The Romero de la Cruz family has fifteen hectares planted, only ten of which are used to form the backbone of the wine: vines of tinto fino grafted with their own clones by means of mass selection, which are between 25 and 80 years old. These 10 hectare comprise 7 different vineyards, around the village of Anguix. The soils surrounding this village are comprised of clay and sand leading to a finer texture of tannin in finished wines. Vines are grown in vaso form with shorter trunks than in most of Ribera del Duero helping to shield the vines from the wind which contributes to the accumulation of polyphenols and sugars. No chemicals are used in the vineyard beyond sulphur and that only if absolutely necessary.
90pts Wine Spectator – 2011 vintage
Black cherry, boysenberry, and cola flavors mingle in this expressive red. Features a plush texture, supported my firm underlying tannins and bright acidity. This is engaging, in a fruity style, but with solid structure. Drink now through 2020.
93+pts Wine Advocate– 2011 vintage
The 2011 Christina is produced with Tempranillo grapes from a single vineyard, not necessarily the same every vintage (to adapt to the different climatic conditions of each year). In 2011, it is from Fuentesanta, a slope vineyard in Anguix (Burgos) planted some 80 years ago with 2,500 plants per hectare on clay and sand soils. The wine aged for 22 months in brand new French oak barrels. It has a very oaky, showy and smoky nose with notes of bacon, roasted seeds, spice aromas and plenty of vanilla and cinnamon. The fruit is black and in the background. The palate is full-bodied, with lots of tannin, high extract, is very dry, ripe and extremely powerful and in need of a good couple of years in bottle. Drink 2016-2021.
91pts View from the Cellar – 2011 vintage
The 2011 Astrales “Christina” is also 14.5 percent octane, so the one hundred percent new oak that this cuvée is raised in shows a bit more with the higher alcohol. The bouquet is new oaky, but not badly done in this style, offering up scents of plums, black cherries, cigar wrapper, dark soil tones, a nice touch of tempranillo spices and smoky new oak. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, complex and beautifully detailed, with again, just a bit of backend heat showing on the long, moderately tannic finish. Interestingly, though the perception of new oak is slightly more obvious on the nose, the wood is beautifully integrated on the palate and is really quite seamless today. I would have loved to have seen it a touch lower in octane, but this is the vintage, and the wine is very, very well done in this slightly riper style. 2017-2035+.
