Bodegas El Nido 2020 (75cl, 15.5%)

A full-bodied red blend of Monastrell and Cabernet Sauvignon from Jumilla, Spain. It comes from 32 hectares of small vineyard plots at 700 to 850 metres above sea level, with bush-trained Monastrell vines on ungrafted rootstocks and yields kept under one kilogram per plant. Whole bunches are hand-harvested, selected again, and fermented parcel by parcel in small open-top stainless-steel tanks. The wine spends two years in new French and American oak barrels. The nose shows concentrated black fruit, dried herbs, black pepper and balsamic notes, with creamy oak and a mineral thread. The palate is dense and rich, with blackcurrant, blueberry and plum, fine-grained tannins and vibrant acidity, plus dark chocolate, licorice, floral notes and oak spice. The finish is long, with vanilla, tobacco and toasted oak fading to a mineral edge.