Finca Río Negro, Vino de la Tierra de Castilla (Castilla y León, Spain) 2014

Based on the interesting design of the capsule atop this wine’s cork, I’d guess that “992” is a reference to the altitude of the vineyard, which is pretty plausible (in meters) for this part of Spain.  There’s no need to guess about the blend, however, as the back label indicates 55% Tempranillo, 20% Syrah, 15% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon.  If you aren’t persuaded of the need for French grape varieties in a region that makes magic from Tempranillo on its own, I’d be with you, but if you have any argument with how this wine turned out, you’re on your own.  Leaning toward full-bodied in profile, with dark fruit and tastefully restrained oak and quite fine-grained tannins, this will be terrific with any robust dish from roast duck all the way up to grilled lamb.