Finca Río Negro 2021

Finca Río Negro is a red from the V.T. Castilla, made by the winery of the same name from a blend of Tempranillo at sixty per cent with Syrah, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. The fruit comes from twenty two hectares of relatively young vineyards trained on trellises by the Cordón Royal method. The site sits at altitude in central Spain, where a moderate continental climate brings hot days and notably cool nights. That wide diurnal range slows ripening and preserves acidity and aromatic detail, while the high light intensity builds colour and ripe tannin in the skins. The wine spends thirteen months in French and American oak as a Crianza, a length that softens the tannins through slow oxygen exchange and layers in vanilla, sweet spice and a cedary frame without burying the fruit. The blend is deep ruby, with a nose of plum and dark cherry over black pepper, tobacco leaf and oak. The palate is medium to full bodied, the Tempranillo giving red fruit and grip, the Syrah lending pepper and the Bordeaux varieties adding firmness on the finish. Serve at sixteen to eighteen degrees. It suits roast lamb, grilled beef and aged sheep's cheese.