Ariyanas David Dulce | Malaga, Spain

£16.10

An unfortified sweet red wine, 100% Merlot, aged for 4 months in French oak barrels; named after the winemakers godson

The grapes are sourced from Ronda’s vineyards that have a clay and limestone soil; the vines are supported by a double cordon trellis system and short pruned. The harvest is manual in crates of 15 kilos, with careful selection in the vineyard. At the winery the grapes are placed on “floating racks” for 3-4 days allowing a balanced drying process as the currents of air circulate below the bunches.

The grapes are collected, bunch by bunch, de-stemmed and placed in stainless steel tanks, for a week-long cold maceration pre-fermentation. The aim is to obtain an intense colour and the primary scents of the grape while minimising extraction of tannins. Following this the grapes are extracted and gently pressed. Temperature controlled fermentation of the musts (without skins) at 15ºC brings the wine to 7º Baumé and 13% alcohol by volume – at which point fermentation is stopped through a cold shock (-3/-4ºC).

This cold-shock treatment keeps the wine naturally sweet. This process allows the normal flavour expected of a dessert wine to come through, but without the sticky texture that can be a characteristic. As an added bonus is a lower abv. It is then kept in French oak barrels of various ages for 4 months. A micro-filtration is carried out prior to bottling.

An unfortified sweet red wine, 100% Merlot, aged for 4 months in French oak barrels; named after the winemakers godson

The grapes are sourced from Ronda’s vineyards that have a clay and limestone soil; the vines are supported by a double cordon trellis system and short pruned. The harvest is manual in crates of 15 kilos, with careful selection in the vineyard. At the winery the grapes are placed on “floating racks” for 3-4 days allowing a balanced drying process as the currents of air circulate below the bunches.

The grapes are collected, bunch by bunch, de-stemmed and placed in stainless steel tanks, for a week-long cold maceration pre-fermentation. The aim is to obtain an intense colour and the primary scents of the grape while minimising extraction of tannins. Following this the grapes are extracted and gently pressed. Temperature controlled fermentation of the musts (without skins) at 15ºC brings the wine to 7º Baumé and 13% alcohol by volume – at which point fermentation is stopped through a cold shock (-3/-4ºC).

This cold-shock treatment keeps the wine naturally sweet. This process allows the normal flavour expected of a dessert wine to come through, but without the sticky texture that can be a characteristic. As an added bonus is a lower abv. It is then kept in French oak barrels of various ages for 4 months. A micro-filtration is carried out prior to bottling.

Origin: Malaga, Spain

Grapes: Merlot,

Tasting Notes: Gleaming red colour with aromas of ripe cherries, blackcurrant and blackberry. A perfect balance of acidity and seductive sweetness; intense but light (very far from cloying) with soft tannins and a long finish.

ABV: 13.5%

Vintage: 2022

Ageing potential: yes

Attributes: Vegan, bottled unfiltered

Closure: Glass stopper

Size: available as half-bottle only

Farming: Organic practices

Sustainability info:

Winemaker: Clara Verjeij 

Winery link

Food pairing suggestions: Drink as an aperitif or with desserts of chocolate or fruits of the forest, matured cheese. Recommended for Christmas celebrations. Also, this wine surprisingly works very well with main courses of strongly flavoured dark meats, especially venison.