Patria Chica Tinto Vino de Pago 2024

Patria Chica Tinto Vino de Pago 2024 displays an intense cherry-red color and an expressive, layered nose of fresh red fruit, spices, and floral nuances, with a subtle, ink-like complexity. On the palate, the wine combines the intensity of ripe fruit with elegance and suppleness. It possesses a medium-to-full-bodied, harmonious structure, supported by refined tannins that provide both length and balance. This interplay of freshness, spice, and sophisticated structure makes the wine exceptionally versatile when paired with food.

The blend—comprising Garnacha, Tempranillo, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon—is grown on clay-limestone soils interspersed with stones; the high calcium content, in particular, imparts tension, freshness, and a remarkable sense of equilibrium. Harvesting takes place entirely at night, when cooler temperatures ensure the grapes remain optimally fresh. As the vineyards are located immediately surrounding the estate, the grapes are processed within ten minutes of being picked.

The process begins with a cold pre-maceration, designed to gently extract fruit, color, and aromatic finesse. Tempranillo and Merlot are fermented together due to their similar ripening cycles, while Garnacha and Cabernet Sauvignon are fermented as a separate batch. Fermentation is temperature-controlled and carried out using indigenous yeasts, ensuring that the character of both the grape variety and the terroir remains at the forefront. Following alcoholic fermentation, the wine undergoes malolactic fermentation in French oak, succeeded by five months of aging in French barriques. This oak treatment adds structure and depth, while remaining intentionally subtle so as to support—rather than overshadow—the fruit and freshness. Patria Chica forms the heart of Pago Aylés, a winery in Aragon, in northeastern Spain, with an estate spanning approximately 3,000 hectares—47 hectares of which are classified as *Vino de Pago*. A *Vino de Pago* represents the highest category within the Spanish appellation system and originates from a single, clearly defined estate.