Pepe Yllera 2022

Yllera makes this red in Boada de Roa in D.O. Ribera del Duero, named for Pepe Yllera, who began investing in the region in the 1980s. The estate farms around 150 hectares on the high Castilian plateau, deliberately holding yields low, to a maximum of 4,500kg per hectare, so the grapes ripen with balance and concentration. The Tempranillo, here the local Tinto Fino, is blended with Cabernet Sauvignon for added structure. The plateau's chalk and gravel soils drain freely, and the wide gap between hot days and cold nights preserves acidity and colour while the fruit ripens. After fermentation the wine completes malolactic conversion to soften acidity, then ages six months in French and American oak. That brief barrel stay rounds the tannin and adds vanilla, sweet spice and a light toast without masking the fruit. The wine is deep red, with a nose of blackberry, plum and cherry over gentle spice. The palate is medium to full, fresh and smooth, with ripe tannin and a savoury, easygoing finish. Serve at 16 to 17C. It pairs with grilled and roast meats and cured ham.