A project of Christopher & Charlotte Cannan, René & Isabelle Barbier and Fernando & Marta Zamora, from a single very steep vineyard of 2 hectares (5 acres) planted to 100 plus year old Garnacha vines in the clay-limestone soils of the commune of La Figuera on the northern edge of Montsant looking onto the famous Serra de Montsant itself as well as having spectacular views of the Ebro valley and even the distant Pyrenees 200 kilometres away (hence the name Espectacle). Lovely translucent medium-ruby in color with an alluring, subtly perfumed red-fruited quality à la Chambolle-Musigny or Domaine Charvin (Lindsay noted a savory quality and strawberry fruit leather, she said it reminded her of being back on the farm, not the barnyard, but the carrot field; Henry noted bilberry, dried violet and anise; our winebuyer noted rhubarb); supple on entry, almost Burgundian cool, sophisticated, smooth and silken in texture, but then generating a more southerly warmth with sapid, mostly red berry flavors both elegant and intense with fine pulverized stony jittery tannins stretching the whole thing out long, long on the fine and gently mouthwatering finish. All in all, we are wholly impressed. This is ultra-fine wine on the world stage.

La Antigua Clásico is one of Alberto Orte's most enduring history projects and shows off a relatively unexplored region part of Rioja, the western mountain range of Sierra de la Demanda. Inspired by the style of winemaking that was popular in the first half of the 20th century, Alberto’s winemaking emphasizes freshness and minerality, leading to balanced, long-lived wines. To that end, he has found old vine Garnacha, Tempranillo and Graciano in Sierra de la Demanda, south of the Ebro river in La Rioja Alta. The north‑facing, high‑altitude vineyards receive far less sunshine than those in the valley, resulting in grapes that ripen slowly, showcasing intense flavors of greater balance and focus. This poses quite a risk that only hands‑on viticulture can remedy: this area is one of the last to harvest in all of western Europe, usually in early November. In addition to the cool climate, Sierra de la Demanda's vineyards are extremely scattered and steep. This terrain is impossible to mechanize and all vineyard work must be done by hand. The result is a handcrafted wine of precision and elegance — fresh and beautiful to drink now, with built‑in longevity. Produce of 60% Garnacha, 30% Tempranillo and 10% Graciano vines planted from 1940 to 1955 in limestone and red silica sandy soils at 700 metros (2,296 ft) of elevation. Ruby garnet in color to just tawnier at the edges; mmmm, this wine smells delicious from the start with an overarching vinosidad of fruit magically transformed, with suggestion of dried cherry, violet, tanned leather, sweet oak, regaliz and more (one could admire these fine complex aromas all the day long); cool onto the tongue (the late, great Josh Raynolds called it "seamless and focused"), medium-bodied with complex and contemplative flavors a welcome reprise of those sublime aromatics, all wrapped in notable velvety tannins and the apparentness of its considerable time aging in oak (Henry noted its its impressive combination of both development and impeccable energy on the palate); yes, a nicely‑aged Rioja can be a thing of beauty, indeed. This wine is the delicious evidence.

Produce of 100% Tempranillo hand‑harvested from the Mayorita, Rebollar and Bardal vineyards, as well as selected plots in El Palo, Rodezno and Alto del Rey, Labastida. These vineyards are located at altitudes of 500 to 600 metres (that's 1,600 to 2,000 feet) above sea level and were planted in these chalky-clay soils more than 40 years ago. The Bordeaux winemaking model is in use here, involving destemming and crushing the grapes before putting them in tanks, where they undergo alcoholic and malolactic fermentation under controlled conditions. The wine is then matured for two years in American oak barrels manufactured in‑house; the first year in new oak and the second year in four year‑old barrels. Four rackings are carried out in the traditional way, under candlelight, from barrel to barrel, carefully separating the wine from the lees. Deep crimson to just tawny at the edges with myriad old world leaning aromas suggestive of rhubard, plum, red, black and blue berry fruits with a bit of air, stone and dried herb, then vanilla and a kind of dulce de leches/freshly picked dill quality from aging in American oak; velvety in texture, medium to almost full in body with gentle dusty tannins and taut berry flavors that remain fresh long on the finish. Is this perhaps our favorite popularly priced Rioja? In a word, sí.

In centuries gone by, casks of sherry were lashed to ships sailing for the Indies as ballast and were found to develop an extraordinary smoothness and complexity. Lustau has revived this style of sherry in the East India Solera wine, an inspired mingling of about 85% aged dry (20 years old) Oloroso with about 15% aged (10 years old) sweet Pedro Ximenez blended then aged an additional 5 years in the warmest part of the bodega, la sacristia. Raisined fruit, candied citrus peel, macerated cherries, caramel and roasted almonds are common descriptors that we might put forward, but somehow there is something left to be described — an ineffable — as if a benevolent form of alchemy were having its way with an already wonderful raw material. Richly textured and flavorful, just sweet, assuages the tongue whilst giving all its wonderful complexity of flavor.