Martín Berdugo Barrica 2024

Martín Berdugo Barrica is a Ribera del Duero red made entirely from Tinto Fino, the local name for Tempranillo, by the Martín Berdugo winery. The fruit comes from around 87 hectares of vineyards overlooking the Duero at 800 metres above sea level, a high, cold site where winter frosts are frequent and summers are dry and mild. This altitude and the wide swing between warm days and cold nights slow ripening and preserve the colour, acidity and firm tannin that mark good Ribera del Duero, while keeping the fruit fresh. The harvest is by hand, and on reaching the cellar the wine ferments for ten days at a controlled 25 degrees to draw colour and flavour from the skins, then ages in oak barrel, whose slow oxygen exchange settles the tannins and adds a measured spice and toast without burying the fruit. The colour is a deep, youthful red. The nose shows ripe red berries, plum and cherry with vanilla, clove and a toasted note, while the palate is medium to full bodied, fresh and structured with red fruit and a clean oak frame. The finish is firm and savoury at 13.5 percent alcohol. Serve at 16 to 18 degrees. It suits grilled and roast meats.