Finca Sandoval 2023

Finca Sandoval is the personal project of Víctor de la Serna in D.O. Manchuela, made with winemaker Rafael Orozco. The estate has 10 hectares spread across four terroirs of differing soils and orientations, and the wine blends Syrah with the native Bobal and Monastrell. Each variety is vinified separately to capture its own expression before blending, so the Syrah brings pepper and dark fruit, the Bobal acidity and freshness, and the Monastrell weight and savoury depth. Manchuela sits inland at altitude, and its hot days and cool nights give a wide diurnal range that ripens these late-ripening varieties while preserving acidity. The wine ages 15 months in a mix of French and American oak, where slow oxygen exchange rounds the tannins, the French barrels lending a finer spice and the American a sweeter, more open note. The colour is dense and dark. The nose is intense, with blackberry and plum over black pepper, liquorice and a smoky, spiced edge from the Syrah. The palate is full and concentrated, the tannins firm and fine, lifted by the Bobal's acidity through a long, savoury finish. Serve at 16 to 18 degrees and decant. It suits grilled and roasted red meat.