Coto de Imaz Selección Viñedos 2021

Coto de Imaz Selección Viñedos is a Rioja Reserva from El Coto de Rioja, made entirely from Tempranillo grown on the winery's own trellised vineyards. The region has a continental climate tempered by Mediterranean and Atlantic influences, with moderate temperatures and reliable rainfall that allow Tempranillo to ripen evenly while holding its acidity. The wine is aged for eighteen months in American oak barrels and then a further eighteen months in bottle before release. American oak is more open-grained and richer in lactones than French oak, which is why it lends Tempranillo its familiar coconut, vanilla and sweet-spice character, while the long bottle ageing lets the tannins settle and the aromas knit together. In the glass it is deep cherry red moving to garnet. The nose offers sweet spices, cocoa and ripe red and black fruit, and the palate is warm and rounded, with supple tannins and a savoury, lightly toasted finish. Serve at 17 degrees in a large glass; a short decant helps. It is a natural match for roast lamb and game.