I first tasted Dominio del Águila's Albillo Mayor in Madrid in 2017. Winemaker Jorge Monzón was pouring it at a wine tasting during Vila Viniteca's popular blind tasting in pairs competition. It really stood out for its complexity, depth and saline notes. With less than 1,000 bottles produced, the first 2012 vintage was discreetly sold in the US and to a few loyal customers. White wines were not authorised in Ribera del Duero until 2019.
2013 was a rainy, difficult vintage (Jorge Monzón describes it as a "battle against the rain") in which all the white grapes were destined for Pícaro del Águila Clarete. As a result, 2104 was the first vintage to reach the glasses of most professionals and wine lovers.
The meticulous selection, the winemaking process and Jorge Monzón's own background make this wine different from the other Albillo Mayor whites produced in Ribera del Duero.
With family roots in La Aguilera (Aranda de Duero, Burgos), Jorge Monzón trained as a winemaker in France and found himself in Burgundy, where he had the opportunity to work at the Domaine de la Romanée Conti and get up close and personal with their legendary white Montrachet. On his return to Spain, he was involved in Vega Sicilia's unsuccessful project to make a white wine in Ribera del Duero. For the next nine years, he worked nearby at Arzuaga, where he conducted several experiments with Albillo Mayor in particularly cold vintages such as 2007 and 2008, which proved the grape's ability to withstand extended ageing - the wines were eventually bottled and released by Arzuaga a few years later.
Dominio del Águila relies on old vineyards in the vicinity of La Aguilera that Monzón has been patiently buying up since 2005 - read more about the project here. These plots often include other red and white varieties as well as Tempranillo. In Dominio del Águila, vineyards with a low proportion of white grapes are used to make red wines. Those with more white grapes go to the rosé Pícaro del Águila, but there are still "around 20 plots in suitable locations that are neither easy to ripen nor shallow, gravelly areas high up on the slopes that are harvested one vine at a time. Soils can vary considerably within the same hillside. We may revisit the same plot up to four or five times. You can't pick unripe grapes to get more acidity, you need to harvest ripe grapes with good acidity. My parents used to do the selection, but now my wife Isabel and I do it. We only pick perfect grapes for this wine."
But it's not just about healthy grapes and perfect ripeness. They also select the Albillo Mayor among the other varieties. "Other white varieties in Ribera include Pirulés and Jaén. They aren't local, historical clones, but were planted by cooperatives looking for higher yields," explains Jorge. That is why this year he and his father selected several biotypes to build up their own Albillo collection, "to see if it is good because it is old, because of where it was planted or because of the quality of the clone itself," he explains.
Jorge also points out that "Albillo can endure a lot. It tends to ripen earlier than Tempranillo, but this is not always the case. "It is very sensitive to frost, so we do light pruning to leave some buds," he explains. In 2017, there was a severe frost and the majority of the grapes were harvested when three quarters of the red grapes were already in the winery. Albillo is also very sensitive to powdery mildew and to the sun; the skin quickly turns golden brown and, according to Jorge, can result in slightly viscous wines. "It is understandable that its cultivation has been gradually abandoned," he points out. "In La Aguilera it was planted to make Clarete [a blend of red and white grapes]. In the mid-1990s, when the price of grapes was no longer linked to their weight in kg, nobody wanted the old vines; that's why I managed to buy a lot of vineyards."
The winemaking process is very traditional. Full clusters are foot treaded, pressed and the must ferments in French oak barrels of 228 to 500 litres in the underground cellars that Jorge Monzón and his wife Isabel Rodero have renovated in the old bodega district of La Aguilera. The low temperatures mean that the fermentation process is very slow and can take up to a year. This allows the wine to remain sulphur-free for a long time, with the carbon dioxide acting as a natural preservative and, to a certain extent, activating the lees, since bâtonnage and other practices that stimulate fermentation are avoided. In Monzón's words, "the wine is alive". He also believes in the influence of the yeasts from these old cellars.
Some sulphur dioxide is usually added after fermentation. The wine does not undergo malolactic fermentation, but in vintages with slightly lower acidity, such as 2019 and 2020, certain batches did and were released with a phosphorescent yellow label bearing the words "Variedades Blancas Ancestrales" (Old White Varieties).
Ageing in oak can last more than 30 months. According to Monzón, there are three possible bottling dates: just before summer, on the eve of the harvest or, if the harvest is earlier than usual, in February. Sulphur is added before bottling, but the wines are not filtered or clarified. Jorge believes that "everything you do to the wine standardises it".
Another curiosity for Dominio del Águila fans is that for the 2015 vintage they sorted out the Albillo from their coldest plots (Peñas Aladas and similar), which was too extreme to be included in the white blend. Some of the wine was bottled a few years ago, but the rest has been ageing in oak barrels ever since, with remarkable results, according to Monzón.
When Daniel Cortes, a wine enthusiast from Zamora (castilla y León) who opened La Mercería wine shop in Boadilla del Monte (Madrid) in 2014, heard that Monzón was releasing a white, he was a dedicated admirer of his clarete and reds, and rushed to buy six bottles without tasting the wine beforehand. "I was very impressed. This is one of those wines that blows you away. The tension, the minerality and the acidity make you think of Meursault rather than Albillo. I decided to keep a bottle of each vintage," he recalls.
Thanks to his perseverance and patience, Dominio del Águila Albillo was the highlight among the vertical tastings organised by Daniel (pictured below) to celebrate La Mercería's 10th anniversary last month.
The tasting included all the vintages released to date, with the exception of 2012, due to its limited distribution. They were not served in chronological order, but according to Cortes' judgement, based on their structure and vintage profiles. The sequence was: 2017, 2018, 2016, 2019, 2014 and 2015. Below they are listed from youngest to oldest. Production figures are based on those published by Luis Gutiérrez in The Wine Advocate, with the exception of 2019, which were given by the winery. Ratings from Guía Peñín and The Wine Advocate have also been included. The alcohol content is 13% abv in all cases, as stated on the label, and Monzón confirmed minimal variations up and down.
Below are our impressions of what is sure to be one of our most memorable tastings in 2024.
Dominio del Águila Albillo Viñas Viejas 2019 White. Pale in colour due to its youth. Slightly reduced nose with toasted aromas (sesame, sunflower seeds) and some petrol notes over a white fruit background. The acidity is very good, providing plenty of tension and well-integrated oak, despite being the youngest vintage. The saline edge is already noticeable on the finish. Remarkable length. At this point the acidity is the backbone of the wine. Lots of potential here to develop over time - in that sense this was one of my favourite wines of the flight. I would avoid uncorking it for at least five years. Jorge Monzón thinks it will not outlive 2016, but it will take a few more years to be certain. This vintage has not yet been rated by The Wine Advocate or Guía Peñín.
Bottles: 5,932
Dominio del Águila Albillo Viñas Viejas 2018 White. Gold lemon colour. Finely spiced nose (nutmeg, a hint of cinnamon), perhaps a little more oak, but balanced and elegant. Aromas of cocoa, ripe white fruit and dried flowers. Full-bodied and powerful on the palate, with just a touch of volatile acidity for freshness, yet balanced and harmonious. Some stone fruit notes linger on the long finish. A really solid wine here.
Bottles: 5,455
The Wine Advocate: 96
Guía Peñín: 94
Dominio del Águila Albillo Viñas 2017 White. Gold colour with greenish reflections. Burgundy-like reduction on the nose, with notes of petrol and sunflower seeds, similar to 2019. There is quite a lot of concentration in this vintage, which was marked by a severe frost at the end of April, followed by a rather hot summer. The wine will benefit from some bottle-ageing to balance the oak, acidity and some warm notes that reflect the vintage. Rather full-bodied, but in keeping with the style of the wine.
Bottles: 3,847
The Wine Advocate: 96
Guía Peñín: 94
Dominio del Águila Albillo Viñas 2016 White. The colour is not as gold as in 2018 and 2017. Very complex nose with no signs of reduction: ripe citrus, quince, spices (white pepper), toasted notes and a hint of dairy. Fascinating evolution in the glass. The palate is full-bodied, sapid, finely structured, with excellent acidity, subtle oak and fine bitter notes that lead to a very long, chalky finish. The best part comes after swallowing. Is this the best possible expression of Albillo? According to Jorge Monzón, 2016 was an exceptional vintage.
Bottles: 4,855
The Wine Advocate: 97
Guía Peñín: 95
Dominio del Águila Albillo Viñas 2015 White. Gold lemon colour. Classic Burgundy-like nose with toasted, dairy and buttery notes over a background of white and ripe citrus, truly complex and refined. Rich palate, with a hint of volatile acidity reminiscent of 2018, yet balanced and consistent. Enough freshness to balance a powerful vintage.
Bottles: 2,358
The Wine Advocate: 96
Guía Peñín: 97
Dominio del Águila Albillo Viñas 2014 White. The evolution after 10 years is fantastic. Lively and almost youthful, this wine offered one of the most refined and complex noses in the range, with infused herbs and white flowers against a background of smoky, creamy notes. The palate was vibrant with superb acidity, retaining the citrus and herbal/menthol character of the nose. Amazing length again. This was another great favourite of the flight.
Bottles: 1,380
The Wine Advocate: 96
Guía Peñín: 98
Overall, the tasting showed great consistency in the style and quality of the wines. We found two different aromatic profiles: vintages that showed some reduction and those that had opened up to offer a distinct, unique character, which in my opinion was more attractive. The cellaring potential of the wine was evident as it easily passed the first 10 years of ageing. Judging by the evolution of the 2014, 2015 and 2016 vintages, wine lovers should wait to uncork their Dominio del Águila whites. 2019, 2018 and 2017 will clearly benefit from longer ageing. I have therefore decided to put aside the 2015 I keep in my cellar.
