Medium ruby, purple rim. Notes of garrigue come out first, followed by a floral/animal touch and delicate red fruit notes; not much oak. Stupendous finesse on the palate, the delicate powdery and tight tannins are very refined. Fruit is pure and precise with great distinction. From a 1.9ha single vineyard and made by a rising star of the Rioja, this is extremely refined and seductive, not powerful or meant to dumb your tasting buds. An achievement in winemaking.
Potent and dense, reflective of the sun-baked and wild Castilla y Leon region. The Tempranillo here is planted on sandy soils in Zamora's El Pego and Villanueva de Campean, fermented in stainless and aged in French oak for 6 months. Smoked blue and black fruit, thorns, black liquorice, dark florals, cola and sap are drawn by sticky, thick tannins to a hot, shorter finish. There's a lot stuffed into this rustic wine, requiring richer grilled meats to match.
A wine for dedicated carnivores! Dense purple colour; cedary, blackberry nose with a note of cinnamon; medium- to full-bodied, dry, savoury, plum flavour; well-balanced with lively acidity.
Highly perfumed red fruits, resinous thorns, heady carnations and anise on this bright, tight, organic, dry-farmed, limestone-soiled Monastrell from Jumilla. Surfing crunchy acidity, fine, gritty tannins house the streamlined flow to a medicinal, Amaro-infused, quite warm (14.5%) finish. Interesting and intense; if Campari was dry and compacted, I reckon it would be this. Rack of lamb or pork ribs would rock with this.
Anise, broken stone, wild blackberry lead this perfumed and wild Montsant. One of the great-value wine regions of the world, Montsant is a horseshoe around Priorat, sharing many of the same soils and all of the grapes. This is driven with the area's singular llicorella (slate) soils, buzzes with limestone and is grounded with the clay along a tightly mineral and textural palate, perfumed with violets, anise and light peppery spicing. Finishes warm, and yearning for lamb or wild boar. This is a blend of Garnacha, Cariñena and Syrah that has spent 1 year maturing in French oak barrels.
Rustic, ripe and ready, this is a deeper hued rosé of Garnacha from Spain. A reductive swing and noticeable bump of sugar make this extra-punchy to the short, hot finish. Well chilled, this might have a chance with your tuna burgers this summer.
Clear medium-deep yellow with lots of bubbles. Medium-intensity nose of McIntosh apple, sourdough toast and treacle toffee. Medium-bodied with simple apple and lemon flavours. Drink up.