Reta TA/RRAZ 2022

TA/RRAZ is made by Marcelo Retamal, a Chilean producer with Spanish roots, in the Sierra de Salamanca around Mogarraz in Castilla y Leon. The wine is led by Rufete, a thin-skinned local grape, blended with old varieties including Calabres and Aragones from mixed field plantings. The Sierra de Salamanca is a mountainous, high-altitude area where granite and slate soils and cool nights give wines that are fresher and lighter in body than the Castilian norm, with bright acidity and aromatic lift. Farming follows respectful, sustainable practice. The wine ages fourteen months in oak barrels, where slow oxygen exchange softens the modest tannins and adds a gentle savoury frame without covering the delicate fruit. The colour is bright and medium in depth. The nose shows red berries and cherry lifted by floral and dried-herb notes over an earthy base. The palate is light to medium bodied, with fresh acidity, fine tannins, a peppery edge and a clean savoury finish. Serve lightly cool at 15 to 16 degrees. It suits lighter meats, poultry, charcuterie and mushroom dishes.