🇪🇸 Dominio Basconcillos Viña Magna Crianza 2022

This is Ribera del Duero with a glow-up: high-altitude fruit, serious oak, and zero apology. If you typed “Villa Magna,” you meant Viña Magna, and yes, it hits.

Wine Description
Dominio Basconcillos’ Viña Magna Crianza 2022 comes out of Ribera del Duero’s rugged side, from vineyards up around 960 meters where ripeness shows up, but so does freshness. The estate is based in Gumiel de Izán (Burgos) and the project was founded in 2000 by José María Basconcillos, with the family still at the center of it. 

Viña Magna is built like a proper “Crianza” should be: it’s about fruit first, then oak, then you realizing your glass is empty. Producer notes for Viña Magna describe spontaneous fermentation with estate yeasts, malolactic in tank and barrel, and French oak ageing under controlled humidity and temperature, plus lees work (yes, really). 

The Vibe
Dark, sleek, confident. It’s the kind of bottle you open when you want the night to feel expensive even if you’re in sweatpants.

What it tastes like 
Ripe fruit up front, then dried herbs and creamy oak vibes, with a punchy, “I mean business” palate and grown-up tannins. Guía Peñín calls out ripe fruit, dried herbs, creamy oak, and a powerful, spicy mouthfeel for this cuvée, which tracks with how Viña Magna tends to show. 

Pairing + When to drink it 
Bring it to anything with char: steak, lamb, grilled mushrooms, roast chicken that actually got some color. Drink now if you like the oak-and-fruit swagger, or stash it a bit if you want it to smooth out and get extra silky.

Quick Specs 

• Producer: Dominio Basconcillos 

• Region/Appellation: Ribera del Duero D.O. / D.O.P. 

• Grapes: Tempranillo with small portions of Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec 

• Vintage: 2022

• Farming: Organic 

• Winemaking/Aging: Spontaneous fermentation with estate yeasts; malolactic in tank and barrel; aged in French oak under controlled humidity/temp; lees work noted 

• ABV: 15.5% 

• Bottle size: 750 ml 

Critic Reviews

• Brandon Borcoman, Wine Enthusiast, 92 points

  • Reviewed vintage: 2020

  • Date / issue: 5/1/2025

  • Excerpt: “Sweet and inviting fruits” with noticeable oak, but “a refined palate.”

• Guía Peñín, 92 points

  • Reviewed vintage: 2021

  • Tasting date: 23-04-2024

  • Short note: Style noted as “tostado, goloso,” with aromas of ripe fruit, dried herbs, and creamy oak; palate described as powerful and spicy with mature tannins.

FAQs

Q: Why does Dominio Basconcillos talk so much about altitude in Ribera del Duero?
A: The estate’s vineyards sit around 960 meters above sea level, which is high for Ribera and helps keep the wine’s energy even at full ripeness. That elevation is part of why Viña Magna can feel both bold and lifted.

Q: What does “Crianza” legally mean in Ribera del Duero, beyond the marketing fluff?
A: In Ribera del Duero, Crianza reds require at least 24 months of ageing, with 12 months or more in oak barrels. It’s basically the region saying: if you’re going to use the word, earn it. 

Q: What’s the actual grape mix in Viña Magna, and is it just Tempranillo?
A: Guía Peñín shows the 2021 as 92% Tempranillo, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Malbec, so it’s not a solo act. The small Bordeaux grapes are there for structure and edge, not for costume jewelry. 

Q: Does Viña Magna do anything technical that’s unexpectedly “fine wine” for this lane?
A: The producer notes spontaneous fermentation with the vineyard’s own yeasts, plus malolactic in tank and barrel. They also mention bâtonnage of the lees every 15 days during élevage, which is not something you see in every Ribera red. 

Q: Who founded Dominio Basconcillos, and how old is this project?
A: Dominio Basconcillos was founded in 2000 by José María Basconcillos, and it’s still a family-run operation based in Gumiel de Izán (Burgos). The origin story is very much “build it right, then keep it in the family.” 

Q: What’s a quick reality check on how critics describe the Viña Magna style?
A: Wine Enthusiast (2020) basically calls it easy to enjoy, with sweet fruit and noticeable oak that still lands polished. Guía Peñín’s (2021) note leans into ripe fruit, dried herbs, creamy oak, and a powerful, spicy palate.