Pago de Otazu Tinto 2019

I tasted two vintages of their Bordeaux blend that carries their name, starting with the 2019 Pago de Otazu, produced with 62% Merlot and 38% Cabernet Sauvignon from organic vines (in the process of being certified) planted in 1993 on gravel and white stony soils with a high component of clay. It fermented in concrete and matured in French oak barrels for 12 months, including malolactic. It has 14.5% alcohol and good freshness and acidity. It's very peppery, spicy and pungent and varietal (well, the blend, of course), with some toasted notes and a medium to full-bodied palate with slightly dusty tannins. 15,465 bottles produced. It was bottled in June 2021.