Aster Finca El Otero Ribera del Duero

Aster Finca El Otero is a single-vineyard Ribera del Duero from La Rioja Alta, the storied Rioja producer that crossed the Duero River in the 1990s to test Tempranillo on higher, cooler terrain. The name Aster honors the Spanish wildflower that blooms at harvest; the vineyard itself sits at 2,490 feet above sea level in the localities of La Horra and Anguix, where seventy-six of the estate's ninety-five hectares were planted in 1991 and are now in full production. This bottling shows what happens when Rioja expertise meets the limestone-clay soils and continental climate that define Ribera del Duero. La Rioja Alta built Bodegas Aster in 2002 with the same attention to detail that marks their century-old Haro cellars. The winery houses 2,700 French and American oak casks, rotated vintage to vintage depending on the character of the crop. Fermentation follows traditional protocols, and the wine spends extended time on fine lees before bottling. The estate farms organically, prioritizing vine age and low yields to concentrate flavors in the berry. The result is a wine that balances Ribera's trademark power with the elegance and structural finesse La Rioja Alta is known for across all their projects. The wine pours deep garnet with a dark cherry core. The nose opens with stewed blackberry and plum, underbrush, aniseed, and baking spice, all underscored by notes of coffee bean, mocha, toffee, and black licorice from the oak program. On the palate the structure is broad and layered, with mature tannins that coat without clenching and a balance of acidity and alcohol that keeps the wine fresh despite its depth. The finish is long, echoing black licorice, fruit compote, and caramel. Pair this with grilled ribeye, lamb shanks braised in red wine, or aged Manchego. It's built to cellar but drinks beautifully now with an hour of air. Available for pickup at our Lincoln Park bottle shop at 1128 W Armitage Ave, local Chicago delivery, or nationwide shipping.