2020 La Fea Selección Enólogo Tinto Rojo

Don’t let the name fool you—this gorgeous Spanish red is anything but ugly. In fact, “La Fea” is so lovely, it’s got two major gold medals and a 90-point score to its name (so far …). But first, where the heck are we in Spain? Rugged Cariñena—the second oldest Denominación de Origen in the country—is a special place to grow grapes and is home to some of Spain's oldest vines. These gnarled, thick-trunked plants have painfully low yields, but the grapes they do produce are big knots of blockbuster flavors. Poor, rocky soils force vine roots deep down in search of water, plus the region’s long, hot days and cool nights help lock in incredible aromatic/flavor complexity. And as the legendary Cierzo wind whistles through the vineyards, it prevents grapes from overripening under all that sunshine and helps keep pests at bay, naturally. La Fea is a medium-bodied blend of old-vine Tempranillo (Spain’s flagship grape), Garnacha, and Syrah; look for complex aromas and flavors of raspberry, blueberry, black cherry, violet, and a hint of balsamic/fennel. The finish is long, silky, and edged by a refreshing crushed stone/wild herb note. Sounds delightful for a wine named “the ugly one,” no? La Fea is an ironic nod to the nickname given by disgruntled subjects to Queen Isabela of Castile. Her marriage to Ferdinand of Aragón unified Spain, but wasn’t a totally welcome development to staunch Aragón loyalists. What will be a welcome development is cracking this wine open and enjoying with a fun spread of Spanish-inspired tapas (cured meats, cheeses, olives, membrillo…lamb albóndigas…chorizo and figs). Roast lamb or pork will also be tasty.