If the Abadía Retuerta winery is famous for one thing, it is its high quality standards. But can you imagine the sublime being surpassed? We are happy to tell you it is possible – and they managed it with Abadía Retuerta Selección Especial. Only the best single-varietal wines of each vintage go into the blend of this red, whose soul tastes of Tempranillo. This local variety is joined by grapes such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Merlot and Petit Verdot, in greater or smaller proportions depending on the vintage. Taste is the decisive tool here, as the blend is determined by how the varieties harmonise with one another. Each keeps its own personality, nuances and peculiarities, since every variety is grown separately. In total, Abadía Retuerta works 54 plots in Sardón de Duero, in the east of Castile and León, at 720–850 metres. These vineyards grow on a wide variety of soils (limestone, clay, sand, gravel…) along the Duero, which provides especially favourable conditions. The vineyards lie in one of the narrowest valleys, where the nearby slopes bring the temperature down, recording the lowest temperatures in the province of Valladolid. This cold, together with the dry, sunny weather during the day, favours ripening, especially of the red varieties. At Abadía Retuerta it is not only the raw material that is excellent, but also the way it is handled, always aiming to get the very best from each vine. The harvest is done with special care, selecting only the finest grapes, which go straight into small stainless steel tanks for alcoholic and malolactic fermentation. Finally, after more than a year in French and American oak barriques, Abadía Retuerta Selección Especial is bottled – one of the finest reds you can find.
