Cortijo los Aguilares Tadeo 2023

Tadeo is the single-variety Petit Verdot of Cortijo Los Aguilares, an estate of holm-oak woodland in the hills near Ronda, in Andalusia's DO Sierras de Málaga. The vines were planted in 1999 across three plots of clay-limestone soil at more than 900 metres. Altitude is the key here: Petit Verdot is a late-ripening, thick-skinned grape that struggles to ripen in cooler places, but on these high, sun-exposed slopes it reaches full maturity while the cold mountain nights preserve acidity and aromatics. The estate farms by integrated methods, avoiding herbicides and pesticides. After fermentation the wine ages fourteen months in French oak, where the slow oxygen exchange softens Petit Verdot's naturally firm tannins and adds a smoky, spicy frame to the dark fruit. The 2023 is a deep, near-opaque red. The nose shows ripe plum and black cherry over black pepper, liquorice and woodsmoke, with an earthy undertone. The palate is full bodied and structured, with firm, fine-grained tannins, fresh acidity from the altitude and a long savoury finish. Serve at 16 to 18 degrees, decanting an hour ahead. It calls for roast and grilled red meat.