Amaren Graciano 2019

Amaren Graciano is made by Bodegas Amaren in Rioja, the project of Juan Cañas named in homage to his mother, amaren being the Basque word for mother. It is an unusual single-varietal wine from Graciano, a late-ripening, deeply coloured grape usually used in small amounts to add structure to blends, here drawn from old vines over 60 years old. Low yields and the long hang time concentrate the fruit while preserving the variety's naturally high acidity and firm tannins; the cooler, higher Rioja sites suit its slow ripening. The harvest is by hand with strict selection, the fruit carried in small containers to protect it. After fermentation the wine ages 18 months in French oak barrels, where slow oxygen exchange through the wood integrates the firm tannins and adds spice and cedar, while malolactic fermentation rounds the texture. The wine is deep, almost opaque ruby. The nose shows plum and red currant fruit, black pepper and wild herbs over liquorice and a stony earthiness. The palate is full and structured, with firm tannins, vivid acidity and a long, savoury finish. Serve at 17 to 18 degrees, decanted, with roast and grilled meats.