Aurus 2011

Produced from a warm and ripe vintage, the 2011 Aurus is a blend of Tempranillo with 15% Graciano and is a cuvée of a diversity of head-pruned vineyards in the village of Briones. The uncrushed grapes fermented in French oak vats with indigenous yeasts and the wine matured in brand new French oak barrels for a period of two years and was racked every four months. I've always favored Aurus against Calvario and 2011 is an exception; it has notes of very ripe, black fruit and hints of licorice and fountain pen ink. The tannins are fine and there's surprisingly good freshness for a warm vintage. However, the wine seems to evolve faster in the glass than the Calvario and the fruit shows riper. The finish is quite gentle, so I don't see the need to wait very long for it. 6,000 bottles produced.

A deep and intense nose of fresh blackberries and herbal and clove undertones. Full and velvety with ultra-fine tannins and a beautiful, refreshing and flavorful finish. Delicious and balanced. Shows potential for aging. Better in 2019.