Palacios Remondo La Vendimia 2023

Palacios Remondo La Vendimia is made by Bodegas Palacios Remondo in Alfaro, in the warmer Rioja Baja (now Rioja Oriental), under technical director Álvaro Palacios. It blends Garnacha Tinta and Tempranillo from the winery's own vineyards on the Falda del Monte Yerga, planted at 550 metres on calcareous clay soils. The altitude is decisive: it offsets the warmer, more Mediterranean climate of this part of Rioja, the cool nights preserving acidity and aromatic freshness while the days ripen the Garnacha. Calcareous clay gives the wine its mineral spine and helps the vines through dry summers. The wine is aged five months in oak, a short, gentle élevage that keeps the fruit fresh and the wine expressive, with the brief barrel time softening the tannins rather than marking the wine with wood. The colour is bright cherry red. The nose is full of freshly picked cherry and raspberry, with subtle herbal and spicy notes and a clear mineral thread. The palate is fresh and lively, medium bodied, with juicy fruit, fine tannins and a savoury, peppery finish. Serve at 15 to 17 degrees, lightly chilled in warm weather. It suits roast lamb, duck and grilled vegetables.