Viña Pomal Gran Reserva 2015

Viña Pomal is always a classic brimming with life, whether it's their Crianza, Reserva or Gran Reserva, and this latter is an especially serious and well-made wine, with all the elegance, balance and freshness of a fine Gran Reserva from the Rioja Alta. Viña Pomal is the flagship brand of Bodegas Bilbaínas, a winery located in Haro's emblematic Barrio de la Estación, and producer of fantastic wines since 1911. Their style and their wines have continued to get better and better over recent years, much to the delight and enjoyment of all consumers thanks to the fact that they have constantly remained within a very affordable price range. The estate bearing the same name comprises 101 hectares of vineyards, planted for the first time in 1908 and the oldest vines nowadays date back to 1971. In the manufacture of their wines, they keep to the traditional system, which means the Gran Reserva spends 24 months in American oak barrels, with 2-3 rackings that clean the wine naturally, plus a further year in oak vats and three additional years before its release onto the market. The character of the Viña Pomal Gran Reserva is particularly dry, with dry not sweet spiciness; the predominant aromas are of black pepper, liquorice and tobacco. It also features aromas exhibiting some dampness, such as leather, dead leaves and other more concentrated whiffs reminding us of hard or cured cheeses. Overall, it's an intense, profound nose that has great freshness. With some aeration in the glass, the mature fruit-charged aromas come fully to life, and on the palate there appears the delightful juiciness of the essentially red fruit. A wine to open, serve and enjoy from the moment it's released, from the very first glass and for a decade in all its fullness.