A few months ago the Master of Wine and wine journalist, Tim Atkin, visited Ribera del Duero. Among many of the wineries visited was Bodega Marta Maté, which undoubtedly stands out in this DO.
About wines of Spain and Ribera del Duero highlights Marta Maté red wines.
In the words of Tim Atkin “Cesar Maté and Marta Castrillo’s wines are among hidden gems of Ribera del Duero”
Maybe there are still people who have not heard of this jewel hidden in the Ribera del Duero (Castilla y León) but in Spain they have been making their mark for several years and they are ready to do so in the United States as well, through Tasters.
TIM ATKIN MW RIBERA DEL DUERO 2021 SPECIAL REPORT
In this report Tim Atkim talks in depth about Ribera del Duero, its wineries and wines. He also elaborates this podium:
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Winemakers of the Year José Félix and Noelia Callejo of Bodegas Félix Callejo
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Young Winemaker of the Year Francisco Barona of Barona Bodegas y Viñedos
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Winemaking Legend Mariano García of Aalto and Garmón Continental
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Co-operative of the Year Bodegas Protos
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Viticulturist of the Year Dani Pérez Herrero of Bodegas Hermanos Pérez Pascuas
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Overall Red Wine of the Year NV Vega Sicilia Único Reserva Especial
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Overall White Wine of the Year 2017 Dominio del Águila Blanco
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Overall Rosé of the Year 2019 Bodegas Antídoto Le Rosé de Antídoto
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Red Wine Discovery of the Year 2019 Bodegas Marta Maté Los Perejiles
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White Wine Discovery of the Year 2018 Bodegas Valtravieso El Manifiesto de Valtravieso
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Best Value Red of the Year 2018 Bodega Tierra Aranda Vendimia Seleccionada
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Best Value White of the Year 2019 Bodegas Vitulia Albillo Gran Selección
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Best Value Rosé of the Year 2020 Hermanos Sastre Viña Sastre Marcelina Gómez Rosado
Ribera del Duero, Wine in spain
More than 300 wineries with their 2,500 brands bear the seal of the Ribera del Duero Denomination of Origin, as many as there are ways to excite. But Marta Maté stands out among them all and with some very special spanish red wines.
The wines are grouped into reds, from young wines with a high fruit load and good mouthfeel, to elegant aged wines (Crianzas, Reservas and Gran Reserva), which stand out for their aromatic complexity, their power and balance in the mouth. In rosés, fruity and refreshing. And in whites, fresh, fruity young wines, with good acidity, which provide more complex aromas as they age in barrel and bottle.
Marta Maté is the winery of Marta Castrillo and Cesar Maté, a project that was formalized in 2013, being the winery with the highest altitude of the Ribera de Duero, providing its wines with unique characteristics. This winery has demonstrated that the quality of the grapes from a young vineyard can be very good, when things are done right. They have also carried out soil recovery works of centenary vineyards with the transition from conventional to organic viticulture.
The winery is in a privileged location in the northern part of this region and around two hours away from La Rioja. It is the methods and commitment to biodiversity and minimal oenological intervention that have put Marta Maté at the head of the D.O. with its wines.
Marta Maté is also characterized by the two forms of viticulture they practice. On the one hand, the recovery of old vines, centenary vineyards in the village where the winery is located (Tubilla del Lago, Castilla y León, Spain). And on the other hand the care of young vineyards in which they try to achieve a biodiversity that naturally exists in the old vineyard.
Their Marta Maté wine is one of the most special because it unifies these two forms of viticulture practiced in the winery. The Marta Maté wine is named after the winery and is their reference wine. It is a full bodied wine, with great complexity and soft tannins.
In this boutique winery in Ribera del Duero, most of their wines are red wines, using as a main grape variety the Tempranillo. It is not surprising that the main grape variety used is Tempranillo, considering that Ribera del Duero is a wine region that produces large quantities of this grape. Is not common to find others grape varieties in this region.
Tim Atkin at Ribera del Duero
The master of wine was surprised by the wines of Marta Maté and no wonder Marta Maté scored 96 points and entered the Tim Atkin Podium with Los Perejiles as Red Wine Discovery of the Year, as well as becoming a First Growths in Tim’s 2021 Ribera del Duero Classification. In addition, eight of its wines do not drop below 90 points.
Being these red wines of great quality produced with organic grapes from a high altitude vineyards.
Points Tim Atkin 2021
96 Bodegas Marta Maté Los Perejiles Vintage 2019
96 Bodegas Marta Maté Marta Maté Vintage 2018
94 Bodegas Marta Maté Raspón Vintage 2016
94 Bodegas Marta Maté Raspón Vintage 2019
92 Bodegas Marta Maté Viñas del Lago Vintage 2019
91 Bodegas Marta Maté El Holgazán Vintage 2019
91 Bodegas Marta Maté Primordium Vintage 2012
90 Bodegas Marta Maté Rosado Vintage 2020
Spanish wine
The Spanish wine region Ribera del Duero is undoubtedly synonymous with quality, with many grape varieties, but Tempranillo being the most important one red grape. The wines produced in this region are elegant, balanced tannins and well-structured wines, with great aromatic complexity, intense and persistent.
Marta Maté has positioned itself as one of the best Spanish red wines of this region, thanks to its method of wine production and the grapes quality.
Step by step, with a lot of hard work and passion, Marta Maté Winery has managed to position itself as one of the best in Ribera del Duero and has been rewarded with this wonderful review by wine maker Tim Atkin.
Where can you find wines of Spain?
In the United States you can already find some of these wonderful wines through Tasters, which shares values with its wineries and is committed to organic wines of the highest quality. You can enjoy in Texas Spanish wines of the highest quality and well rated by the best masters of wine.
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