09 Apr Winery Profile: Protos, Ribera del Duero

Protos, steming from the Greek word “first,” is the 42nd oldest wine and spirits brand in Europe. Beginning in 1927, Protos was the first cooperative in Ribera del Duero and is now in over 90 countries, producing 5.5 million bottles (450k cases) per year. As the company began to rapidly grow, expanding throughout the region was inevitable and they began construction on a wine-aging cellar in the heart of the mountain that holds up the Castle of Penafiel. In 1995 the wine cellar was enlarged to meet the demands of expanding Ribera winemaking and today, there is 2km of underground cellars that connect the old winery to the new one. As growth continues, the winery has updated its resources to state-of-the-art technology that can produce up to 3 million kilos of grapes. However large this winery continues to grow, attention to detail and quality remains constant. 2011 Protos Tino Fino – Aged 6 months in American oak and then 6 more month in the bottle, this bright, fresh wine has aromas of red fruit with underlying hints of vanilla. 2010 Protos Crianza – Aged 14 months in American and French oak, this wine has notes of ripe fruit and spice.  2009 Protos Reserva – Aged 18 months in oak and 1 year in bottle, the intense wine has an elegant bouquet of black fruits and a velvety finish. 2005 Grand Reserva – From 60 year old vines, this wine is aged 2 years in oak and then spends another 3 years in the bottle. It has an intense cherry color and a velvety, elegant mouthfeel. 2010 Protos El Grajo Viejo – This special wine comes from grapes from 18 specially selected vineyards. Grapes from each vineyard are vinified separately before blending. The wine is powerful and concentrated with structure and elegance. On the nose there are notes of ripe fruit, spices and a hint of tobacco and on the palate, a long finish.