Marius Single Vineyard Almansa Syrah 2018 (Spain)

Marius Single Vineyard Almansa Syrah 2018 (Spain)American oak Black cherries & plum Spicy notes Fleshy tannins "Beautifully fruited and fragrant with dark plum, sweet cherry, subtle spice, almond and floral aromas, it's succulent and flavoursome in the mouth delivering bright fruit flavours with silky texture and fine tannins. Modern and immediately appealing for delightful drinking. At its best: now to 2027" Sam Kim, Wine Orbit, Jun 2022 Full bodied red wine with ripe aromas of black cherries,

• American oak
• Black cherries & plum
• Spicy notes
• Fleshy tannins

"Beautifully fruited and fragrant with dark plum, sweet cherry, subtle spice, almond and floral aromas, it's succulent and flavoursome in the mouth delivering bright fruit flavours with silky texture and fine tannins. Modern and immediately appealing for delightful drinking. At its best: now to 2027" Sam Kim, Wine Orbit, Jun 2022

Full-bodied red wine with ripe aromas of black cherries, plums and spicy notes of black pepper. Ripe, dark fruit presence on the mid-palate, soft, supple, fleshy tannins and a fine finish. Balanced, with excellent acidity, elegant in the mouth with a subtle hint of toastiness. Has a 2-5 year drinking window.

'Marius' Single Vineyard Syrah comes from a separate 110ha lot within the Finca Los Timonares Estate, the first to be owned by the Piqueras family who have produced wine for 4 generations since 1915. The estate now covers an area of 210 hectares to the southeast of Almansa, 750 metres above sea level and is composed of nutrient-poor, stony and calcareous soils with scarce rainfall – all ideal characteristics for obtaining the freshest and most expressive range of wines.

Syrah is ideally suited to Almansa to make spicy wines, with lots of colour and flavour. 25-30-year old trellised Syrah vines are cultivated using organic farming methods. The finca has an organic sheep farm, with the flock grazing freely in the surrounding area. Sheep help to keep vegetation down naturally and their organic manure provides nutrients for the soil.

2018 was a “very different” year with far more rain and fresher weather influencing the outcome in the vineyards and the character of the wines from this year’s harvest. Spring was almost ideal and summer weather good, however the autumn saw far more rain than usual in the region which led to a challenging vintage. It was also a long harvest lasting until early November. Several harvests were conducted in the vineyard and fruit carefully selected in the winery but the extra effort ensured good quality fruit on the whole. The wines are more supple and drinkable this year, with less alcohol than usual.

Night harvest of grapes with optimal maturity starting mid-September. Maceration for 3 weeks, fermentation with gradual increase in temperature up to 29ºC to obtain good colour and complexity and then a gradual decrease to 23ºC to preserve the primary aroma of the fruit. The wine is aged 6 months in fine grain, medium toasted American barrels (300 L). 

Food Pairing: Enjoy this award-winning wine simply by itself or accompanied by tapas, roasted, grilled or fried dishes, barbecued or grilled red meats, cured meats (ham, chorizo, etc.) and semi and fully matured cheeses.