Finca El Otero

The optimal spring favoured a smooth, optimal bud break. The absence of rain reduced both the number of bunches per vine and the size of the berries, resulting in a vintage officially classified as Excellent. 

100% Tinta del País from El Otero. This plot has dry, low-fertile, gently eroded clay-loam slopes at 850 m elevation, perfectly suited for the style we are looking for. 

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Harvest began on 14 October and the grapes were picked in 20 kg boxes before placing them on an optical sorting table. Cold maceration for a week helped to enhance the varietal aromas and bright colours. Malolactic fermentation, in French oak barrels, lasted 72 days, with weekly stirrings of its fine lees. The wine was aged for 16 months in French oak barrels with two manual rackings. At the end of this stage, the best 85 barrels were bottled in March 2022.

A classic and bold Ribera, muscular but well-bred. Complex but approachable. Intense and creamy with black fruits and restrained tannins. Intense and deep crimson, with clean garnet rim. The nose stands out for its complex intensity, with ripe blackberry and blackcurrant fruit, spicy hints of tobacco leaf, white pepper, nutmeg and liquorice. Mineral aromas open up to fine wood, cedar, mocha and coffee beans with underlying forest floor notes. Full-bodied, savoury and food-friendly, with a smooth, elegant entry, a supple, fleshy mid-palate and a pleasant, balanced aftertaste with spicy and balsamic hints. Perfect to be enjoyed right now, this is a wine with tremendous ageing potential and long-lasting appeal.

It accompanies a variety of dishes such as roasted vegetables, red meats, roasted lamb and suckling pig and mature cheeses from the area.