Dominio de Calogía 2020

Dominio de Calogía is the personal project of José Manuel Pérez Oveja in Ribera del Duero, in Castilla y León on Spain's northern plateau, launched after three decades at his family estate. The wine is pure Tinto Fino, the local clone of Tempranillo, which suits the harsh continental climate here: hot days and cold nights at high altitude on the meseta, with poor limestone and clay soils. That wide diurnal range slows ripening and locks in colour, acidity and firm tannin, the hallmark of the region's powerful reds. The wine ages 14 months in French oak barrels from the Allier forest, followed by five months in bottle; the tight-grained Allier oak gives a slow, measured oxygen exchange that builds structure and adds cedar, vanilla and spice while polishing the tannins. The colour is deep, near-opaque ruby. The nose shows ripe plum and blackberry, dark chocolate, liquorice and a savoury earthy depth, framed by sweet oak. The palate is full bodied and concentrated, with firm but ripe tannin, fresh acidity from the altitude and a long, structured finish. Decant an hour ahead and serve at 17 to 18 degrees. It is a wine for roast lamb and grilled red meat.