All Spanish Wines On Sale!

Winemaker Description 

"Locos por el Vino” is a new project from Bodegas Alto Moncayo, aiming to expand their range with high-quality, modern and casual wines produced from the winery’s youngest vineyards, guaranteeing the continuity of the Alto Moncayo project for future generations to come. A local term used in the village of Borja, "Zismero" refers to one who is provocative, jovial, and mirthful, with a complexity and uniqueness that makes its audience think deeply from the pointed jocularity.

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2018

Tim Atkin 98 Points | The maiden 2016 vintage has only just been released through the Place de Bordeaux, so it may be a little premature to review this 2018, but make sure you remind yourself to buy a case in two years' time. Produced without Cabernet Sauvignon for the first time, it's the polar opposite of the big, ripe, overwooded styles of Ribera. Nuanced, refined and hauntingly balanced, with perfumed oak, lovely texture and balance, leafy, graphite-like complexity and the length of a world-class wine. 2023-35.

Jane Anson 95 Points | Muscular, slate hewn tannins, this has a rugged quality where nothing is overpowered by oak and yet it hugs the palate, making its presence felt. Serious tannic architecture that softens through the mid palate to show creamy raspberry and red cherry fruits, spiced aniseed, fennel and liqourice root, sinewy tannins, totally moreish. Aged in 25% new oak, 10% amphora, and the rest in neutral barrels. Jean-Claude and Jeff Berrouet consultants, with winemaker Montxo Martinez and owners Marcos and Carlos Yllera. Old vine Tempranillo, including some dating right back to pre-Phylloxera, sat at between 750m and 1000m altitude, from a selection of their own vines, and those of local growers.

Memo Summary Notes

The 2018 Bodega Vivaltus "Vivaltus" is a prestigious, "new wave" Ribera del Duero that has rapidly gained cult status. It is the flagship wine of a project by the Yllera family, who famously enlisted Jean-Claude Berrouet—the legendary former winemaker of Château Pétrus—to help create a wine of "Bordeaux-like" elegance rather than the heavy, over-extracted style common in the region.

Expert Review - Vintage 2023

The Wine Enthusiast 90 Points by Elaine Chukan Brown | Juicy, fresh and mouthwatering, this flavorful and friendly red delivers flavors of red plum, mixed berries, fennel, and a touch of sweet vanilla. 

Winemaker Description 

Alta Alella is the closest winery to Barcelona, located 2 kilometres from the Mediterranean between the towns of Alella and Tiana. It is a family-run project that began in 1991 with Josep Maria Pujol-Busquets and his wife Cristina Guillen. Now the estate is headed up by their daughter, Mireia.

Alella is one of the smallest appellations in Spain yet it possesses a fascinating terroirs that the Alta Alella team have harnessed in their journey to being recognised as the premier estate in the region. All the vines are planted on slopes and terraces overlooking the Mediterranean, between 100 and 250m above sea level. One of the key elements is the Sauló soil found throughout the vineyard.

Particular to this region, Sauló is an acidic and sandy soil with a low limestone content, low organic matter and good natural water drainage – ideal for the production of clean wines with a mineral edge.

Celler Balart Amfora Negre Terra Alta 2024 750ml

Experience the richness of Celler Balart Amfora Negre Terra Alta 2024, an exquisite wine that captures the essence of its region. This vintage offers a unique blend of local grapes, expertly crafted to showcase the rich terroir of Terra Alta in Catalonia, Spain. Celler Balart's dedication to quality and tradition is evident in every sip, delivering a delightful experience that wine enthusiasts will cherish. This wine is not just a drink; it's an invitation to explore the rich culinary landscape of Spain.

Amphora Fermentation

The "Amfora" in the name refers to the traditional amphora (clay vessel) fermentation process, an ancient winemaking technique that imparts unique mineral characteristics and texture to the wine. This method provides distinctive citrus fruits and mineral notes that complement the natural fruit character of the grapes.

Grape Variety

Garnatxa Negre (Grenache Noir)
This wine showcases the classic characteristics of Grenache, including apple, peach, and banana notes typical of the variety, enhanced by the amphora fermentation process.

Tasting Profile

Appearance: Clean and bright, intense cherry color. Deep ruby color
Aroma: Red and black fruits, licorice, mineral touches, slightly balsamic. Apple, peach, banana typical of Grenache, citrus fruits and minerals provided by the amphora
Palate: Voluminous, friendly, silky. Full-bodied with harmonious balance. Fine tannins and well-integrated acidity. Unctuous and greedy. Bold character with dark fruit flavors complemented by earthy undertones derived from amphora fermentation
Finish: Long and elegant finish. Smooth finish

Terra Alta Terroir

This vintage highlights the vibrant personality of grapes from the Terra Alta region in Catalonia, Spain. The wine embodies the spirit of the land, bringing forward flavors that are both distinct and memorable. The 2024 vintage showcases the winemaker's meticulous attention to detail, ensuring that each bottle reflects the rich terroir of Terra Alta.

Traditional Winemaking Excellence

Celler Balart combines traditional amphora fermentation with expert winemaking to create wines that seamlessly blend fruity notes with depth and complexity. The amphora aging process adds unique mineral characteristics and texture, creating a wine with distinctive personality and artistry.

Food Pairing Suggestions

This full-bodied red pairs wonderfully with a variety of dishes:

• Red meats and grilled meats
• Game meats
• Barbecue and roasts
• Hearty stews
• Cured cheeses and rich cheeses
• Risottos
• Seafood and blue fish
• White meats

Versatile for Every Occasion

Perfect for both casual gatherings and special celebrations, this wine adds a touch of sophistication to any occasion. Whether you're enjoying a quiet evening at home or celebrating with friends, Celler Balart Amfora Negre elevates your dining experience to new heights. Ideal for both seasoned wine drinkers and newcomers alike, this wine is sure to impress your palate.

Catalonian Winemaking Heritage

Celler Balart represents the artistry and passion of Catalonian winemaking. Each bottle reflects the dedication that goes into producing this remarkable wine, showcasing the unique characteristics of Terra Alta's terroir combined with ancient amphora fermentation techniques. Embrace the tradition and innovation that defines this exceptional Spanish red wine.

2024 Vintage Excellence

The 2024 vintage offers enticing aromas and a nuanced flavor profile that wine enthusiasts will cherish. With its deep ruby color, bold character, and smooth finish, this wine embodies excellence and rich flavor, making it a perfect choice for exploring the vibrant culinary landscape of Spain.

Warehouse stored item - please allow three to five business days to fulfill.

Locos por el Vino” is a new project from Bodegas Alto Moncayo, aiming to expand their range with high-quality, modern and casual wines produced from the winery’s youngest vineyards, guaranteeing the continuity of the Alto Moncayo project for future generations to come. 

Warehouse stored item - please allow two to three business days to fulfill.

Decanter 92 Points | Enticing nose of sweet spices, caramel, prunes, wild forest fruits and herbaceous nuances. Fresh and harmonious, with a lengthy finish. 

Warehouse stored item - please allow one to three business days to fulfill.

Warehouse stored item - please allow two to five business days to fulfill.

Bright violet color. Aromas of red berries, spices and dried flowers with a spicy note that is becomes pronounced as it breathes. Juicy in the mouth, offers fresh currants and cherry flavors. Fine-grained tannins add to a long finish with accented spices.

Can Sumoi La Rosa Rosé — Penèdes, Catalonia 2025

Can Sumoi is one of Catalonia’s most exciting natural wine producers, farming certified organic and biodynamic vineyards in the Penèdes at 600 metres altitude on poor clay-limestone soils. La Rosa is their benchmark rosé — a blend of 60% Sumoll and 40% Xarel-lo sourced from 20 to 60-year-old vines, made with just 2 hours of skin maceration, indigenous yeast fermentation in tank, and minimal sulfur at bottling (<25mg/L). Vinous awarded the 2025 vintage 90 points.

The wine is spritzy, citrusy, and light on its feet. Pink grapefruit and white peach notes open into a soft-textured, slightly prickly palate with neatly woven acidity and a svelte, elegant frame. The 2025 closes with an enticing, perfumed floral lift that lingers cleanly. Refreshing, precise, and built to be enjoyed now.

"The 2025 La Rosa is spritzy, citrusy and light on its feet. Pink grapefruit and white peach notes open nicely into a soft-textured, slightly prickly palate. Acids are neatly woven into the wine’s svelte frame. The 2025 closes with an enticing, perfumed floral lift." — Vinous, 90 Points (Vintage 2025)

• Producer: Can Sumoi, Penèdes, Catalonia, Spain
• Vintage: 2025
• Appellation: Penèdes DO
• Blend: 60% Sumoll, 40% Xarel-lo
• Farming: Certified Organic (CCPAE) & Biodynamic
• Vinification: 2 hours skin maceration; indigenous yeast fermentation in tank; minimal sulfur (<25mg/L)
• Vine Age: 20–60 years old
• Altitude: 600m
• Size: 750ml
• Tasting Notes: Pink grapefruit, white peach, floral lift, spritzy, soft-textured, crisp acidity
• Cellar Potential: Drink now
• Best Paired With: Grilled prawns, anchovies, pa amb tomàquet, light salads, fresh goat cheese

A 90-point biodynamic Catalan rosé from one of Penèdes’ most dedicated natural producers — Can Sumoi La Rosa is the benchmark for what Sumoll and Xarel-lo can deliver in a glass.

Winemaker Description 

After working at Cia de Vinos Telmo Rodriguez Juan Antonio Ponce returned home. The project started in 2005, he was 23, just 11 barrels, and a loan. The family’s wine growing tradition dates back to Juan Antonio’s great-grandfather, although his father never made wine–he used to sell the grapes to the local cooperative. “Ponce says. “The area is full of prejudices, people lack self-confidence.

These days Manchuela is probably the most interesting appellation in central Spain, led by Ponce. This is sharp and austere, mineral and electric. A wine to keep.

Winemaker Description 

Their Criolla comes from one of the oldest vineyards they work with. The vines here are more than 80 years old. Fermented partially with stems in concrete and aged in 2000L vats for eight months before bottling.

The As Abeleiras “Viño branco de parcela” (Albariño) is released a year after the entry-level Albariño and comes from a single parcela planted in 1993 by a very young Pedro and his father. It sits at 100 meters altitude, also on granite soil. While the 2019 version was raised in steel, this year spent time in old French oak barrels. 

While the other two Albariños have a broad band of expressions and roundness due to the diversity of the many vineyard parcels in each wine, this single vineyard’s uniqueness offers a more vertical than horizontal experience. While the other two would be great for a bigger party of people because they jump into the mosh pit and start knocking people out on the first swing, As Abeleiras is initially more snug and better suited for a two-person tango. 

While the others are wonderful in their way, this is the thinker, the wine to observe and admire for its singularity, focused austerity, and tight, chalky and grippy texture. It’s a minerally beam of light. The others are mineral bombs.

Winemaker Description 

Arenisca is 100% Tinta de Toro from the Paraje Los Panaderos vineyard in neighboring Benialbo (within D.O. Toro), which is among the highest elevation sites in the appellation. Grapes were hand-harvested, wild yeast fermented with 40% stem inclusion in open vats with 30 days of maceration, then raised for 11 months in used French oak barrels.

The finished wine is bottled unfiltered, and just a touch of sulfur is added at bottling. 

Expert Review

Michael Schachner of The Wine Enthusiast writes 88 Points | Mildly oxidized aromas of honeyed fruits and salt water are less alert than ideal, while this feels plump but without intense acidic cut. Toffee and caramel flavors include a note of white mushroom, while this golden Manzanilla feels dry and tastes a bit like fresh butter on the finish.

Winemaker Description 

Manzanilla La Jaca is the most famous wine from Bodegas Álvaro Domecq, together with the Fino La Janda. Last year all of the entry-level wines (not the ‘1730’ series) were given a modern, graphical label with abstract motifs and bold colours.

La Jaca is around four years old.

Winemaker Description 

Cherry red color of medium intensity, medium layer. The nose is intense, with notes of jelly beans and red fruits combined with mineral notes of flint and a light background of toast. At the entrance to the mouth we will find soft tannins, with high volume and fat, well compensated by good acidity and a general feeling of verticality. Red fruits and mineral notes stand out, resulting in a long and intense aftertaste.
Evolution

In good conditions of this bottle will evolve positively for at least the next 7 years.

Winery Notes

Quality sparkling wine with very fine bubbles due to its long aging. Complex aroma, fresh notes of pineapple and eucalyptus, toasted cocoa and dried fruits, perfectly blended together. Voluminous, fleshy and fresh in the mouth. Structured and surprisingly fresh, long-lasting and well balanced.

Its high acidity and dry finish make it incredibly versatile:

• Tapas: Excellent with Jamón Ibérico, olives, and aged Spanish cheeses.

• Seafood: Perfect with oysters, sushi, or grilled shrimp.

• Anything Fried: The sharp acidity cuts beautifully through rich, fried foods like calamari or fried chicken.

FARMING

Certified Organic 

Winemaker Description 

Juan Jurado belongs to a new generation of young winemakers who see potential in the Marco de Jerez region beyond traditional fortified wines. After living away from his native Andalusia for many years (from Sitges to Australia via London), during which time he trained in the world of wine and sommellerie, he decided to return to his roots to start a project focused on authentic wines that reflect the diversity of the Jerez Region beyond Finos and Olorosos.

In 2022, Jurado invested all his savings to purchase a small vineyard in the Miraflores de Sanlúcar estate, along with winemaking equipment including a press, destemmer, casks, and jars to produce his first vintage. This marked the birth of Agrícola Calcárea, a project dedicated to crafting honest wines using minimal yet sufficient intervention to showcase the unique characteristics of each vineyard through classic and ancestral varieties of the Marco region.

The resulting wines are highly aromatic, featuring stone fruit, citrus, and white flower notes, with chalky and salty undertones. On the palate, they are savory and mineral, with a touch of bitterness.

Winemaker Description 

Viña Sastre is an iconic, family-run winery in the heart of Ribera del Duero, famous for making long-lived, elegantly structured wines from organic, old vines grown near the Duero river. Flavus is an incredible, singular white wine made from indigenous cayetana blanca grapes from 100-year-old vines, selected from Sastre’s historic Pago de Santa Cruz vineyards at 800m to 840m for their complexity and ability to age gracefully. Sastre handcrafts classic wines through extremely low-yielding biodynamic farming methods, fermenting exclusively with native yeasts.

In Pago de Santa Cruz, a small amount of white cayetana blanca grapes have always existed alongside the red tempranillo, co-planted and traditionally mixed into the field blend destined to be one of Spain’s most iconic wines. Through Jesús Sastre’s good friend and Rías Baixas pioneer Gerardo Méndez, they first researched and separated the white grapes from the blend, making the first Flavus in 2007 to make a simple, charming white wine for near-term consumption. Ribera del Duero does not have much of a tradition for white wines, so the initial concept was to make something simple and humble. Instead, they discovered through the cellaring and consistent tasting of verticals of Flavus over the years that the wine is capable of improving in bottle for a decade or more, leaving tasters stunned by the unique, complex flavors which develop. There is no designation for Ribera del Duero blanco, so while this mighty blanco may be a “Reserva” qualitatively and spiritually, bureaucratically, it carries the humble Vino de Mesa designation. Perhaps in the future, the appellation will see the same possibilities for value and quality in their white wines as their more famous reds.

Vinification – Following a manual harvest, the wine spontaneously fermented with native yeasts in stainless steel. No malolactic fermentation. The wine was racked and aged in stainless steel for ten months, followed by two years of bottle age prior to release.

Winemaker Description 

A natural, young, and fresh wine. Made with minimum intervention. No added Sulfites. A blend of Tempranillo and Garnacha. 

Experience the purity of Alona Rioja Sin Sulfitos Añadidos, a unique wine with no sulfites added and organically farmed. 

Expert Review

Wine Spectator 89 Points | There's a richness here offsetting the firm structure, but the iodine and roasted walnut notes shine on the finish. Caramel, burnt molasses and tobacco round out the flavor spectrum. Drink now. 1,750 cases made.

Winemaker Description 

Mahogany colour with iodine tinged edges. Strong and nutty, with hints of varnish, caramel and vanilla. Very dry, well-rounded structure, with faint hints of saline, a slightly bitter and long- lasting finish.

Winemaker Description 

La Fita - Els Arpiots is a white wine that embodies the essence of its origins –Penedes.

A blend of Macabeu and Xarel.lo, traditional grape varieties of Penedès, creates a fresh and light wine.

It bursts with aromatic intensity, evoking the Mediterranean with scents of white fruit and flowers. Its palate is gentle and straightforward.

Winemaker Description 

El Rall Artigas Alella Red, biodynamic wine, 50% Merlot, 20% Garnatxa Negra (Grenache Noir), 20% Syrah, and 10% Sumol from 4 vineyards planted on granitic sand. 

Oriol’s ancient vineyards of native vines are largely based on granite rock, known locally as Sauló, at between 100 and 350 metres elevation.  This results in wines often rich in minerality, conjuring aromas that will take you all the way to the Mediterranean. 

The grapes are destemmed and fermented in stainless steel tank with 3 days on the skins, then transferred to a mix of stainless steel tanks and used barrels to rest for approximately 18 months before blending and bottling with no sulphites. 

El Rall Artigas is natural, hot climate red wine which is bursting with flavour and although 100% pure, there is no real funkiness, just soft fruits and tension from the granite soils. 

Adegas Guímaro Mencía — Ribeira Sacra, Spain 2024

Adegas Guímaro is Ribeira Sacra's most celebrated rebel — a family estate founded by Pedro Rodríguez, whose pioneering work in one of the world’s most dramatic wine landscapes helped put this Galician appellation on the international map. Guímaro means “rebel” in Gallego, and the name fits: farming old-vine Mencía on Ribeira Sacra’s impossibly steep, slate-terraced hillsides — vineyards cultivated since Roman times, rivaling the Douro, Côte Rôtie, and the Mosel in their dramatic beauty and treacherous terrain — demands spirited determination, eternal optimism, and a deep sense of tradition. The 2024 Mencía is a high-energy, mineral-driven Joven crafted from concentrated old-vine fruit, earning 92 Points from both James Suckling and Wine Advocate and overdelivering at every price point.

The nose is vivid and expressive: ripe cherries, dark plum, red fruit, and earth, with sweet spice, luscious savory depth, and a mineral undercurrent driven by the region’s signature slate soils. On the palate, the wine is silky and juicy with vibrant acidity, smooth tannins, and a long, mineral finish with subtle herbal lift. Often described as a cross between Pinot Noir and Syrah in its elegance and energy, it is approachable, versatile, and deeply satisfying — the kind of Spanish red that disappears fast at the table.

"Savory and silky, with luscious flavors of red fruit, plums, earth, and sweet spice. Old vine Mencía vines lead to concentrated and juicy grapes." — Producer’s Notes, Adegas Guímaro

• Producer: Adegas Guímaro, Ribeira Sacra, Galicia, Spain
• Vintage: 2024
• Appellation: Ribeira Sacra DO, Galicia, Spain
• Varietal: Mencía (100% old vine)
• Farming: Steep slate terraces, old vines — hand-harvested, sustainably farmed
• Closure: Cork
• Size: 750ml
• Tasting Notes: Ripe cherry, dark plum, red fruit, earth, sweet spice, slate minerality, silky finish
• Best Paired With: Roasted pork loin, grilled chorizo, seared duck breast, aged Tetilla cheese, mushroom dishes

Ribeira Sacra’s most iconic rebel at an honest price — Guímaro Mencía is the benchmark for what old-vine, slate-driven Galician red can deliver.

Expert Review - Vintage 2021

The Wine Advocate Luis Gutierrez writes 97 Points | From the vines on the mid slope and has a very elegant, fragrant nose with notes of concentrated violet and a solid palate. The slate tannins give a talcum powder texture, and the wine opens up in the mid-palate, making it very expansive. In the long term, it seems like the slate gives a better palate and the granite is more nose.…This has the combination of the cooler year and the resilience of the slate soils, coming through as complex and elegant, powerful and concentrated but with an ethereal side to it too. Bravo!

Producer Description 

The Pizarra vineyards are found on red metamorphic slate soils, which are unique to the village of Cebreros, folded into the mostly granitic mountain range. This slate soil makes Cebreros unlike any other village within the Sierra de Gredos region. Pizarra soil is located above 950 meters, up to 1200 meters, mainly with an eastern orientation. 

The wines from here have a signature expression: they are always fresh, complex, direct, and profound. Pizarra is a limited production wine produced from over 60-year-old, bush-trained garnacha vines, yielding 15hl/ha from the vineyards of Arrebatacapas, La Redonda, La Curva, Fuente Fabian, and Presidente. The farming at Pegaso is organic, and the wines are made with low intervention and minimal sulfur at bottling.

Winemaker Description

Enjoy your BR on the go with the new format: Sparkling BORN ROSÉ canned wine. You can also opt for the Canned Rosé wine version.

Crafted from a mix of Grenache Noir and Tempranillo grapes, BORN ROSÉ Barcelona is both organic and vegan, and is light on sulphites and alcohol. Born in Barcelona.

WE DON'T MAKE WINE. WE MAKE ROSÉ. Winemaker Description. 

Winemaker Description

Slightly acid on the palate, giving it a young character. Pleasant and light.

Fresh and fruity, reminiscent of the varieties from which it is made, along with citric aromas.

Serving with Rice fish, Mixed rice, Crustaceans, Molluscan shell, Pasta with pesto sauce, Pasta with tomato sauce, Pasta with creamy sauces, Pasta with marinara sauce, Whitefish, Fish with sauce, Pizza.

Winemaker Description

Cherry red color with garnet rims. On the nose it is elegant, clean and expressive, with a complexity typical of a wine made with an excellent quality grape and a very careful production process. In the mouth it is sweet, with good body and great balance, presenting a long and pleasant aftertaste.

The alma mater of the winery, a wine with imprint, plant, and lordship. A completely varietal red, mature, with a growing personality and a lot of elegance.

The soils of the Cepa 21 vineyards are the result of the evolution of millions of years. In them grow our vines that define who we are, learning from the passage of time, a deep love for our land, the care with which we work the fields and the history that precedes us. The Strain is much more than a part of our name, it is the basis of all our machinery, what moves us to be better every day, the greatest asset of our wineries, the origin, and the end. 

Winemaker Description 

This saca de Junio comes from a Fino solera that has aged in a bodega in El Puerto de Santa Maria. It has spent the entirety of its time aging beneath a veil of flor. Typically used for blending purposes, this remarkable solera has never previously been bottled on its own. 

Nicolas Palazzi was raised surrounded by his family’s vineyards in Bordeaux and introduced to spirits, Cognac and Cognac cellars through a dear friend of Nicolas’ grandfather. This gentleman will be referred to as “Mr. X”.

Established somewhere in the Cognac region of France, Mr. X’s family started distilling at over a century ago. Recognizing in Nicolas a fledgling passion for Cognac, this mysterious man shared his knowledge and connections within the small and commonly impenetrable world of artisan Cognac. This gave rise to PM Spirits, as Nicolas began sourcing, collecting, aging and blending these rare casks and subsequently releasing limited series bottling in the USA.

PM Spirit’s passion for artisan spirits has slowly broadened its focus over the years to include within its portfolio other small-scale hand-crafted distillates such as Sicilian Grappas, French Eau-de-vies & Liqueurs, Rum, Tequilas, Mezcals.

Winemaker Description 

Aged for 15 years in Jerez de la Frontera. Since the foundation of its Solera by Mr. Emilio Lustau in 1921 to commemorate the visit to Jerez of Eugenia de Montijo, the last Empress of France.

Dark gold in colour with khaki hues. Penetrating aromas of noble woods, varnish and nuts with a great concentration. A rich and mellow wine, with immense flavours of smoky wood, prunes and bitter chocolate. Complex and ample on the palate, smooth and warming with a lingering aftertaste.

Expert Review - Vintage 2023

Vinous 93 Points by Joaquín Hidalgo writes 93 Points | The 2023 Clio is composed of 70% Monastrell and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon from Jumilla. It was aged for 23 months in French and American oak barrels. Recently bottled, the oak is at the forefront but will integrate. The wine opens with plum, soft herbal notes and blackberry. Intense with fruit complexity, the palate is creamy, flavorful and delicate in tannins, finishing with a touch of oak that will meld with time.

Winemaker Description 

The wine exhibits a glass-coating opaque purple color. The nose is expressive with pain grille, underbrush, brier, minerality, blueberry and blackberry fruit. On the palate is a plush, opulent wine with great density, savory flavors, and a lengthy finish.

The Bodegas El Nido winery is located in the Valle de La Aragona, inside the Murcia district of Jumilla. The vineyards are 76.8 acres of very old Monastrell vines (also known as Matar or Mourvdre) all vaso trained and oriented northeast, and 28.8 acres of 30-year old Cabernet Sauvignon vines on north facing hills. The vineyards have a foot deep layer of chalky stones over substrata of sandy soil. The Bodegas El Nido is a collaboration of the Gil Family and winemaker Chris Ringland, one of the best Australian enologists.

A blend of 70% Monastrell and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon.

Aged 24 months French & American oak.

Memo Summary Notes

The Bodegas El Nido "Clio" 2023 is a powerhouse red from the Jumilla region of Spain. Created through a collaboration between the Gil family and legendary Australian winemaker Chris Ringland, it is famous for its "maximalist" style—intense, high-alcohol, and deeply oaked.

This wine will overwhelm delicate dishes. Pair it with heavy-hitters like venison, pepper-crusted ribeye, or wild boar stew.

Winemaker Description

Rioja is without question the most famous wine region in Spain, but the region is anything but homogeneous. The three sub-regions – Rioja Alavesa, Rioja Oriental and Rioja Alta – differ enormously. This wine comes from the small hamlet of Labastida in the northwest of Rioja Alavesa, the smallest and northernmost sub-region located in the Spanish Basque Country and characterized by calcareous clay and sandy soils. 

The mastermind behind the Dominio del Challao winery is Manu Michelini, whose family makes incredibly fine, terroir-driven wines under the name Michelini i Mufatto at both their winery in Bierzo, in northeastern Spain, and the Argentine winery in Mendoza. The Challao is the winery's top wine. Medium ruby ​​red with violet. There is significantly more intensity in the glass than with the Garnacha, but this wine still reminds me more of Burgundy than Bordeaux on the nose. The winery is clearly on the trail of elegance. Juicy, fresh wild berries, black cherries, rose petals and black Assam tea, that's delicately smoky. 

Then come violets and freshly fired clay. In the mouth, cassis, fresh blackberries and lots of black cherry again. The intense, chalky minerality is phenomenal, building up gradually on the tongue. Delicately bitter, fresh herbs and a touch of After Eight. The tannins are fine and chalky, and as soon as you feel the structure, the next wave of black cherry washes over your tongue. 

This is not at all what you imagine Rioja to be in the classic sense. But this wine is a lot of fun because of its freshness and mineral intensity without being boring. On the contrary, I am convinced that it will develop gracefully in the cellar for years because it is made for a long life. Super chic fabric and without question a Rioja in a class of its own! 

Expert Review - Vintage 2020 

93 Points Robert Parker | The 2020 Angelita del Challao comes from a blend of different vineyards in the three valleys from Labastida, looking for a village wine; it was produced with 85% Tempranillo and the rest Garnacha, Mazuelo, Viura, Garnacha Blanca and other rare varieties from their own vineyards and purchased grapes. It fermented in concrete with indigenous yeasts, 40% full clusters that are foot trodden and the rest uncrushed grapes and matured in 225- and 500-liter barrels and 2,000-liter foudres—10 months with each plot separate—and then it was blended and let to settle in concrete for another 10 months. They look for a more approachable wine than Challao, with more floral aromas in a very elegant and harmonious way. The palate is medium-bodied with medium ripeness, 13.5% alcohol and very good freshness and acidity, balanced and harmonious, very tasty and with elegant, refined tannins. Really very good. 17,282 bottles and some larger magnums were filled in May 2022. (2020). 

Winemaker Description

The Tinto DoUmia is a traditional blend of 70% Mencía, 20% Caino, and 10% Espadeiro from the weather battered coasts of Galicia. Biodynamically farmed, fermented with native yeasts and partial whole cluster in stainless steel vats, then aged on the lees for one year.

Light and refreshing red fruits with woodsy notes that never venture in to the tart fruit category. The palate is lean yet savory, with forest floor aromas and a pure fruit expression. 

Memo Summary Notes

The Adega Pedralonga DoUmia Tinto 2022 is a fascinating departure from the white Albariños usually associated with the Rías Baixas region of Spain. Crafted by winemaker Francisco Alfonso, this red blend is a tribute to the indigenous grapes of Galicia and the "Atlantic" style of winemaking—fresh, high-acid, and deeply mineral.

Because of its high acidity and lower tannins, this wine is incredibly versatile:

    Traditional: Octopus a feira, grilled fatty fish (tuna or salmon), or roasted chicken.

    Cured Meats: It cuts beautifully through the richness of Ibérico ham or aged cheeses.

    Global: Its freshness makes it a great partner for spicy Thai dishes or earthy mushroom risotto.

Winemaker Description 

This new vintage from Camino Romano, is a vintage that has been classified as 'very good' in D.O. Ribera del Duero. Camino Romano has been produced in D.O. Ribera del Duero by Bodegas Dominio Romano.

This wine is a single variety Tinto Fino (100%) grown from a rigorous selection of vines which are between 15 to 30 years old.

As for the production, in order to extract the maximum aromatic potential of the grape, they use "cold soaking", a modern technique that extracts aromas and colour of the wine with little input from the tannins.

Finally, Camino Romano undergoes an aging of 12 months in French and Hungarian oak barrels of 2 and 3 years old.