PradoRey Élite 2022

PradoRey Élite is a Ribera del Duero red made from the Élite clone of Tinto Fino, a selection prized for its small berries and thick skins, which concentrate colour and tannin. The fruit comes from very low-yield vines on a single estate on the Duero plateau, where poor limestone and clay soils and a marked diurnal range slow ripening and preserve acidity beneath the ripe fruit. It is produced only in vintages the winery rates as excellent. The grapes are fermented in steel and given a long maceration to draw out phenolics, then aged fourteen months in Central European oak and a further six in French oak cones, with time in bottle before release. The extended barrel ageing rounds the tannins and adds spice and a fine toast through gradual oxidation. Deep, near-opaque ruby, the nose shows black plum, cherry and blackberry with dark chocolate, clove and cedar. The palate is dense and full, with ripe but firm tannins and a long, savoury finish. Serve at 17 to 18 degrees and decant well ahead. Suited to roast and grilled red meats and mature hard cheeses.