Perelada Aires de Garbet 2020

Perelada makes Aires de Garbet from the twelve-hectare Garbet estate on the Catalan coast in D.O. Empordà, where the vines grow on terraces of slate soil close to the Mediterranean. This is a single-variety Garnacha from a warm, windy site, the tramuntana wind keeping the vineyard dry and healthy. The slate forces the roots deep for water, giving low yields and concentrated fruit, while the maritime setting lends the wild-herb and balsamic character typical of the region. The grapes are hand-picked into 20 kilo crates so the fruit arrives whole and does not ferment early, and the wine is aged twelve months in French oak, which rounds the tannins and adds a fine spice through slow oxygen exchange. Expect a deep red colour and a nose of ripe red and dark fruit with wild herbs, a balsamic hint and a stony minerality. The palate is warm and generous, fruit-forward but framed by ripe tannin and fresh acidity, closing long and savoury. Serve at 16 to 18 degrees, decanted for half an hour. Good with grilled and roast meats, game and mushroom dishes.