La Estrecha 2024

La Estrecha is made by Bodegas y Vinedos Ponce in D.O. Manchuela in Castilla La Mancha, from a single densely planted vineyard whose name refers to its narrowness. It is built on Bobal, a variety Ponce has done much to revive, sourced from old vines more than 75 years old planted on calcareous soils at 870 metres above sea level. That altitude brings cool nights and a wide day-to-night temperature swing, which preserves the grape's naturally high acidity and gives the wine its freshness and lift, while the chalky soil and old, low-yielding vines add depth and a mineral edge. The wine is aged for 10 months in French oak barrels, a measured elevage that rounds the tannins and adds a light savoury frame while leaving the fruit clear. The colour is a bright deep red and the nose shows red berries, plum and cherry alongside black pepper, dried herbs and a stony, earthy note. The palate is medium bodied and fresh at 12.5% alcohol, with crunchy red fruit, brisk acidity, fine grainy tannins and a savoury, mineral finish. Serve at 15 to 16C with roast lamb, grilled pork or mushroom dishes.