A vibrant, fruit-forward Ribera del Duero Tempranillo balancing ripe berry fruit and subtle oak spice from high-altitude Castilian vines.

Tasting Notes & Food Pairings

Pours a clean, bright cherry-red with violet reflections at the rim. On the nose, it offers an immediate lift of wild blackberries, ripe redcurrants, and black cherry jam, underpinned by gentle hints of vanilla, sweet baking spice, and ground coffee from its brief spell in barrel.

On the palate, it strikes a welcoming balance between supple freshness and honest Spanish weight. The fruit leads with tart dark plums and crushed forest berries, nicely framed by soft, rounded tannins and vibrant natural acidity that keeps each sip refreshing rather than cloying. The finish is clean, juicy, and savoury, lingering with gentle notes of cocoa nibs and toasted cedar.

Food Pairings:

This versatile red is built for relaxed weekday dinners and hearty weekend cooking. It works brilliantly alongside grilled lamb chops seasoned with rosemary, slow-braised pork belly, chorizo and lentil stew, or a simple midweek cottage pie. For cheese, keep it classic with a wedge of aged Manchego or mature farmhouse cheddar.

About the Producer

Bodega Convento San Francisco is located in Peñafiel, right in the historic heart of Ribera del Duero. Founded in 1998, the winery was built inside the lovingly restored remains of a 13th-century Franciscan monastery originally dating back to 1265. Rather than chasing massive volume, the team focuses on honest, small-batch winemaking that puts vineyard character first. They work closely with local growers across selected villages of Valladolid, Burgos, and Soria, selecting heritage parcels that reflect the gritty elegance and authentic regional style of the high Duero plateau.

Vineyard & Winery

Viticulture & Terroir:

The fruit for Roble del Convento 2020 comes from a selection of parcels spread across the esteemed municipal terms of Pesquera del Duero, Quintana del Pidio, Gumiel de Izán, and Fuentenebro. The vines average around 25 years of age and sit at punishing elevations between 845 and 920 metres above sea level on open slopes and windswept moorlands (páramos).

The soils vary across plots, comprising gravelly sands, red clay, and pebble-strewn limestone. The extreme continental climate—marked by blisteringly hot summer days followed by freezing nighttime drops—prolongs ripening and locks in mouthwatering natural acidity. In 2020, heavy spring rain demanded meticulous hand-hoeing (zacho) and canopy management in the organic vineyards, followed by a cool, slow September that rewarded the team with spot-on phenolic maturity.

Winemaking & Maturation:

The grapes were harvested entirely by hand between the 1st and 10th of October 2020. Fermentation and maceration took place under strict temperature control for 16 days, utilizing daily manual punch-downs (bazuqueos) and gentle pump-overs (remontados) to extract bright fruit, deep colour, and supple, food-friendly tannins.

To preserve the wine's juicy primary fruit while adding structure, the wine was matured for 6 months in 500-litre French (50%) and American (50%) oak casks (barricas bordelesas). This restrained oak regime keeps wood flavours subtle and integrated before the wine is rested and prepared for bottling.