Leorin 2013

A mature red wine from Navarra with over a decade of bottle ageing. The dark fruit has receded, giving way to dried herbs, leather and warm stone. The 14.5% ABV adds weight, while the profile remains cool and precise.

The vines grow on the slopes of the Montejurra massif near Dicastillo, where the Valerio family has been rooted since the 14th century. 40 hectares are spread across 70 plots between 400 and 700 metres in altitude, on limestone soil. The cool nights at this elevation extend the ripening period at moderate temperatures, and the limestone lends the minerality that these wines speak of more than fruit.

Garnacha, also known as Grenache, and Tempranillo from old vines: the average age is 35 years, with individual Garnacha vines reaching 80. Emilio Valerio has run the estate since 1980, works the soil with horses and forgoes irrigation entirely. Since 2014, French oenologist Jean-François Hébrard has worked in the cellar, using French barriques with a restrained hand: the oak is meant to support the minerality, not mask it.

Dry, powerful and remarkably fresh. Mature, softened tannins carry dried cherry, ripe dark berries and spice; the finish is long and chalky.

Winegrowing on Montejurra dates back over 1000 years, to the Benedictine monks who first planted vines here; the estate's approach is shaped by biodynamic practice. On clear days, the view from the vineyards reaches all the way to the Pyrenees.