2010 Dominio de Valdepusa AAA
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Tasting notes
Bright purple. Explosive aromas of dark berry preserves, vanilla and floral pastilles are complicated by suggestions of smoky Indian spices and mocha. Palate-staining blackberry and cherry-cola flavors show outstanding depth and clarity, picking up a mineral element with air. The very long, spice-tinged finish features fine-grained tannins and a suave lavender quality. Shows superb power and focus on a very long, spice-tinged finish. This rich, powerful, deeply concentrated but focused wine wouldn't be out of place in a cult Napa Cabernet tasting. Aged in 100% new French oak barrels for 30 months.
Critic scores
Average Score
Josh Raynolds
Neal Martin, Wine Advocate
More reviews and scores
The 2010 Dominio de Valdepusa AAA is very deep in color with a lucid purple hue. The bouquet is very intense and opulent, with small dark cherries, kirsch, a touch of fresh prune and fig that is well-defined. With ten minutes in the glass, it develops an intriguing brine scent. The palate is medium-bodied with rich, ripe tannins, and mineral-laden dark black fruit, but the finish retains superb brightness and clarity. This is the finest vintage that I have tasted. Drink 2015-2030. I was able to slot in a last minute visit to Dominio de Valdepusa in Montes de Toledo on my way back to Madrid, an essential visit given the history of this estate. The castle of Malpica has belonged to the Carlos Falco family since 1292, and it was granted the very first “Pago” denomination in 2002. It is an enormous estate – from the entrance to the winery takes around ten minutes to drive past the beautiful Moorish landscape and olive groves. There are presently 52 hectares under vine, mainly international grape varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot (both introduced in 1974), Syrah and Petit Verdot. Their wines have been overseen by such luminaries as Dr. Richard Smart, Emile Peynaud and Michel Rolland. It was a pleasure to meet proprietor Carlos Falco Fernandez de Cordoba and his daughter Xandra, along with their oenologist, Julio Mourelle. Carlos, who graduated from UC Davis, was one of the driving forces behind the establishment of the Vinos de Pago denomination and was instrumental in promoting international varieties in the region. It was also interesting to speak at length with Mourelle. “I am feeling less afraid of making mistakes,” he explained. “We don’t like the wines to be over-oaked at all – only one-quarter to one-third are new barrels. We are learning more and more about irrigation and achieving fine pH levels just by working empirically with hydrometers.” Overall, this was a very impressive set of wines, quite modern in style but beautifully crafted. Importer: Winebow, Inc. Montvale, NJ; tel. (201) 445-0620.