Some years ago, Catalan producers Parxet decided that if they were to make red wine, they would mígrate and do so in Ribera del Duero. Here, therefore, at their small, cosy but ultra modern winery in Pesquera, they make from the grapes of their La Asperilla estate, just a stone's throw away in Peñafiel, planted in 1994 with 18 hectares of Tinto Fino and just 2 of Cabernet - the dark and extremely savoury Tionio - from low yield (4000 kilos per hectare) vines grown on soils with a high clay and gravel content.
Part barrel-fermented, with some 20% of the blend undergoing mallolactic in barrique, it spends around 14 months in oak - 10% US and the rest invariably the second-use Allier from their winery in Alella - prior to being left to calm down in bottle. The result is an imposing, dark, violet-streaked cherry red, with mature, spicy, nicely integrated fruit, relatively rounded tannins, good structure and backbone, and impressive length: in all, a serious food wine. Magnums are available by special request.
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