Pícaro del Águila 2018 from Dominio del Águila
Winemaker Jorge Monzón needed three ingredients to make his extraordinary Ribera del Duero wines possible. First, winemaking experience in France at Domaine de la Romanée-Conti and in Spain at Ribera del Duero wineries Vega Sicilia and Arzuaga-Navarro. Second, old vines in and around his hometown of La Aguilera in Burgos province, at the northern end of Ribera del Duero. Third, a bodega from the 17th century and several 15th-century underground caves for aging his wine, restored with the help of his architect wife. With all of the pieces in place, Monzón set out to make his own particular vision of fine Ribera del Duero wines a reality at the small but now legendary winery he named Dominio del Águila.
Old Vines in Ribera del Duero
The old-vine vineyards are organic and planted with Tempranillo along with Garnacha, Bobal and white Albillo.. In the scant years since setting out on his own wine path, Monzón’s rise has been stratospheric. He’s received the highest acclaim from critics and sommeliers around the world, excited by his fresh, complex wines. His top wines fetch high prices, especially for such a new winery. Even so many people consider Dominio del Águila wines to be good value. Monzón has become the most visible example of the exciting things happening in the northern villages of Ribera, where old vines remain and a generation of small producers is producing wine from single vineyards.
Pícaro del Águila is Dominio del Águila’s introductory red, but it’s anything but basic. The grapes are sourced from a selection of plots of old vines near the village of La Aguilera. The vineyards are planted with field blends, as was once common in Ribera del Duero, including significant percentages of white grapes mixed in. The vines are very old, with an average age over 50 years, yet are still some of the youngest that Dominio del Águila uses. This, plus over a year in French oak, results in a wine with incredible complexity and depth. Pícaro del Águila is not a powerhouse Ribera del Duero, but rather a subtle, elegant red more reminiscent of some of Spain’s new wave Garnachas than the tannic Tempranillos that many associate with Ribera. It’s evident from the first drop to the last that this is a wine as serious as the best from many top wineries.
Pícaro del Águila in the Glass
After pouring the wine into your glass, as the wine opens up, it shows its identity as a serious but friendly wine–utterly different from popular Riberas. The fruit is more vivid than that of many quality Tempranillos, a welcome injection of berries. The depth is apparent on the nose, with enchanting floral and spicy notes emerging as the wine evolves in the glass. In Spain you’ll be hard pressed to see a decanter most of the time, but this is a wine to decant and sit with for awhile. It develops magnificently and it’d be a shame to drink it too quickly. When you take a sip, the elegance is immediately obvious in the balance of the wine, just the right amount of fruit, oak, tannin.
Food Pairing
If you’re used to Ribera del Duero wines, you probably won’t think this is a Tempranillo. It makes you want to take another sip and look to see if you can find another bottle. If you have the patience for it, this could certainly age beautifully in bottle. For food pairing, this wine has the structure for classic Ribera pairings (mainly grilled meat) but it’s subtle enough to pair with game and meats with subtle sauces. This is, after all, a wine that brings Ribera del Duero a step closer to Burgundy. Look out for this bottle and any other Dominio del Águila wine, because this is one of the most exciting wineries in all of Spain.
