Baigorri Belus 2020

Baigorri Belus is a Rioja red built around old vines, blending Graciano, Garnacha and Tempranillo from plots over fifty years old growing at roughly 600 metres on poor clay and iron-rich soils. The altitude and the cool air it brings widen the diurnal range, holding acidity and aromatic detail in the fruit, while the lean, iron-bearing soils restrict yields and concentrate the small crop the old vines produce. Graciano lends colour, acidity and a peppery, savoury lift, Garnacha adds red fruit and warmth, and Tempranillo provides the backbone. All work is done by hand, including the harvest, to keep the grapes in good condition. The wine is aged fourteen months in French oak, where finer-grained barrels add spice and structure and the slow oxygen exchange firms and integrates the tannins. It shows a deep cherry-red colour, with dark cherry and plum fruit, black pepper, leather and an earthy, mineral edge framed by measured oak. The body is full and the tannins firm but ripe, with a long savoury finish. Serve at 16 to 18 degrees, decanted, with roasted red meats and game.