# Berola (2020)

- **Producer:** Bodegas Borsao
- **Colour:** red
- **Type:** still
- **Grapes:** Garnacha, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon
- **Region:** Aragón, Spain
- **Style:** Classic
- **Alcohol:** 14.5%
- **Average price:** €15
- **Contains sulphites:** Yes
- **When to drink:** Now or Later
- **Serving temperature:** 16–18 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** plum, blackcurrant, blackberry, cherry, black pepper, herbaceous, vanilla, cloves, cedar, smoke, chocolate, forest floor, nutmeg, leather

## About this wine

Berola is a premium mid-tier offering from Bodegas Borsao, a highly regarded cooperative in the Campo de Borja DO of Aragón, Spain. The wine's name pays direct homage to the Monasterio de Veruela, a 12th-century Cistercian monastery founded in 1146. Historically, the Cistercian monks at Veruela introduced systematic viticulture to the foothills of the Moncayo mountain range, establishing the birthplace of winemaking in this region. Today, Bodegas Borsao coordinates over 375 growers, managing nearly a third of the appellation's vineyards. The fruit for Berola is sourced from high-altitude plots situated between 400 and 800 meters above sea level, where the vines are subjected to an extreme continental climate and the cooling, sanitizing effects of the 'El Cierzo' wind.

## Interesting facts

- Named after the 12th-century Monasterio de Veruela, where Cistercian monks first established winemaking in the region in 1146.
- The vineyards are swept by 'El Cierzo,' a cold, dry wind from the Moncayo mountains that acts as a natural sanitizer for the grapes.
- Features old-vine Garnacha aged between 35 and 60 years, grown on high-altitude mountain slopes up to 800 meters.

## Food pairing

The robust structure, high alcohol, and ripe tannins of this Garnacha-Syrah-Cabernet blend require rich, flavorful dishes. High-protein meats like lamb and beef soften the tannins, while the wine's acidity cuts through the fat of roasted pork or duck. Earthy components like mushrooms complement the subtle oak and herbal undertones of the wine.

## Wine making process

The winemaking process for Berola highlights a blend of old-vine Garnacha (aged 35 to 60 years), Syrah (averaging 10 years), and Cabernet Sauvignon for the 2020 vintage. The grapes are harvested manually in October and November. Upon arrival at the winery, the fruit undergoes a cold soak for 3 to 4 days to extract color and aromatics before fermentation. Each grape variety is fermented separately in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks at temperatures between 22°C and 26°C, with total skin maceration lasting 12 to 15 days. Following a complete malolactic fermentation, the wine is aged for 14 months in 225-liter French and American oak barrels before blending and bottling.