Melida Wines, Parpados, Ribera del Duero 2020 - 75cl

Parpados, which means eyelids, is the wine Melida makes for drinking rather than keeping, the fresh, fruit-first face of the estate. The grapes are Tempranillo grown high on the chalky slopes around Olmedillo de Roa and Moradillo de Roa, and the winemaking is deliberately light-handed. Neutral and larger-format barrels are used to keep the wine honest rather than to dress it in oak.

The 2020 came off a warm, ripe season, and that shows in the glass as generosity. There is plenty of dark plum and black cherry here, a dab of cocoa and liquorice, and the gentle sweet-spice edge that older, used oak gives without ever taking over. Alcohol sits around 14%, and the tannins are fine and slightly chalky, a signature of these high-lime soils, so for all the ripeness the wine finishes clean and savoury rather than jammy. That freshness is the whole point of growing Tempranillo this high up: warmth for the fruit, cool nights to hold the line. It is not built to age; it is built to open and enjoy.

Think of this as the everyday Ribera you actually want on a Tuesday, generous and cheap enough to keep buying. Serve it a touch cooler than you would a heavier red and it comes alive, the fruit tightening up and the freshness stepping forward. There is nothing to wait for here, so pull the cork and pour.

If you want to understand what Melida is about before spending up on the Eternauta or Dos Alas Rojas, this is the sensible place to start.

How to Serve

Serve slightly cool, around 16-17C, which lifts the fruit. No decant needed; a standard red glass is fine. Drink now.

Where to Drink It

• Brindisa, Rupert Street - casual, Iberian and forgiving of a young, juicy red.
• Barrafina, Coppa - a counter seat and a plate of croquetas.
• Noble Rot, Lamb's Conduit Street - the by-the-glass list is a good home for a wine this easy.

Food Pairings

Chorizo cooked in cider, or a simple plate of grilled lamb chops and roast peppers.