Vintage Character Bodegas y Viñedos Ausàs Ribera del Duero 2019 is a red wine from Spain’s prestigious Ribera del Duero DO, crafted entirely from Tempranillo. The 2019 vintage is widely regarded as strong in the region: a generally warm, dry growing season produced healthy, concentrated fruit, while cool nights helped preserve freshness and detail. Xavier Ausàs builds the wine from selected parcels across Ribera del Duero, where the mix of clay, limestone and sandy soils, together with the region’s marked continental climate and significant day-night temperature shifts, gives Tempranillo both depth and tension.
Tasting Profile & Food Pairing The Wine Advocate awarded this vintage 95 points, underscoring its stature. In the glass, it shows layered aromas of blackberry, black cherry and ripe plum, lifted by violet, licorice, cocoa, graphite and a discreet toast note. The palate is full-bodied yet controlled, with polished tannins, vibrant acidity and a finely etched mineral line that keeps the dark fruit precise rather than heavy. The finish is long, savory and persistent, making it an excellent match for grilled lamb cutlets, roast duck, or mushroom risotto.
Winery Background Bodegas y Viñedos Ausàs is the personal project of Xavier Ausàs, one of Ribera del Duero’s most respected winemakers after a long tenure at Vega Sicilia. His aim is not sheer power but a more nuanced, site-sensitive expression of Ribera del Duero, emphasizing elegance, freshness and balance. Fruit is selected from carefully managed vineyards, with meticulous sorting and a restrained élevage in French oak to frame rather than dominate the wine. That combination of elite experience, regional insight and precision elevates Ausàs into the benchmark tier for modern Ribera del Duero.