The International Wine Challenge 2015 chose the Áster Finca El Otero 2010 as best Spanish Red. In addition to the Spanish Red Trophy, the wine made by Áster—La Rioja Alta, S.A. group’s winery in Burgos—also received the Ribera del Duero Trophy confirming it as the wine region’s most outstanding wine.
The jury panel, consisting of an impressive array of tasters and Masters of Wine headed by Tim Atkin MW, Oz Clarke, Charles Metcalfe, Sam Harrop MW and Peter McCombie MW, described the wine as aromatic, with an “intense, very ripe nose,” and juicy, with a “well balanced palate.” This Áster Finca El Otero 2010 shows, in their opinion, “classic almost rain-soft tannins and an elegant supple finish.”
This award confirms the excellent moment of this wine made with choice Tinta del País grapes from the 70-year-old El Otero vineyard. In his latest revision of Spanish wines, Robert Parker gave it 93 points and professed to be "greatly impressed with the quality of the more modern wines of La Rioja Alta, S.A., both in the Áster winery in Ribera del Duero and in Torre de Oña in Rioja".