Valtravieso Reserva Finca La Atalaya 2021

Valtravieso was founded in the 1980s in D.O. Ribera del Duero, in Castilla y León, and farms some of the highest vineyards in the appellation. This Reserva comes from the Finca La Atalaya, at 920 metres above sea level, planted to Tinto Fino, the local Tempranillo, with a small portion of Cabernet Sauvignon. The extreme altitude brings cold nights and a very wide diurnal range, which slows ripening, deepens colour and tannin and locks in the firm acidity that gives these reds their structure and ageing potential. Limestone and clay soils drain well and keep yields low, concentrating the fruit. Cabernet Sauvignon adds backbone and a cassis edge to the Tempranillo core. The wine is aged 15 months in oak barrels, where slow oxygen exchange firms and polishes the tannins while adding vanilla, cocoa and sweet spice. It is deep, almost opaque ruby, with a nose of ripe plum, black cherry, dark chocolate, tobacco and toasty oak. The palate is full bodied and powerful, with concentrated dark fruit, firm, fine grained tannin and a long, spiced finish. Serve at 17 to 18 degrees, decanted. It is built for roast lamb and grilled red meat.