Azul y Garanza Desierto 2022

Azul y Garanza farm Desierto at the edge of the Bardenas Reales, a semi-desert badland in Navarra in northern Spain where wide skies, big day-to-night temperature swings and poor, arid soils shape the vines. The project, run by Dani Sánchez with siblings María and Fernando, works organically. Desierto is Cabernet Sauvignon, a variety that ripens fully in the heat while the cool nights preserve acidity and lock in colour and aromatics. The wine spends fifteen months in oak barrels, where slow oxygen exchange through the wood softens the firm Cabernet tannins and adds cedar, vanilla and a fine grain to the texture. The result is a deep, dark red with aromas of blackcurrant and black plum, a eucalyptus and mint lift typical of the grape, and a peppery, earthy base from the dry terroir. The palate is structured and full, with firm but ripe tannins, fresh acidity and a long, savoury finish. Serve at 16 to 18 degrees and decant for an hour to settle the tannins and open the fruit. Best with roasted and grilled red meats.