Sierra Cantabria Garnacha 2020

Bodega Sierra Cantabria is a long-established family winery in San Vicente de la Sonsierra, in the north of Rioja, working old vineyards on the slopes below the Sierra de Cantabria. This single-variety Garnacha comes from vines planted in 1927, whose great age gives small yields of concentrated fruit. The site sits at altitude with poor stony soils, and the sheltered position with warm days and cool nights ripens Garnacha fully while keeping freshness. The harvest is by hand with a double selection of the bunches, then the grapes are destemmed and macerated on their skins for around 21 days with daily pump-overs to draw colour and structure, with fermentation held at a controlled 23 degrees. Twelve months in French oak barrels then rounds the tannin and adds spice through slow oxygen exchange. The colour is a deep red. The nose shows ripe red berries and plum over black pepper, liquorice and sweet oak. The palate is full and generous, with ripe fruit, rounded tannin, a warming depth and a spiced finish carrying clove and dried herbs. Serve at 16 to 17 degrees and decant ahead. It suits roast and grilled red meats.