Pas Curtei 2023

Pas Curtei comes from Alemany i Corrió in DO Penedès, a Bordeaux-leaning blend of around sixty per cent Merlot from vines aged twenty-five to thirty years, twenty per cent Cabernet Sauvignon from similar-age vines, and Cariñena from parcels over sixty years old. The aim is a Penedès red with more depth and complexity than the regional norm, and the old Cariñena vines are central to that: their low yields and deep roots add structure, acidity and a savoury, mineral edge. After a careful hand-harvest into small boxes, each variety is vinified separately, with a cold pre-fermentation maceration to draw out colour and aroma before fermentation in tank. The wine then ages fifteen months in French oak, where the slow oxygen exchange rounds the tannins and adds fine spice and vanilla without dominating the fruit. The result is a deep red of ripe plum, cherry and redcurrant, framed by cedar, vanilla, black pepper and an earthy note. The palate is medium to full bodied, fresh and finely structured, with ripe tannins and a long savoury finish at a measured thirteen and a half per cent. Serve at 16 to 18 degrees. It suits roast and grilled meats.