Ausàs Interpretación 2021

The serious 2021 Interpretación, his interpretation of Ribera del Duero, was produced with Tinto Fino (a.k.a. Tempranillo) grapes, fermented mostly in stainless steel and some in concrete with indigenous yeasts and matured in 225- and 500-liter French oak barrels, 30% of them new. It's ripe at 15% alcohol but has balance and freshness, reflecting the conditions of the year. It's nuanced, elegant and powerful, with ripe flavors and round, fine-grained tannins. It's a classical Ribera with power and finesse. 37,000 bottles and some larger formats produced. It was bottled in May 2023. - Luis Gutiérrez. 

"Very fresh" is how Xavier Ausàs describes this pan-Ribera del Duero Tinto Fino, which combines components from mostly Nava de Roa with lesser amounts from Gumiel de Mercado, Moradillo and Roa. Aged in 30% new barrels with 3% whole bunches, it's redder fruited than its predecessors, with a noticeable thread of chalky minerality. Bramble, plum and red cherry flavours are complemented by subtle vanilla spicy oak and fine-grained tannins. 2025-35

For his eponymous project, Xavier Ausàs, winemaker of Vega Sicilia fame, produces a single wine, conveying his personal interpretation of Ribera del Duero Tempranillo. By blending fruit from different villages he seeks the essence of each vintage, with his style as common, guiding thread. The 2021 showcases his trademark purity and robust minerality, with an elegant exuberance and flowing generosity. Cherry sorbet, blackberry yoghurt, mountain herbs and Parma violets mingle on the nose, topped by a touch of flint and graphite. The tannins are assertive, enticingly chalky, supporting the angular savouriness of cedar, wild flowers and dried herbs. A wine with great cellaring potential, worth revisiting 10 years from now. - Inés Salpico.