BODEGAS EMILIO MORO
RIOJA, SPAIN
Why They're Special: Ribera continues to represent great value on the high end, and these three, from Emilio Moro, a standard-bearer of the region, are textbook Ribera: concentrated, intense, and with the kind of maturity in the glass that puts you in mind of vintages three times as old.
What They're Saying: "Complex, big, and beautiful," wrote James Suckling of the Malleolus de Valderramiro, in his 94-point rave, "with a generous splash of sweet spices and dark chocolate to the rich but fresh blackberries and savory, cured meat. A hint of mineral, too. Full-bodied on the palate, tightly sealed by powdery tannins. Powerful, but still juicy and really long." Though the two others have yet to be reviewed, previous vintages have earned stellar scores, and Emilio Moro has long been a critical darling -- not just with the Spanish wine world, but with the global community of reviewers as well.
The Story: The family-run estate has deep roots in Ribera, dating back to the early 1930s, when the Moros first began farming the vineyards at the top of a bend in the Duero River, in the town of Pesquera del Duero, two hours north of Madrid. The current proprietor, José Moro Espinosa, a third-generation winemaker, launched the modern Moro in 1988, when he committed the family's entire savings to modernizing the winery's operations. That risky gamble on a larger vision paid off, and, by the mid '90s, Moro had quickly ascended into the upper ranks of Ribera producers by focusing on terroir-driven, carefully-aged wines that merged the values of old (respect for tradition, hand harvesting) with newer imperatives (bringing the fruit forward and conveying freshness and energy in the glass).
The Specs: Tempranillo is king at Emilio Moro, and, accordingly, is shown much the same care and love that Bordeaux winemakers extend to Cabernet Sauvignon. The Malleolus de Valderramiro was sourced from clay soils that were first planted in 1924. After a 26-day fermentation in stainless steel tanks, it aged in French oak barrels. The Malleolus de Sanchomartin comes from limestone soils, and a vineyard that was planted in 1944. It spent 28 days in fermentation in stainless steel tanks, and was, likewise, aged in French oak barrels. The Vendimia Seleccionada was fermented in stainless steel tanks for 30 days, before being aged in French oak barrels.
Our Tasting Notes: Serious wines that you can absolutely contemplate in solitude, teasing out their characteristics, but that you can also break out, just as easily, for a gathering or small party. The Malleolus, with its fantastic length, is a slow sipper par excellence, and gave us many hours of contented pleasure. The Malleolus de Sanchomartin is an ideal tablemate for hearty, rusticky dishes, where its marvelous tannins and surprising acidity enabled it to stand up to all manner of steaks, chops, and braises. The Vendimia Seleccionada? That's your weeknight tablewine, and it's capable of working in any number of contexts, while delivering the intensity and richness of a more expensive wine.
Fun Fact: Long regarded as an innovator, Emilio Moro is credited with creating the Tinto Fino clone.
What to Pair Them With: Plates of prosciutto or jamon Iberico; braised lamb; sausage and lentils; veal cheeks.
Our Guarantee: We always buy direct and only source direct, so rest assured – your wine will arrive in your hands with pristine provenance.
*Offer NOT valid in-store. This offer is made pre-arrival, with wines estimated to be delivered to your preferred store in Fall 2023. With the supply chain issues that we are seeing globally, there may be some unforeseen delays which could affect the ETA. All sale prices are the lowest available at Total Wine & More and ONLY valid through Concierge Sales. No further discounts or coupons may be applied. Offer not valid in CT, MI, NJ, NY, or TN. This offer is for ONE WEEK, or until sold out, and will expire on Wednesday, May 31, 2023.
*Due to limited storage space for pre-ordered product, we can only hold orders for 30 days from the first notification that your order is ready for pickup. If you are unable to pick up your order within 30 days, please contact Concierge Sales at (855) 841-2752 or conciergesales@totalwine.com to make an arrangement. A store associate may reach out periodically to notify you of your order. Unfortunately, if no arrangements have been made, after 30 days, the order will need to be cancelled and we will provide a full refund. No orders will be cancelled without multiple communication attempts.
