Review: Dominio Fournier Ribera del Duero 2016 Crianza and 2014 Reserva
Up next we have a pair of deep reds from Dominio Fournier in Spain’s Ribera del Duero region.
Located in Burgos, the Fournier winery was built in 1979 and is made up of 80 hectares, 50 of which are vineyards with an average age of between 30 and 70 years old. The wines, made from 100% Tinta del Pais, are excellent portrayals of the Ribera del Duero terroir and Gonzalez Byass has released the most current vintages here in the U.S.
Thoughts follow.
2016 Dominio Fournier Ribera del Duero Crianza – Big with blackberries, dark chocolate, and a pinch of red pepper, the bright flavors here are built atop a fairly light body, typical of the younger crianza style (aged a minimum of two years). Notes of nutmeg and some barbecue char linger on the finish. B / $30
2014 Dominio Fournier Ribera del Duero Reserva – If you want body, you’ll find it on the Reserva, which pumps up the blackberry and chocolate notes and layers it all into a thick, almost unctuous vessel. The finish keeps the focus firmly on dried and jammy fruits, with a hint of fig jam on the back end. Though 6 years old now, the wine still has plenty of tight tannin the mix, giving it s a curious restraint. B+ / $50