Bernabeleva Carril del Rey 2022

Bernabeleva Carril del Rey is a red from the D.O. Vinos de Madrid, made entirely from Garnacha by the Bernabeleva winery in the granite hills of the Sierra de Gredos. The fruit grows on vines of around seventy five years on a single south facing plot of three hectares, of which two and a half are Garnacha. Gredos sits at altitude on shallow granitic and sandy soils that are low in fertility, which keeps yields small and gives perfumed, finely structured Garnacha rather than a heavy one. The granite drains freely and the elevation brings cold nights, holding acidity and aromatic lift. After harvest the grapes are macerated for forty days with gentle punching down of the cap, a long maceration that draws colour and flavour from old vine fruit while extracting tannins slowly and softly. Twelve months in used French oak adds breadth without overt wood. The result is a fresh and vibrant red, light to medium in body, with red berries, cherry, wild herbs and thyme over a stony, faintly peppery base and a rose like floral edge. The finish is bright and savoury. Serve at fifteen to sixteen degrees, lightly cooled. It suits roast chicken, duck and mushroom dishes.