Bodega Convento San Francisco, Ribera del Duero (Castilla y León, Spain) 2008

 This is considered a classic vintage, and the Bodega Convento San Francisco has made a classically-styled wine.  Light and fading color indicate the more traditional wines produced here.  The wine has a dusty and sweet spice nose from 12 months in oak, both old and new.  The game, leather, tobacco, and iron are an old-school departure from many of Ribera del Duero’s wineries.  While the wine has black cherry and plum notes, these are restrained and remain in the shadows as the earth notes take center stage.  This dynamic continues in the supple finish.