López Cristóbal La Colorada 2022

López Cristóbal La Colorada is made by the López Cristóbal winery in D.O. Ribera del Duero, from the estate's namesake La Colorada vineyard. It is led by Tinta del País, the local Tempranillo, with a small addition of Merlot. The vineyard sits high at 790 metres on limestone soils, with vines around thirty years old; harvest is by hand into small crates, and the fruit passes over a selection table before vinification. Altitude is the key to this part of Ribera del Duero: the thin air and wide swing between hot days and cold nights give deep colour and concentrated dark fruit while preserving the acidity that keeps the wine fresh, and the limestone lends a firm mineral structure. The wine is aged twelve months in French and American oak and a further twelve months in bottle, the barrel time softening and rounding the tannins through slow oxygen exchange and adding vanilla and spice, the bottle time integrating the wine before release. The colour is deep cherry red. The nose shows juicy red fruit, wild blackberry and plum, with vanilla, liquorice and an earthy note. The palate is full bodied and structured, with ripe tannins, fresh acidity and a long, savoury finish. Serve at 16 to 18 degrees and decant young bottles. It suits grilled and roast red meats.