I know this wine from all recent vintage releases, and it always seriously over-performs in complexity and seriousness in relation to its selling price. The 2020 release is on track to keep the winning streak going, though it is presently in a somewhat inexpressive (not “closed”) condition, probably due to a combination of its sheer youthfulness and jostling from trans-Atlantic shipping. Even accounting for that, it nevertheless shows good concentration from old-vine sourcing (60-85-year-old vines) and aging for 10 months in a combination of 90% French and 10% American oak. This isn’t yet as open and showy as the 2019 was at an even earlier stage, but the track record of this wine — and winemaker — are so strong that this is a good buy already and a good bet to improve.
Isaac Fernández Selections, Ribera del Duero (Castilla y León, Spain) 2020
By Michael Franz
