Hacienda López de Haro Classica Gran Reserva Rosado 2013

Hacienda López de Haro made this Gran Reserva Rosado as a Classica bottling, the range reserved for vintages the winery considers exceptional. It blends Garnacha Roja and Viura from clay-ferrous soils in Rioja, a combination of red and white grapes that gives both fruit and structure. The high iron content in the soil and the altitude of the Rioja vineyards lend the wine its savoury character and firm acidity. What sets it apart is the ageing: 48 months in French oak barrels, an unusually long time for a rosado. That extended oak contact allows slow oxidative development and a gentle oxygen exchange through the wood, which deepens the colour, softens the structure and builds tertiary complexity well beyond a fresh young pink. The 2013 vintage is now a mature, salmon-coloured wine. The nose shows red currant and cherry that have dried towards earthier, herbal and nutty tones, with a faint toffee edge from the barrel. The palate is dry, broad and savoury, with integrated acidity and a long, complex finish. Serve cool but not cold, around 11 to 13 degrees, in a larger glass. It pairs with richer poultry, pork and aged cheese.