Viuda Negra 2018

Viuda Negra is made by Javier San Pedro Ortega in Rioja Alavesa, drawing on La Taconera, a small old vineyard he bought in Laguardia. The wine is Tempranillo grown on the limestone and clay soils that characterise the area, farmed with a respectful, low-impact approach. Altitude and the shelter of the Sierra de Cantabria bring cool nights and a wide diurnal range, slowing ripening so the fruit keeps its acidity and develops fine aromatic detail. The wine is aged for ten months in French oak. The tighter grain of French barrels allows a slow, gentle exchange of oxygen that polishes the tannins and adds a refined frame of cocoa, sweet spice and vanilla without dominating the fruit. The wine is a deep cherry red. The nose is layered, with black cherry and plum behind pencil lead, cocoa bean and sweet spice. The palate is balanced and smooth, with fine tannin and fresh acidity carrying a long, savoury finish marked by the French oak. Serve at sixteen to eighteen degrees with a short decant, alongside roast lamb, grilled beef or a plate of cured cheese.