Condado de Haza Reserva 2020

Condado de Haza Reserva is a 100 percent Tempranillo from the Condado de Haza winery, part of the Familia Fernández Rivera group, in D.O. Ribera del Duero. The fruit comes from plots at around 811 metres on predominantly loamy-sandy soils, with vines about 25 years old. At this altitude the continental-Atlantic climate brings long cold winters and short hot summers, and a pronounced day to night temperature swing that lets the grapes ripen fully while keeping firm acidity. The free draining sandy soils control vigour and concentrate the fruit. The wine spends 24 months in American oak barrels, a long ageing in which gentle oxygen exchange through the staves rounds the tannins and American oak contributes sweet spice, vanilla, coconut and toast. The result is a full bodied, structured Ribera with ripe black fruit, plum and blackberry, lactic and spicy notes, and toasted, balsamic nuances over a firm tannic core. The finish is long and warming. Serve at 16 to 18C and decant for an hour to open the fruit. It calls for roast lamb, grilled beef or a hearty stew.