Pago de Santa Cruz Gran Reserva 2019

Pago de Santa Cruz Gran Reserva comes from Hermanos Sastre, the family who set up in La Horra, in Burgos, in 1992, in one of the strongest pockets of D.O. Ribera del Duero. The region runs along the Duero river on a high plateau where hot days and cold nights give a wide diurnal range that builds colour, ripe tannin and deep fruit while holding acidity, and the altitude pushes the wine to a full 15 percent. The grape is Tinta del País, the local name for Tempranillo, farmed biodynamically. The wine is aged for 30 months in American oak barrels, a long maturation that softens the firm tannins through steady oxygen exchange and layers in coconut, vanilla, sweet spice and toast. It is deep and concentrated, with aromas of ripe plum and black fruit, dark chocolate, vanilla, tobacco and liquorice. The palate is powerful and structured, with ample fruit, firm but ripe tannins and a long, oak-spiced finish. Serve at 17 to 18 degrees and decant for an hour or more. It calls for rich roast and grilled meats.