Clunia Syrah 2020

Clunia Syrah is a single variety red from V.T. Castilla-León, made by the Clunia winery from a single plot of just over 3 hectares in Coruña del Conde at 950 metres. That high altitude is unusual for Syrah and is central to the style. On the northern Spanish plateau the days are warm enough to ripen the grape fully, while the very cold nights at altitude slow the final ripening, preserving fresh acidity and the peppery, aromatic character that high diurnal range brings to Syrah. The fruit passes through three stages of selection, in the vineyard, at the manual harvest and on a sorting table at the winery. The wine ages twelve months in French oak barrels, where slow oxygen exchange rounds the tannins and adds spice and a fine grain. The colour is deep violet red. The nose shows dark plum and red berries with black pepper, smoke, liquorice and dark chocolate over toasted oak. The palate is full and savoury, the tannins firm and ripe, the finish long and peppery. Serve at 17 degrees and decant for an hour. It suits grilled red meat, lamb and game.