Alegre Valgañón Carra Santo Domingo 2022

The single-vineyard red 2022 Carra Sto Domingo has kept its poise and floral elegance despite the warmer year and the riper fruit. This year, the wine comes in at 14.6% alcohol, but it's nicely disguised and still comes through as an elegant and balanced medium-bodied red with a fine texture and very fine tannins. It does not reach the level of the stunning 2021, but I think it's a triumph over the adverse conditions of the year. The vineyard was planted in the 1920s to make clarete, with 60% red grapes and 40% white ones, and the vines are suffering the climate change. It matured in used 600-liter barrels for 11 months and a further four months in concrete egg. 900 bottles were filled in April 2024. (Luis Guitérrez) 

A minerally red with generous tannins, but it is still transparent, taut and tense. Cranberries, cloves, wet stones and juicy plums. Chalky tannins throughout. 70% red grapes, mostly garnacha, and the rest white. Around 20% stems. Only 964 bottles made. Drink now.