Cénit 2020

Cénit comes from Viñas del Cénit in the Tierra del Vino de Zamora, in Castilla y León, an estate built mainly on old bush vines. The Tempranillo vines average 35 years, with a small plot of pre-phylloxera vines between 150 and 180 years old. The soil is poor and shallow, low in gravel and sand over a clay base, which limits vigour and concentrates the fruit. This part of Zamora is hot and dry with a wide diurnal range, conditions that ripen Tempranillo fully, reflected in the 15.5 percent alcohol, while cool nights retain acidity. The winery sorts the crop by hand, analysing the bunches grape by grape and vineyard by vineyard. Sixteen months in French oak builds structure and tannin through slow oxygen exchange and adds a spiced, toasty frame. The colour is deep and opaque. The nose shows ripe plum and black cherry over liquorice, cocoa and vanilla. The palate is full and powerful, with ripe tannin, warming alcohol and a long savoury finish. Serve at 17 to 18 degrees and decant an hour ahead. It suits roast and grilled red meat.