Abadia Retuerta is located just outside the DO of Ribera del Duero. It was once part of the Vega Sicilia estate and was revived when a Swiss pharmaceutical company purchased the land in 1991. They own 210 hectares of vineyard dispersed over 54 plots interpolated with pine forest, and the wines are vinified in a state-of-the-art winery. The premium wines spend 14 to 18 months in French and American oak (64% and 36% respectively).
Issue 255 End of June 2021, The Wine Advocate | 30th Jun 2021 | Luis Gutiérrez
2018 was a cooler year with more rain and higher yields, and the 2018 Selección Especial—77% Tempranillo, 12% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Syrah, 1% Merlot, 0.8% Petit Verdot and 0.3% Garnacha—shows very harmonious and better integrated oak than the 2017. Despite having similar analytical data, the wine comes through as fresher, more balanced, more fluid and with a finer texture given the quality of the tannins.