Lecco Crianza 2021

Lecco Crianza is a Ribera del Duero red from Bodegas Resalte de Peñafiel, made entirely from Tempranillo, known locally as Tinta del País. The grapes come from vineyards aged thirty years or more across a range of soil types, and that diversity feeds complexity into the final blend. Ribera del Duero sits high on the northern Castilian plateau, where intense daytime sun ripens the thick-skinned Tempranillo while cold nights and a wide diurnal range lock in acidity, colour and aromatic freshness, the source of the appellation's depth and structure. Alcoholic and malolactic fermentation take place in stainless steel, with the malolactic conversion softening sharp malic acid into rounder lactic acid before the wine moves to barrel. It is aged fourteen months in French and American oak, where slow oxygen exchange polishes the tannins and layers in vanilla, cocoa and spice. The colour is a deep ruby. The nose shows ripe blackberry and plum, cherry, vanilla, cocoa and tobacco. The palate is powerful and structured, full bodied, with firm ripe tannins, good acidity and a long oak-spiced finish. Serve at 16 to 18 degrees, decanted ahead. It suits roast and grilled red meats.