Vina Zaco Tempranillo (75cl, 14%)

A 100% Tempranillo red wine from Rioja Alta, Spain, bottled at 14% ABV. It is produced by Bodegas Bilbainas from a single hillside vineyard along a meander of the Ebro River, with deep sandy soils studded with alluvial pebbles. The grapes undergo cold pre-maceration and fermentation at 24°C with about two weeks of skin contact, then spend six to twelve months in new American oak. The nose shows violets and lilacs, ripe black cherry and licorice, with toasty oak, bacon, tobacco leaf and dried herbs. The palate is generous and fruit-forward, with dark berry and black cherry, spicy licorice and cinnamon, creamy vanilla and round, well-integrated tannins. The finish is medium-to-long, with balsamic nuances, sweet spice and a final echo of violets.