Barahonda Carro 2024

Barahonda farms in Yecla, in inland Murcia, a hot, dry region where Monastrell is king. Carro is a blend of fifty per cent Monastrell with Syrah, Tempranillo and Merlot making up the rest, from vines over thirty years old on calcareous soils mixed with sand and clay. Monastrell is a late-ripening, thick-skinned variety that thrives in Yecla's heat, which is why the wine carries deep colour and reaches fourteen and a half per cent in alcohol while keeping ripe, generous fruit. The chalky soils and the age of the vines temper that power and add a savoury, herbal edge typical of the region. This is a young wine made for early drinking, fermented and raised without oak so the fruit stays fresh and primary, the tannins coming from the grapes themselves rather than the barrel. The result is a bright cherry red brimming with freshly picked red berries, plum and dark cherry, lifted by black pepper, wild thyme and an earthy note. The palate is medium to full bodied, juicy and well structured, with ripe tannins and a savoury finish. Serve at 15 to 16 degrees. It is made for tapas and the grill.