del Duero, which this year feels creamy, juicy and balanced. This follows the path of 2017 with integrated oak (they used only around 20% new oak) and a lively palate in a more drinkable and approachable style. They added some new vineyards from the zone of Boada where the soils are red and the wines bring freshness and lots of fruit. The wine had a shorter maceration with the skins and a softer vinification. This is finer and more balanced, with finesse but still very much recognizable as Aalto. 300,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in July 2020.
About the Producer
The AALTO project was founded in February 1999, in the prestigious winemaking region of Ribera del Duero (Spain). The foundational aim of Mariano Garcia and Javier Zaccagnini in AALTO was to make a wine that shows a different personality, of high quality and being a faithful reflection of distinct locations, blending them at the end of the aging process to obtain balance and complexity. A few years later, in 2006, Masaveu and Nozaleda families joined AALTO, both owners of wineries in other wine regions of Spain, providing experience and stability to the project, which meant the consolidation of the winery to this day. The architecture of the winery is perfectly integrated into the environment, in a typical Ribera del Duero plateau, with a lineal and harmonic design without ostentation, and minimalistic details, elegant and comfortable.
