Altavins Tempus 2022

Altavins Viticultors makes Tempus in D.O. Terra Alta, a warm inland appellation in southern Catalonia. It is a blend of Syrah, Garnacha, Carignan and Merlot from two low-yielding plots of old vines, over 30 years old, around the town of Batea. The harvest is done by hand into small crates to keep the bunches intact. Terra Alta is high and dry, with poor soils and a hot Mediterranean climate cooled by the Cierzo wind, conditions that keep yields low and concentrate the fruit. Old vines deepen that concentration, drawing on established root systems for balance in a hot site. The wine spends ten months in French oak followed by a year in bottle, which knits the components together and settles the tannin before release. The colour is a deep, opaque red. The nose shows ripe plum and dark berry with black pepper, liquorice and a herbal, scrubland edge. The palate is full and warming, generous in dark fruit, the oak adding vanilla and a savoury depth, the finish long and firm. Serve at 16 to 18 degrees, decanted ahead. It suits grilled lamb, beef stew and mushroom dishes.