Príncipe de Viana Reserva 2021

Príncipe de Viana Reserva comes from the winery of the same name in Murchante, in D.O. Navarra, in north-east Spain. It blends Tempranillo at sixty-five per cent with Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, a marriage of the traditional Spanish variety with two Bordeaux grapes that thrive in Navarra's warm, dry southern reaches. Tempranillo brings the structure and red fruit, Merlot a plush mid-palate and Cabernet a firmer tannin and cassis lift. After a traditional fermentation the wine ages for fourteen months in French and American oak barrels; the American oak lends sweeter vanilla and coconut, the French a finer spice, while slow oxygen exchange through the staves softens the tannins and deepens the colour, and the bottle time that follows develops tertiary leather and spice. The colour is a deep cherry-red. The nose is aromatic, with ripe plum, black cherry and a hint of vanilla and sweet spice from the barrel. The palate is medium to full bodied, with rounded tannins, fresh acidity and a long, savoury finish. Serve at 16 to 18 degrees, decanting briefly. It suits roast lamb, grilled red meat and hard cheese.