Galia Clos Santuy 2023

Clos Santuy comes from Galia, a project begun in 2009 by French viticulturist Jerome Bougnaud around small, ancient plots in the province of Soria, in villages such as Piquera de San Esteban that sit just outside the Ribera del Duero boundary and so carry the wider VT Castilla y Leon label. The wine is mainly Tinto Fino, the local Tempranillo, with a small proportion of the white grape Albillo co-fermented in. These are high, cold sites where old vines crop very little; the elevation and the wide day to night temperature swing build colour, structure and acidity, while the Albillo lifts aromatics and softens the texture. Concentration here pushes the alcohol to 15%. The wine spends 23 months in oak barrels, which resolves the tannin and adds cedar, vanilla and a measured toast. The colour is deep cherry red. The nose shows dark plum, wild red berries and violet over liquorice, earth and a peppery edge. The palate is full bodied and firm, with ripe tannin, fresh acidity and a long, savoury, stony finish. Serve at 17 degrees and decant before serving. It suits roast red meats and earthy mushroom dishes.