Tesalia Tinto 2020

Tesalia works in an unusual corner of Andalusia, near Arcos de la Frontera in the Sierra de Grazalema, better known for fortified wines than for reds. This is a Cadiz blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Syrah and Tintilla de Rota, the indigenous local grape, grown on the mineral rich clay soils that sit between the Campina Jerezana and the mountains. Those heavy clays retain water through the hot, dry summers, feeding the vines steadily and concentrating the fruit, while proximity to the coast and altitude temper the heat. After fermentation the wine ages twelve months in French oak, softening the firm Cabernet and Petit Verdot tannins and adding spice and structure through gentle oxidation. In the glass it is deep and dynamic, the nose layering plum and black cherry over pepper, dark chocolate, dried herbs and a stony, earthy minerality from the clay. The palate is robust and full, firmly tannic but balanced at fourteen percent, with a long savoury finish. Serve at sixteen to eighteen degrees and decant; it suits grilled and roasted red meats.