La Vicalanda Reserva 2019

La Vicalanda Reserva comes from Bodegas Bilbaínas, one of the founding houses of the Barrio de la Estación in Haro, in Rioja Alta. The fruit is single-varietal Tempranillo from the La Vicalanda estate around two kilometres from the winery, where the calcareous, stony soils are poor and free draining. Low fertility limits vine vigour and concentrates the berries, while the limestone subsoil holds acidity and lends the wine its firm savoury frame. After fermentation the wine spends fourteen months in French oak barrels, where slow oxygen exchange through the staves softens the tannins and adds vanilla, clove and toasted oak, followed by twenty-four months resting in bottle that knits the fruit and wood together and develops tertiary leather and tobacco. The colour is a vibrant garnet with purple highlights. The nose is intense, with ripe cherry and plum over sweet spice, cedar and a leathery, earthy undertone. The palate is medium to full bodied, with fine-grained tannins and the bright acidity typical of limestone Rioja carrying a long, savoury finish. Serve at 16 to 18 degrees, decanting an hour ahead. It suits roast lamb, grilled beef and aged Manchego.