Valtravieso Vino de Finca 2021

Valtravieso Bodegas y Viñedos sits on a high limestone plateau in D.O. Ribera del Duero, in Castilla y León. The estate name translates as the valley that traverses, after the landscape that cuts through the site. The limestone soils retain water through the dry growing season and reflect the region's marked diurnal range, where hot days and cold nights hold acidity and build colour in the fruit. This Vino de Finca is led by Tinto Fino, the local Tempranillo, with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot rounding out the blend. The wine ages thirteen months in oak barrels, where slow oxygen passing through the wood softens the firm tannins and adds vanilla, tobacco and spice. The colour is deep cherry red. The nose is intense, with ripe cherry, plum and dark chocolate over cedar and oak spice. The palate is full and structured, with firm tannin, black pepper and a long, savoury finish carried by the altitude's freshness. Serve at 16 to 18 degrees and decant an hour ahead. It suits roast beef, grilled lamb and aged hard cheeses.