# Dido "La Universal" Tinto (2021)

- **Producer:** Venus La Universal
- **Colour:** red
- **Type:** still
- **Grapes:** Grenache, Syrah, Carignan, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon
- **Region:** Catalonia, Spain
- **Style:** Classic
- **Alcohol:** 12.8%
- **Average price:** €19
- **Vegan:** Yes
- **Contains sulphites:** Yes
- **When to drink:** Now or Later
- **Serving temperature:** 15–17 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** raspberry, strawberry, cherry, plum, lavender, herbaceous, black pepper, cedar, smoke, leather, forest floor

## About this wine

Venus La Universal was founded in 1999 by Sara Pérez and René Barbier Jr., whose families pioneered the resurrection of the neighboring Priorat region. Choosing to carve their own path, they established their estate in the D.O. Montsant. Their philosophy focuses on expressing elegance, texture, and immense respect for nature. They work with organic and biodynamic vineyards in Falset, characterized by decomposed granitic sand soils known as sauló. The 2021 vintage was a cooler, fresher year, allowing for slow physiological ripening and resulting in a wine of remarkable precision and mineral focus.

## Interesting facts

- Founded by Sara Pérez and René Barbier Jr., children of the legendary pioneers who put Priorat on the global wine map.
- The 2021 vintage achieved a remarkably low alcohol level of 12.8% ABV due to an unusually cool and fresh growing season.
- Aged partially in concrete vats and clay amphorae to avoid heavy oak extraction and preserve the pure expression of the granite soils.

## Food pairing

The fresh acidity and grainy, chalky tannins of this cool-climate red cut beautifully through rich fats and savory proteins. Its mineral-driven, herbal profile harmonizes wonderfully with wood-fired meats, earthy mushrooms, and Mediterranean herbs like rosemary and thyme.

## Wine making process

The grapes are harvested manually and fermented in concrete vats using indigenous yeasts, incorporating a portion of whole bunches to preserve freshness. The wine is aged for approximately 16 months. To maintain vitality and structure, about 40% of the volume is aged in concrete vats, while the remaining 60% matures in neutral oak containers of various sizes—ranging from 300-liter barrels to 4,000-liter foudres—alongside small-scale experiments in clay amphorae. The wine is bottled unfined and with minimal sulfur dioxide added only at bottling.