Parés Baltà Absis 2021

Absis is a structured red from the D.O. Penedès, made by Parés Baltà from a blend of Tempranillo, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Merlot. The Penedès lies inland from the Catalan coast, its vineyards rising into hills where altitude and a Mediterranean climate tempered by cooler nights ripen this range of grapes fully while keeping their acidity. The wine takes its name from the apse of a Romanesque church, a nod to its concentration of tannin and its potential to age. Farmed organically and made without animal products, it is aged 18 months in French oak, where the long barrel time and slow oxygen exchange knit the firm tannins together and layer in vanilla, toast and cocoa without masking the dark fruit. Tempranillo and Merlot give the flesh, Cabernet the backbone, and Syrah a dark, peppery edge. The colour is deep, near-opaque ruby. The nose is layered, with ripe plum and dark berries over black pepper, cocoa, liquorice and sweet spice. The palate is full and dense, the tannins firm and ripe, the finish long and savoury. This is a wine for the cellar; serve at 16 to 18 degrees, decanted well ahead, with grilled and roasted red meat.