La Senda del Diablo 2017

Case of 4 bottles. 

A mysterious wine made from 100% Garnacha Tintorera from old vines (70+ years old) from a single 3.5ha vineyard site close to the winery. Soil is predominantly Franco-clay, and higher altitude, with an exposure suitable for optimum ripening of grapes. 

Traditional red wine production, with only a light pressing. Alcoholic fermentation, using natural yeast, takes place in temperature-controlled stainless-steel tanks - with regular pump-overs - while malolactic fermentation occurs in barrel. The wine is aged for 12 months in first-passage, 500-litre French oak barrels and in clay Amphorae. Fining with a gelatin-based agent; bottled unfiltered. Very limited production (~700 bottles). Comes in a wooden 4-bottle case. 14.5% alc./vol.

Garnacha Tintorera is a synonym for Alicante Bouschet, a crossing of Grenache (Garnacha) and Petit Bouschet created in the late 1800s, in France, by Henri Bouschet.  Traditionally used to tint more dilute southern French wines; it belongs to a rare class of teinturier grapes in which the flesh of the grape is also red (a good trivia question).

Our tasting note: Deep, inky/ruby colour. Aromas and flavours of ripe black fruits - wild raspberry, blackberry, cherry, plum - with evolving notes of dark chocolate, truffle, and anise. Rich and full, with firm tannins, balanced acidity, and a intense/elegant finish.

Menu matches: Pair with classic meat dishes, including lamb, veal, and grilled steak.