Abadia Retuerta Seleccion Especial 2017

Cellar for up to 8 years. No need to decant before serving.

The majestic abbey of Santa Maria de Retuerta was built on the banks of the Duero River in 1146 by order of the Conde de Castilla who wanted to create a network of fortified monasteries to protect his lands. In 1996 a new winery was established here set on 700 hectares of vineyards which include 54 different plots surrounded by mountains and verdant forests. Many of the vineyards grow at 700 to 850 metres above sea level, ensuring warm sunny days and cooler nights which help to preserve plenty of freshness as well as ripe fruit flavours.

Winemaking at Abadia Retuerta is headed up by Pascal Delbeck who insists on harvesting all of the fruit by hand to preserve them in perfect condition when they reach the winery. The estate also pioneered the use of sorting tables in the region and has an advanced quality control process throughout the vinification.

One of their iconic wines is the Seleccion Especial which is made from a strict allocation of the estate’s finest grapes each vintage. This wine is the only Spanish bottling to have been included in Wine Spectator’s Top 100 Wines for three consecutive years. It’s primarily composed of Tempranillo along with some Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah, and spends 11 months maturing in a combination of French and American oak barrels.