Valduero Dos Racimos Gran Reserva 2016

Valduero Dos Racimos Gran Reserva is a Tempranillo, here called Tinto Fino, from D.O. Ribera del Duero, made by Bodegas Valduero only in the finest vintages. Its name comes from the practice of keeping just two grape clusters per vine, concentrating flavour and structure into a small, exacting crop. The fruit comes from the El Peñón and El Cascorral estates near the Burgos village of Gumiel del Mercado, on the high Ribera del Duero plateau, where the wide diurnal range preserves acidity and colour through full ripening. The 2016 is a Gran Reserva given extensive maturation, with 48 months in French and American oak followed by 40 months in bottle. The long oak ageing draws out the primary fruit into mature, savoury character through slow oxygen exchange, while the extended bottle ageing softens the tannins and builds complexity. The wine is deep garnet, with a nose of plum and prune over leather, tobacco, liquorice and toasted oak. The palate is full and resolved, with dark fruit, earthy depth and fine, mature tannin leading to a long finish. Serve at 17 to 18 degrees and decant ahead. It suits roast beef, lamb and game.