A brilliant effort from 80-year old Tempranillo vines, aged 20 months in new French oak, and bottled without filtration, Fernandez has hit the bull’s eye with the impressively endowed 2001 Neo Punta Esencia. More similar to a Bordeaux first or second-growth than a Spanish Ribera del Duero, it boasts an inky/ruby/purple color as well as a sensational perfume of espresso roast, graphite, black currant liqueur, and pain grille. Full-bodied and youthful, tasting more like a barrel sample than a finished wine, it is loaded with potential and built for the long haul. My instincts suggest cellaring it for 2-3 years, and drinking it over the following 10-15.
