Ternario 2 2018

Ternario 2 is a single-variety Garnacha Tintorera from D.O. Almansa in the east of Castilla-La Mancha, made by Venta La Vega and the noted winemaker Raúl Pérez. It is the most classic of his three Ternario wines, drawn from vines over twenty years old across the estate's high vineyards. Garnacha Tintorera, also called Alicante Bouschet, is unusual for its red-stained pulp, which gives wines deep colour and dark fruit intensity. The continental climate of Almansa brings hot, dry summers and cold nights, a diurnal range that keeps acidity fresh and the fruit vivid, while the altitude and the poor soils restrict yields and concentrate the grapes. The wine is aged ten months split between oak barrels and cement tanks. The cement allows a slow micro-oxygenation while keeping the fruit pure and free of wood flavour, and the barrel portion adds a measured frame and spice, so the wine balances ripeness with freshness. It is deeply coloured, with wild blackberry and plum, black pepper and liquorice, and an earthy, mineral edge. The palate is full bodied yet lively, organic and vegan, with firm tannin and a long finish. Serve at 16 to 17 degrees, decanted, with grilled red meats and game.