Carmelo Rodero Crianza 2022 - "Melhor Tinto de Crianza" na Guia Gourmet 2025

At the age of 14, Carmelo was already cultivating the land with the first tractors that were seen in the area and, after his military service, he began to buy and cultivate his own vineyards. He separated from the cooperative and the fruits of his then 30 hectares were acquired for 14 years by Vega Sicilia.

Convinced that the quality of his "black pearls" (as he likes to call them) are the unequivocal basis of a good wine, he opted for the future and began his own journey, presenting his first wine from the 1991 harvest to the market. Since then, every year his wines have received numerous recognitions from specialist critics.

It currently has 140 hectares of different selected plots. The average age of the vines is 30 years, with some vines being 10 years old and others being 70 years old. The native variety Tinta del País or Tinto Fino (Tempranillo) occupies 85% of the total surface area of the vineyard, Cabernet Sauvignon 10% and Merlot 5%. All of them are distributed on gentle slopes that have the unique attributes of Ribera del Duero.

Cultivation practices seek maximum concentration in each grain, not exceeding 4,000 kg/ha in any case and selecting it before entering the warehouse. The area has a Mediterranean climate with continental influence, moderate to low rainfall, with dry summers and long, harsh winters.

The soil is made up of tertiary sediments with more or less lenticular layers of clayey or clayey sands with alternating layers of limestone, marl and even calcareous concretions. The relief of the area varies between interfluvial hills and valleys, with a topographic height of between 750 and 850 metres.

James Suckling:
"A spicy red with aromas of cocoa, raspberries, paprika and nutmeg. It's full-bodied, rich and toasty, with sandy tannins. Drink now."