Astrales, Ribera del Duero (Spain) 2014

 In a lineup of 12 exemplary Spanish wines that I showed during a class last week, this was the consensus winner.  Although this is a “big” wine in terms of concentration, depth of flavor and sheer flavor impact, it also shows purity and class at every sensory point from the first whiff to the last whisper of flavor in the long finish.  There’s a notable dose of spicy, toasty oak, but it is perfectly proportioned in relation to the overall weight of the wine and its intensity of fruit.  Soft flavors or dark berries and black cherries are totally seductive, and at its current stage of development, there’s also a savory undertone beginning to emerge from bottle aging.  I reviewed this in mid-summer of 2017, scoring it at 93.  As things have turned out, my score was too low, as the wines has exceeded my already-high expectations for it.  Mea Culpa.  This is a complete and obviously terrific wine.