Legaris celebrates its 25th anniversary

Legaris, Raventos Codorníu's winery in Ribera del Duero, has celebrated its 25th anniversary with a retrospective of some of its most iconic wines led by Jorge Bombín, the winemaker in charge since 2008. 

The estate’s main contribution to generate a diversity of styles in Ribera del Duero comes from the work with high elevation vineyards. First with the release of the red wine Páramo de Legaris in the 2014 vintage; then with a range of village wines (around €35) starting in the 2015 vintage. Alcubilla de Avellaneda in Soria and Moradillo de Roa in Burgos are the two fixed locations in this range.

Our favourite wine of the day was the first 2015 vintage of Alcubilla de Avellaneda (it is significant how the name of the village has been gaining prominence on the label) for its fine evolution (fresh black fruit with perfumed and herbal notes), silky texture, freshness and excellent aromatic character. If you have a bottle at home, it could be the perfect accompaniment to a Christmas meal.

We also tasted the fresh, broad and truly promising Alcubilla 2018. And the energetic Moradillo de Roa 2016, which showed the depth of black fruit and liquorice and a distinctive liveliness. 

The session also included a vertical tasting of Legaris Reserva, featuring the first wine made by the winery in the 1999 vintage (mature, spicy and rather influenced by the ageing process), as well as the 2009 vintage (austere, spicy, cigar box, liqueur fruit finishing with coffee and dark chocolate notes) and the current, mouth-filling 2019 release, with plenty of black fruit, and still firm tannins. 

Legaris Reserva (around 60,000 bottles, €28) is a Tinto Fino that is meant to age well for 15 to 20 years. This is why it is not made when it lacks such potential as it was the case in 2002, 2013, 2007, 2008 and 2018. Over the years the focus has gradually turned to old vines, mostly from the villages of Olmedillo and Roa in Burgos, and the weight of oak has been reduced, shortening the ageing period from 18-20 months to 14-15 months.