Dominio Romano Camino Romano Ribera Del Duero is purple-red in colour and presents intense fruity aromas of red and black fruit confiture. On the palate, the wine is elegant with a good acidity that gives excellent balance. The fruity character is combined with a gentle touch of oak and a very fresh, clean finish.
- Country: Spain
- Region: Castilla Y Leon
- Subregion: Ribera Del Duero
- Vintage: 2018
- Colour: Red
- Grape Variety: Tinto Fino (Tempranillo)
- ABV: 14%
- Bottle Size: 75cl
- Closure: Natural cork
- Style: Balanced and approachable
- Vegetarian: Yes (certified)
- Vegan: Yes (certified)
- Organic: Yes (certified)
- Drink With: Roast pheasant with grilled vegetables
Dominio Romano Camino Romano is an homage to the fruit character of the Tinto Fino (Tempranillo) grape. Made from carefully selected grapes grown in 15-30 year old vineyards, a modern technique known as cold soaking is used to gently extract the maximum colour and aroma from them. The wine is then aged for 12 months in 400 litre French and Hungarian oak barrels. These are second and third fill barrels rather than new to preserve the balance of aromatic fruit and ripe structure and to avoid overwhelming oak flavours.
About the grower
Following a long history of passionate and dedicated winemaking in Penedès at the Parés Baltà estate and in Priorat at its Gratavinum property, the Cusiné family founded a new winery in Ribera Del Duero in 2005. To make the finest possible wines at Dominio Romano, they follow the guidelines laid down by the region's earliest viticulturalists, the Romans.
Dominio Romano focusses on the defining grape variety of Ribera Del Duero: Tinto Fino, a Tempranillo clone that has over many years adapted itself to the extreme climate and sandy soil of the region. Genetically speaking Tinto Fino and Tempranillo are the same grape variety, but at Dominio Romano they have observed significant differences between the two. Aside from differences in the shapes of their leaves and branches, Dominio Romano's Tinto Fino grapes are much smaller than Tempranillo and the grapes are more widely spaced on their bunches, allowing for better ventilation. As a result, the yield is much lower and the berries are more compact giving a greater concentration of phenolic compounds.
Dominio Romano owns a few hectares of old Tinto Fino vineyards - two small parcels of vines situated close to the winery - but they also buy grapes from small, local winegrowers who share their philosophy and who treat their vineyards as if they were a garden. The old vines are bush trained and free standing, and their deep roots do not require irrigation during the warm, dry summers. They grow very close to the soil in order to gain protection from the severe winter frosts. Out of respect for the environment, both the estate's vineyards and those of their partner growers are farmed organically, without the use of herbicides or pesticides.
In pursuit of the finest expression of their terroir, the winemaking techniques employed at Dominio Romano differ from those used at other estates. At other estates, adherence to the Ribera Del Duero requirements for the Crianza and Reserva wine categories can often lead to wines that are overly oaky or lacking in fruit. Techniques such as pre-fermentation skin maceration or ageing in larger 400 litre barrels to permit better oak integration and balance exclude these wines from such classification, but don't let such technicalities deter you from trying them. These are majestic wines that deliver the true flavours of their region and their grape variety.