95 Wine Review Online

"This is – and has been for two decades – one of Spain’s finest bodegas, and yet all the wines continue to show improvement, even accounting for the different character imparted by different growing seasons. 2018 was a cooler year, more along the lines of 2016 than either 2015 or 2017, and though this shows wonderful freshness as a result, it is definitely not short on the muscle suggested by this DO’s (i.e., appellation’s) name. This is a highly expressive wine in the vintage, showingwine assures a full decade of positive development. Oak spice is evident on the nose but certainly not overbearing, and though wood tannins add a bit more grip than is optimal for current consumption, the wine isn’t overly rough for those who wish to try this now to determine whether to buy more for future consumption. The fruit profile isn’t as ripe as in 2017, and the wine isn’t as soft and rounded as a result, but the inner energy is actually superior, and the aromas more intricate. The crucial indication that this will develop from something extremely promising into something truly terrific shows up in the finish: the pure midpalate fruit notes initially give way to tannin and wood-derived astringency, but then the fruit re-asserts itself and smooths out the long finish, leaving ripe fruit flavors rather than wood or tannins as the last sensory impression. Very impressive."

94+ Luis Gutierrez - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

"The 2018 San Román was produced with Tinta de Toro grapes from a cool and wet year that delivered a healthy crop. The grapes are from different organically farmed vineyards in the villages of Morales de Toro, Pedrosa del Rey and San Román de Hornija and were vinified by plot in stainless steel with indigenous yeasts. It matured in a combination of French and American oak barrels for 24 months. This is very young, and compared with the polished 2017, it feels raw. But 2018 has to be one of the finest vintages here; the oak is quite dominant and tannic, but the freshness and balance will make it develop beautifully in bottle. It has ripeness and black fruit and is spicy, with a touch of licorice and ink. This wine has a lot of everything! It's one of the years with more acidity since they started here in 1997. 112,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in February 2021. 2023-2030."