Bodegas y Viñedos San Román 2022

San Román is the Toro red of Bodegas y Viñedos San Román, the Maurodos project led by Mariano García, the oenologist known for his decades at Vega Sicilia and his own Mauro wines. It is a single-variety Tinta de Toro, the local strain of Tempranillo, made from 45-year-old vines planted at an altitude of around 750 metres. That altitude is decisive: the high, dry plateau gives intense sunlight and a wide diurnal range, so the thick-skinned grapes ripen to full concentration during the day while cold nights lock in acidity and aromatic detail. Toro's sandy, stony soils and old, ungrafted-style low-yielding vines deepen the colour and density. The wine is aged 24 months in a mix of French and American oak, where extended oxygen exchange resolves the powerful tannins and adds vanilla, clove and a savoury, cedary frame. The result is a deep, saturated red, with dark plum and red fruit on the nose over black pepper, liquorice and an earthy minerality. The palate is full bodied and structured, with firm but ripe tannin, fresh acidity and a long, spiced finish. Serve at 16 to 18 degrees, decanting ahead, with roast and braised meats.