2019 Aster Crianza (Ribera del Duero)

Bodegas Aster is the relatively new Ribera del Duero property of La Rioja Alta. They purchased land and planted vines in 1991, but did not produce any wines themselves until the 2001 vintage, after the tempranillo vines were ten years of age. Their 2019 Tinto Crianza comes in at 14.5 percent octane and was raised for just under two years in casks, with the wood being a fifty-fifty split of French and American oak. The 2019 version offers up a youthful and refined bouquet of plums, black cherries, cigar smoke, clove-like spice tones, a good foundation of soil and a generous serving of cedary oak. On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied and nascently complex, with lovely depth of black fruit, good soil undertow and grip, ripe, well-integrated tannins and a beautifully balanced, long and focused finish. This is going to be simply outstanding wine once it is ready to drink. 93+ points