Suertes del Marqués "El Ciruelo Tinto" 2016

Varieties: Mainly Listán Negro with some Listán Blanco. Appearance: Deep yet transparent violet. Excellent intensity and a slightly darker color and character than many of the other reds in the range. Nose: Pronounced, softly herbaceous with dark berries interlaced with peppercorns, a bit of earth and forest floor. Palate: Dry, Medium-bodied with silky weight, the tannins creamy with a peppery minerality powering through. Fantastically pure and always elegant. Vinification: In Tenerife from a 0.75 hectare plot of north-facing ungrafted vines that are nearly a century old. Atop the small plot stands one lone plum tree, which is where the name, El Ciruelo (the plum), is derived from. Hand harvested, whole cluster natural yeast fermentation in concrete vats, gentle pigeage by foot. 11 months in neutral 500L French oak demi-muids. Only 2000 bottles of this are made, annually. Recommended Food Pairing: Any rich bean-stews, the umami flavor of oxtail stewed and braised for a week, or roasted red pepper salad with fresh farm cheese.