Aalto 2022

The 2022 Aalto has a dark color and a very smoky nose with meaty notes (smoky bacon?), ripe dark berry fruit (a little too ripe for me this year) and abundant herbs and is quite spicy. This is the prototype Aalto, ripe (15% alcohol), powerful, concentrated and generously oaked but with stuffing and power and the balance to resolve the tannins and age for a long time in bottle. It has a marked profile that will not please those in search of a light and fresh red. This is a thoroughbred Ribera. 330,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in July 2024.

Aalto is one of the leading and most successful examples of a pan-Ribera del Duero Tempranillo, using grapes from 200 parcels in nine different villages across the Denominación de Origen. Skilfully blended by Antonio Moral, this has sweet vanilla and cigar box aromas from 50% new wood, lots of colour and intensity, Asian spice, chocolate, plum and black cherry flavours and supporting acidity. 2025-38.

Ripe dark cherries and blackberries swathed into a dusty, woody background, with touches of licorice, vanilla and violet extract. Juicy and fine-grained on the palate with full body and a fine-boned tannins. Structured and long. Drink from 2025. (Zekun Shuai).