Lindes de Remelluri Viñedos Salinillas de Buradón 2020

Dark cherries, blueberries, crushed stones and lavender. Nicely chewy on the palate with lots of fine-grained tannins. Long and tight finish. Better in two years.

The 2020 Lindes de Remelluri Viñedos de Salinillas de Buradón, a parish of Labastida, was produced with a blend of 91% Tempranillo, 4% Garnacha and 5% other varieties from south-facing vineyards behind the Sierra de la Cantabria, the last vineyards that they recovered on quartz salt, gypsum and red clay soils. These are the last grapes to be picked, and the wine has 14.22% alcohol but doesn't show any heat. It comes through as serious, shy and austere, a little closed at first. The tannins are a little rustic, but the wine has a strong mineral streak that made it my favorite from the lot. 20,114 bottles produced. It was bottled in May 2022.

Thanks to climate change, the isolated, once very marginal village of Salinillas is coming into its own. This wine comes from a single grower and has the high-altitude freshness of its source. Juicy and refreshing, with redcurrant and pomegranate fruit and sappy, savoury tannins. 2024-29