La Granja Remelluri Gran Reserva 2016

Remelluri is one of Rioja's most respected estates, and this Gran Reserva is produced only in years the winery judges suitable. The 2016 blends Garnacha, Tempranillo and Graciano with other red varieties, each contributing in turn: Tempranillo the backbone and red fruit, Garnacha warmth and body, Graciano acidity, colour and its herbal savoury lift. The estate sits at altitude in the Sierra de Toloño above the Rioja Alavesa, where poor calcareous soils and cool nights slow ripening and hold acidity, the conditions behind a wine of this freshness and length. After fermentation it ages 27 months in a mix of barrel types and sizes, a long oak maturation that softens tannin through gradual oxygen exchange and adds vanilla and spice without masking the fruit. Malolactic fermentation rounds the acidity before barrel. The colour is a mature ruby with a garnet edge. The nose combines red berries and plum with leather, tobacco and dried Mediterranean herbs, the classic markers of aged Rioja. The palate is medium to full bodied, elegant and structured, with fine tannin and a long earthy finish. Decant and serve at 17 degrees with roast lamb or game.