Laus Tinto Joven 2024

Bodegas Laus is based in Barbastro, in the Huesca province of Aragón, and farms a hundred hectares across the D.O. Somontano at the foot of the Pyrenees. This young red blends Merlot and Syrah, two of the many French and Spanish varieties grown here. Somontano sits where the Pyrenean foothills meet the Ebro basin, and its soils run from limestone and gypsum to a loamy texture, with cool mountain air moderating the summer heat. That altitude and cooler night-time temperature keep the fruit fresh and the wine light on its feet. Made in a joven style without oak ageing, the wine is bottled young to show clean, direct fruit rather than wood or bottle development. Merlot gives soft, plummy roundness and Syrah adds colour and a peppery lift. The colour is a bright, youthful red. The nose is straightforward, with red fruit and a hint of wild berry, and the palate is silky and light, the juicy fruit balanced by fresh acidity through a clean finish. Serve lightly cool at 14 to 16 degrees. It suits roast pork, grilled chicken and pasta in tomato sauce.