Xérico 2020

Wine description for Xérico 2020 by Tentenublo

Colour & appearance

Deep, dark cherry red with delicate violet reflections and a lightening rim that shimmers silkily in the glass.

Nose

Profound yet refreshingly precise. At its centre lies a clear fruit of blackberry, cassis and ripe plum, densely interwoven with succulent fig and an unusual but harmonious note of ripe tomato. Rosehip, redcurrant and sour cherry bring a vibrant freshness into play. A spicy axis of black pepper, allspice and clove lends depth, accompanied by a hint of dark chocolate and subtle nuances of fennel.

Palate

Grippy, with clearly present yet superbly integrated tannins. The tannins glide across the palate – dense yet supple, balanced between melting moments and a firm backbone. The fruit feels lively, carried by a stimulating acidity that prevents the wine from ever becoming heavy despite its concentration. Elegance and grandeur form a rare union here.

Finish

Lightly spiced and finely fading, with discreet, pleasantly bitter notes that shape the aftertaste and linger long.

Terroir & origin

From the wind-swept high-altitude vineyard sites of Rioja Alavesa, around the tranquil village of Viñaspre. At 620 metres above sea level, the vines are rooted in barren soils of calcareous marl and sandstone. The constant wind keeps the grapes naturally healthy and shapes the precise, mineral style of this wine.

Grape variety & vinification

An unusual cuvée of Viura and Tempranillo – the white grape variety lends this red wine a particular freshness and aromatic complexity. Roberto Oliván vinifies each of his thirty parcels separately, with spontaneous fermentation by indigenous yeasts and gentle extraction.

Food recommendations

A wine for grilled lamb with a herb crust, wild boar ragout with juniper, pan-roasted duck breast with red wine jus or aged Manchego. It is also an enrichment alongside mushroom dishes and robustly spiced lentil dishes.

Special features

The combination of Viura and Tempranillo in a red wine is rare and gives Xérico its unmistakable tension between dark fruit and illuminating freshness – a wine that makes the cool altitude of its origin palpable in every sip.