2009 Pago de los Capellanes, Ribera del Duero, Nogal

The 2009 Parcela El Nogal is a single-vineyard wine from a 13-year-old plot called El Nogal (the oak tree) that is fermented in oak vats and carried out its malolactic fermentation in barrique where the wine aged for 22 months in oak. It has a clear animal character, with notes of leather, hung meat, tempera paint, fountain pen ink, licorice and peat with a good layer of oak-related aromas on top of the ripe black fruit. The palate is medium-bodied, and again, I find a wine without the punch and concentration of fruit (and I don-t mean I-d expect more extraction) that is relatively simple and easy-to-drink. The new barriques are unnoticeable in the palate, which is a plus. Drink now-2018. Pago de los Capellanes produces one million bottles. In the context of the region, and compared with their older vintages, I found some irregular wines and was a bit disappointed with the 2010s, which I expected would have more stuffing. Importers: Antalva Imports, Los Angeles, CA; tel. (310) 695-6260, www.antalva.com