Bodegas Finca la Capilla, Ribera del Duero (Castilla y León, Spain) 2018

 I’ve not been able to visit this bodega, so I can only render my impressions based on tasting two wines from 2018:  A gutsy but rather coarse Crianza, and this gloriously silky, refined, higher-end bottling at the opposite end of the stylistic spectrum.  There are good reasons for making both styles of wines from this region (as it does both very well), but it is frankly a bit jarring to shift from one to the other.  The Crianza is nicely designed and bottled in an imposingly heavy vessel, whereas this is even more elegantly designed, but then sold in a bottle that you could safely drop from outer space with no risk of damage on re-entry.  However, I think everyone can arrive at their own conclusions about the aesthetics and sustainability of big bottles, so I’ll stick to my core task and note that:  This is fantastic juice.  The classy oak and ripe fruit are already singing in harmony, with fresh acidity lending lift, and extremely well-managed tannins offering a needed counterpoint to the soft, very ripe (but not over-ripe) fruit.  Blackberry and black cherry are the lead notes, with a kiss of vanilla and some nice, spicy topnotes.  I could understand how some might object to the bottle, but anybody who objects to its contents is being an ideologue rather than a fair taster.  Bloody delicious wine, ready to rip, and perfect for higher-end restaurants.  If my score is off, it is a point too low for those looking for immediate enjoyment, in which application this shines, indisputably.