Bodegas Beronia Rioja Reserva Tempranillo 2018 (Spain)

Bodegas Beronia Rioja Reserva Tempranillo 2018 (Spain)Beronia Reserva 2018 is a deep black plum colour, clean and bright with a garnet rim. Attractive and intriguing on the nose it displays nutty aromas roasted almonds, walnuts followed by notes of plum primarily but also ripe fruit and a pleasant hint of white pepper, which all add complexity and freshness. Full bodied the palate, the wine displays balanced acidity. The flavours are mostly of ripe fruit, whilst the finish is sweet and smooth, bringing

Beronia Reserva 2018 is a deep black plum colour, clean and bright with a garnet rim. Attractive and intriguing on the nose it displays nutty aromas – roasted almonds, walnuts – followed by notes of plum primarily but also ripe fruit and a pleasant hint of white pepper, which all add complexity and freshness. Full bodied the palate, the wine displays balanced acidity. The flavours are mostly of ripe fruit, whilst the finish is sweet and smooth, bringing to mind cacao and roasted hazelnuts. This is a delicious wine, best enjoyed unhurriedly.

The weather in 2018 was marked by several snowfalls during the winter and a damp, cold spring, which meant that budburst was two weeks late. Flowering and fruit set were good however, with a surprising fertility rate bearing in mind the major frost that had occurred the previous year. Persistent rains, together with sunny days raised concerns for the health of the vines, but the excellent work done by the growers enabled any health problem that arose to be kept under control. The weather stabilized in August and the dry, sunny days helped véraison along, with the result the bunches had to be thinned out so as to balance the vines’ output. A 15-20-day delay in the ripening cycle was confirmed in September, with the harvest returning to its usual dates. Selective harvesting throughout the D.O. Ca. Rioja meant that the 2018 vintage delivered wines of very satisfactory quality.

Beronia Reserva is made from a selection of the best grapes from the oldest Tempranillo vines, plus some Graciano y Mazuelo. After a spell undergoing cold pre-fermentation maceration and controlled fermentation with periodic pumping over to extract the desired colour and aromas, the wine spent 18 months in mixed French and American oak barrels to create the unmistakable “Beronia Style”. Lastly the wine was left to rest in the bottle a further 18 months before being released to the market.

Food Pairing: A perfect accompaniment to roast meat, grilled cutlets, cured Ibérico meats and mature cheese. Recommended for drinking until 2030. This wine is suitable for vegans.