Miguel Barroso Louro Primeiro Nome Tinto 2020

Miguel Barroso Louro is a Portuguese winemaker who focuses on native varieties and respectful farming in the Alentejo, in the south of the country. This red blends Aragonês (the local name for Tempranillo) with Alicante Bouschet and Trincadeira, all grapes well suited to the region. The Alentejo has a hot, dry continental climate with abundant sunshine, which ripens the fruit fully and gives the wine its depth, dark colour and generous body. Alicante Bouschet is unusual in having red flesh as well as red skin, so it adds colour and structure, while Trincadeira brings dark fruit and herbal lift. The wine is aged eighteen months in used French oak barrels; because the oak is not new, it softens the tannins through slow oxygen exchange and adds savoury complexity rather than obvious wood flavour, keeping the fruit in front. The colour is deep and dark, with aromas of ripe plum and black fruit, black pepper, dried herbs and liquorice over a leathery, smoky background. The palate is full bodied and structured, with ripe tannins, moderate freshness and a long, warm, savoury finish. Serve at 17 to 18 degrees, decanted, with grilled and roasted meats.