MacRobert & Canals Cuatro Corros 2023

MacRobert & Canals built Cuatro Corros from the small, irregular plots typical of Rioja, where vines are too few to make a wine on their own and red and white grapes are traditionally co-planted and blended. The mix here takes in Tempranillo, Garnacha Tinta, Cariñena, Graciano, Viura, Garnacha Blanca and Malvasía. The plots sit on the chalk and clay soils of Rioja, which hold water through dry summers and keep the fruit fresh under a continental climate of hot days and cold nights. That diurnal range preserves acidity and gives the wine its lift. A small share of white grapes in the blend adds aromatic freshness and softens the texture. The wine is matured for twelve months in American oak, which gives a more open, creamy, vanilla and toffee character than French oak, while the slow oxygen exchange rounds the tannins. The colour is bright ruby. The nose is cherry and red berry with vanilla, sweet spice and a herbal edge. The palate is medium bodied, juicy and supple, with soft tannins and a fresh finish. Serve at 16 degrees. It suits grilled meats, roast pork and charcuterie.