Finca Villacreces Specimen nº3

Finca Villacreces sits among pine forests on the Golden Mile of D.O. Ribera del Duero in Castilla y León, an estate with a quiet heritage of old vines. Specimen nº3 blends Tempranillo with Cabernet Sauvignon from these mature plantings. The vineyard lies on a high plateau with poor stony, sandy and limestone soils, in a harsh continental climate where hot days and cold nights give a marked diurnal range. That swing builds deep colour, ripe tannin and concentration while preserving acidity, the basis of Ribera's bold style. The wine is aged a long forty eight months in oak barrels, an extended raising in which slow oxygen exchange through the wood resolves the firm tannins, knits the blend together and adds layers of vanilla, cocoa and spice. The colour is a deep cherry red with garnet reflections. The nose shows ripe black cherry, plum, dark chocolate and tobacco, with leather and sweet oak spice from the long ageing. The palate is full bodied and structured, with dense fruit, firm but polished tannins and a long, savoury finish. Serve at 17 to 18 degrees and decant for an hour or more. It calls for roast and grilled red meats.