Telmo Rodriguez Matallana 2019

Drink it now or cellar for up to 20 years. It is recommended to decant it for an hour. Recognized as one of the pioneers of Spanish viticulture, Telmo Rodrguez is a native of the Rioja wine region. After studying oenology in Bordeaux and working for some time at his family's winery, he decided to embark on his own project, dedicating himself to the promotion of indigenous grape varieties and emerging wine regions. This prestigious dry red wine is an elegant blend of Tinto Fino (produced from a massal selection), Navarro, Valenciano, the white Albillo grape, and others, all sourced from small plots of organically grown bush-trained vines, reflecting the diverse character of the Ribera del Duero terroirs. After manual harvesting, vinification starts spontaneously in oak vats and tanks with indigenous yeasts, and the finished wine ages in French oak for 1.5 years. The result is a complex, rich, and concentrated wine that reveals intense aromas of blackberries, plums, and forest berries on the nose, intertwined with spicy and graphite notes. On the palate, it is full-bodied, powerful, and fleshy. It is juicy with chalky, firm tannins and an almost saline edge on the long, persistent finish that also evokes notes of cocoa. It is the ideal wine to pair with meat-based dishes, mushrooms, or aged cheeses.