Description
The production is done in 500 liter open top, French oak barrels which are 2 to 3 years in age. It macerates naturally for approximately 15 days and the “Pigeage” is done daily. The fermentation starts naturally with wild yeast and takes place during 15 days. After pressing, ageing takes place in French oak barrels, where it spends at least two winters in order to have natural malolactic fermentation.
This is the red in David Sampedro’s project from the Sierra de Salamanca area, and is marketed as a Product of Spain. Purplish ruby colour, the nose is not very expressive at first, with notes of kirsch followed by a balsamic character. It is dense and fruity on the palate, with well-integrated tannins and a certain presence of wood. Worth checking out how it develops in the future.
Phinca Encanto Rufete 2011
Robert Parker Tasting Note
Score – 92. (Luis Gutierrez, erobertparker.com, Aug. 2014)
WineAlign Tasting Notes
Rating: 90/95
Bodegas Bhilar 2011 Phinca Encanto Rufete, Sierra de Francia, Spain ($32.95)
David Lawrason – This is incorrectly indicated as a Rioja in Vintages catalogue (the winery is based in Rioja but the fruit is from a less well known region in central-northwest Spain). It is a delicious and fascinating wine. Winemaker David Sampedro Gil (“DSG” is its brand) is a young gun from a 5th generation of vintners who is on mission is recover indigenous varieties. Rufete is an early-ripening, well-under-the-radar red grape centred in the Duero/Douro region of Spain/Portugal. It is all tangy cranberry (making it a great Thanksgiving turkey pick as well).
Sara d’Amato – A rather unusual find, this 100% Rufete (also known as tinta pinheira in Portugal) is a real stunner. Although my reference for this a wine such as this is quite low, the grape is known for producing wine with high acids and tannins and thus with great ageing potential. This example is immensely compelling offering verve and intensity with a complex array of flavours from clove and plum to kirsch and violets.
John Szabo – Damned if this isn’t both intriguing, and high quality. I can’t say classic rufete (can anyone?) nor even classic Spanish style, but fans of sharper, mid-weight reds – think nebbiolo, or cool climate syrah or pinot noir – will get into this. Tannins are still a bit burly, but there’s enough weight and density to envision future harmony, after 2017 or so I’d speculate. An exciting find.
