Recóndita Armonía 2010

Recondita Armonia is a sweet red wine from Gutierrez de la Vega in Valencia, a producer known for late harvest and barrel aged sweet reds from Monastrell, the thick skinned grape native to the warm Spanish southeast. Monastrell ripens late and demands heat, conditions the limestone soils and Mediterranean sun of the region readily supply, producing small concentrated berries high in sugar, colour and tannin. For a sweet red of this style the grapes are left to overripen and partly raisin on the vine, concentrating sugar and flavour, and fermentation is halted to keep the wine sweet. The 2010 was then aged for 20 months in French oak barrels, where slow oxygen exchange softens the tannins, builds dried fruit complexity and adds vanilla and spice from the wood. The colour is deep ruby with garnet at the rim from bottle age. The nose carries macerated plum, cherry, dried fig and cocoa over clove and vanilla. The palate is sweet and full, with raisined dark fruit balanced by the grape's natural structure, finishing long and warming. Serve at 14 to 16C in a red wine glass. It suits dark chocolate, blue cheese and dried fruit.