Secastilla 2019

Secastilla is a varietal Garnacha from Viñas del Vero in Somontano, made from very old vines in the Secastilla valley that gives the wine its name. The vineyards sit in the foothills of the Pyrenees, between the Cinca and Vero rivers, planted at 700 metres on sandy-loam slopes scattered with stones. Altitude brings cool nights and a wide daily temperature range, which slows ripening and keeps freshness in a grape that can otherwise turn jammy in the heat. Old Garnacha vines crop little but give small, concentrated berries, and the stony soils drain freely and force the roots deep, adding structure and a savoury edge. The winery farms with organic fertilisers, mostly manure and compost, and harvests by hand with selection in the vineyard. The wine ages 10 months in French Allier oak, a tighter-grained wood that frames the fruit with fine spice rather than weight. It pours deep red. The nose is red berry and plum with black pepper, dried herbs and a stony, earthy note. The palate is full and warming at 14.5 percent, with ripe tannin and a long savoury finish. Serve at 16 to 18 degrees. Good with roast lamb and game.