Vilano 57 Aniversario 2021

Viña Vilano produces this red in D.O. Ribera del Duero, in Castilla y León, from Tempranillo led blended with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. The appellation sits on a high plateau either side of the Duero river, where stony, limestone and clay soils and a continental climate of hot days and cold nights slow ripening and lock in acidity and colour. That wide diurnal swing builds firm tannin and deep pigment while keeping the fruit fresh. The wine spends 14 months in oak barrels, where slow oxygen exchange through the staves softens the tannins and folds in vanilla, spice and a light toast. The result is a vibrant cherry-red wine with violet edges and a nose of black fruit, blackberry and blueberry over savoury oak. The palate is full bodied and structured, with ripe dark fruit, liquorice and pepper carried by grippy but polished tannins to a long finish. Serve at 16 to 18 degrees, and decant an hour ahead to open the aromatics. It suits roast and grilled red meats and aged sheep cheeses.