Bodegas Neo Sentido Tempranillo 2022

Sentido is the younger sibling of Neo, a Ribera del Duero red built from Tempranillo grown on vines aged between 50 and 60 years. Old vines like these carry small crops of concentrated fruit, and Ribera del Duero's high plateau, with hot days and sharply cold nights, drives a wide diurnal range that builds deep colour and firm tannins while keeping the acidity fresh. The hand-picked grapes are macerated for about fourteen days under temperature control, using showers over the tanks to manage the fermentation, which extracts colour and structure from the skins. The wine then rests twelve months in French oak, around 70 percent, and American oak, around 30 percent, and is bottled without fining or filtration to keep its texture and aroma intact. The 2022 shows an intense violet-red hue. The nose offers ripe plum and dark berries with cocoa, vanilla and a touch of liquorice, and the palate is full bodied and structured, with grainy tannins and an earthy, savoury finish. Serve at 17 degrees, decanted for an hour, in a large glass. It suits grilled beef and roast lamb.