In a very short time, Ribera del Duero has become one of the most sought after and respected Spanish red-wine producing regions. When the D.O (a Spanish appellation or AVA) was founded in 1982, there were only 9 bodegas. In 2013 — when Wine Enthusiast named it as the best wine region in the world — that number had jumped to 280!

One of those nine original estates is Bodega ValSotillo. Although Ismael Arroyo established ValSotillo in 1979, his family has been passing down their accumulated knowledge about their vineyards and cellars from generation to generation since the 16th century! Ismael was instrumental in writing the laws for what became Ribera del Duero, and in the process, became a founding father of one of Spain's most prestigious appellations. Today, they continue to be a leading reference of quality as one of the top artisanal producers in the region.

I was lucky enough to start working with Bodega ValSotillo nearly a decade ago, when Steph and I went to visit this historic estate, located in the Burgos region of Ribera del Duero. While there, we saw their immaculate vineyards which sit on 25 hectares (over 61 acres) in the village of Sotillo de la Ribera. These gnarly, bush-trained Tinto Fino (Tempranillo) vines — grown in clay soils — average 40 years of age, many as old as 80 years, some over 100 years old! In exceptional vintages, it is these grapes that go into their Vendimia Seleccionada (VS) Reserva.

We also had the opportunity to visit their cellars. Touring the winery is like stepping back in time, in the best sense of the phrase. The property was once a wine-making village, where each family's home had its own entrance into the caves within the mountain. As I walked through the narrow tunnels, I ran my fingers across the walls and ceiling, feeling the pick marks left when those tunnels were carved out by hand over 400 years ago. These centuries-old cellars stretch for over two miles underground. It is impossible not be swept away by the majesty and history of the estate, and that feeling is present in every wine that is carefully grown, vinified and aged in these historic vineyards and cellars.

The ValSotillo VS Reserva pours a gorgeous ruby, and for a wine with as much age as it has, it still looks quite youthful. Immediately out of the bottle, intense sauvage aromas intertwined with red and black fruits and dried flowers explode from the glass. On the palate, the wine is well-structured with a discrete acidity that lurks in the background and firm, earthy tannins. It is still fresh and focused, displaying prominent, ripe fruit flavors and spice with a long and lingering finish.

After time in a decanter, the VS opens up beautifully! The nose becomes even more complex with notes of potpourri and ripe berries which add a beautiful delicacy to the aromas. The wine softens on the palate, with the tannins integrating and taking on more of a silky texture. The flavors coalesce into a seamless whole, complimented by an underlying minerality. Be sure to decant before serving, and please put some aside to cellar: it will age gracefully for another 20 years!