Fabio Coullet Ingénito 2022

Fabio Coullet works in the Sierras de Málaga in Andalusia, a warm southern zone where vineyards sit high enough for cool nights to slow ripening and hold acidity in the fruit. Ingénito is made from Garnacha Tinta, a grape that ripens to softness in this climate but keeps a bright red-fruit character when the diurnal swing is wide. The wine spends four months in oak barrels, a short ageing that settles tannin and adds light structure without covering the fruit, so the emphasis stays on the grape rather than the wood. The colour is a clear medium ruby. The nose leads with red berries and cherry, with thyme and dried herbs that reflect the scrubland around these southern vineyards, and a touch of black pepper. The palate is light to medium bodied, with soft tannin, fresh acidity and an earthy, savoury edge on the finish. At 13 percent it stays easy to drink. Serve lightly chilled at around 15 degrees in a standard red glass. It suits grilled chicken, roast pork and mushroom dishes.