Tomás Esteban 2018

Tomás Esteban is a single-variety Tempranillo, known locally as Tinta del País, from Valderiz in the D.O. Ribera del Duero in Castilla y Leon. The fruit comes from one of the oldest vineyards in the region, farmed biodynamically in step with the lunar cycle. Ribera del Duero sits high on the northern Meseta, where hot days and cold nights give a wide diurnal range that builds colour and tannin while keeping acidity firm. Fermentation runs in 6,000 and 3,000 litre casks using the estate's own indigenous yeasts, which lends complexity and a sense of place. The wine then ages for three years in new French oak, a long stay that allows steady oxygen exchange to soften the tannins and weave in oak spice, while the new wood adds vanilla and toast. This is a Gran Reserva in style, deep and concentrated, with ripe plum and black cherry, tobacco, leather and earth over a frame of cedar and spice. The palate is full and structured, with firm tannins and a long finish. Serve at 17 to 18 degrees, decanting an hour ahead. A natural match for roast and grilled red meat.