Spain

This shows aromas of red cherries, earthy nuances and mushrooms. Medium- to full-bodied, with great length and a chiselled, evenly distributed palate, displaying a fine balance between fruit, acidity and tannin. The label bears the distinction Selección Especial, a designation last used for this wine in 2001 and reserved for exceptional vintages. Sourced from vineyards in Rodezno, Labastida and Cenicero, it is aged for its first year in new American oak. Approachable now but with the structure and balance to evolve over time. (JGA)

A longstanding K&L customer favorite, the 2015 Bodegas Casa Juan Señor de Lesmos Reserva Rioja is back in stock and tasting better than ever! Composed of the same blend as the Crianza Rioja (85% Tempranillo; 15% Mazuelo), this Reserva Rioja is a barrel selection by owner/winemaker Angel Escudero. He identifies barrels of the Crianza that he feels show more complexity and concentration and are able to withstand extended aging. These wines then spend a total of 27 months in barrel, before being racked to concrete tanks where they spend another year aging before being bottled and aged even further. Now with 10 years of age, the 2015 Reserva Rioja is shows a panoply of ripe, slightly desiccated red fruit (plum, strawberry) notes, backed up by wonderfully savory, earthy aromatics of mushroom, cedar, tobacco and subtle black licorice. This wine is so classically Rioja, herbaceous and woodsy on the palate, with a long and lingering finish. Considering this wine is almost a full decade old and still singing, this is an incredible value at under $20. Add in that the estate is family owned, and the vines are averaging forty-five years old, you’d be hard pressed to find many other comparable wines at this price point in Rioja.

The 2019 Prado Enea Gran Reserva is their more traditional Rioja, a blend of Tempranillo, Garnacha, Mazuelo and Graciano, mostly from Rioja Alta (Sajazarra, Cellorigo and Fonzaleche) at 550 to 700 meters in altitude, but the Garnacha is from different plots in the zone of Tudelilla at a high altitude. They didn't produce Prado Enea in 2017 or 2018, so this is the follow-up of the superb 2016. The bunches were harvested into 200-kilogram boxes, destemmed, put through optical sorting and fermented in small oak casks with indigenous yeasts. The élevage in barrel was extended to 36 months. The nose is phenomenal, keeping the essence of Muga with a touch of Garnacha perfume; it's still young and undeveloped for its age, not yet tertiary. The wine is full-bodied but fine-boned and has 14.7% alcohol, a pH of 3.46 and 5.81 grams per liter acidity. Still young, the wine has power and elegance and very good aging potential. (LG)

It’s hard to find a bad 2021 Rioja, says Isaac Muga. This wonderful blend of Tempranillo, 18% Garnacha and 3.5% each of Graciano and Mazuelo definitely showcases the superb quality of the vintage. Stylishly aged in 40% new oak, it has lots of colour and intensity, a hint of stylish reduction, vibrant blackberry and dark plum flavours and a sheen of mocha spice.

The 2013 Reserva Viña Tondonia is a blend of 70% Tempranillo, 20% Garnacha and 10% Graciano and Mazuelo, grown in the calcareous soils of the Tondonia meander in Rioja Alta. Aged extensively in American oak, it offers restrained black fruit, wild herbs, balsamic hints and sweet spices with gentle cedar and vanilla notes. Medium-bodied with chalky grip and a layered, tertiary finish, this is a benchmark classic—refined, enduring and unmistakably Tondonia. (JH)

The 1946 Don PX Convento Seleccion produced with Pedro Ximenez grapes dehydrated under the sun at the time of the Second World War, was only bottled in September 2011. This is an extreme wine, my first descriptor was ultra-mega-super concentrated. It is unbelievably powerful, both in the nose and the palate, full of umami, with sweet cinnamon, Christmas cake, camphor, petrol, lemongrass, Belgian chocolate and butter. Incredibly complex and rich, sweet, balanced and smooth in the palate, it is both very sweet and somehow salty, and with time it develops a black olive note. It combines the texture of the 1962 and the elegance of the 1949. It is as decadent as it gets. 825 bottles were produced. This wine will survive all of us. These wines are kept for generations and offered in very small quantities, but it’s amazing that you can still buy and drink something so old, and I’m even tempted to say that it might represent good value for what it is. A real tour de force sweet wine. (LG)

Now boasting more than five years of total aging, the 2020 Bodegas Casa Juan “Señor de Lesmos” Crianza Rioja remains impressively youthful, opening with notes of cranberry and tart cherry before revealing savory layers of mushroom, tea leaf, and dried oregano. A blend of 85% Tempranillo and 15% Mazuelo (Carignan), the grapes are sourced entirely from organically farmed, bush vines averaging 45 years of age. The palate is unmistakably Old World in style, with firm yet well-integrated tannins and a vibrant backbone of acidity that provides structure and balance. Unlike many Reserva and Gran Reserva Riojas, where oak can take center stage, this Crianza emphasizes pure red fruit framed by the earthy, nuanced character of Rioja terroir. Versatile and food-friendly, it pairs effortlessly with everything from pizza and tomato-based pasta dishes to cheese and charcuterie. The value here is truly exceptional. Handmade, family-owned, organically farmed—this is Rioja at its most authentic and approachable.

CVNE Brut Cava Penedès is composed of 40% Xarel-lo, 30% Macabeo, and 30% Parellada, aged 9–12 months on its lees before disgorgement and finished with a 9 g/L dosage. It’s a sound choice for midweek bubbles, a quality base for sparkling cocktails, or as a festive aperitif for gatherings. In classic Brut style, it offers notes of poached pear, light honey, and flint, carried through by an easy-breezy touch of lemon squeezy finish.

Bid on this 4-bottle lot of 2009 Dominio de Pingus "Flor de Pingus" Ribera del Duero ((95-98RP), 95JS, 93VN, 2ST). Wine Advocate: "The 2009 Flor de Pingus (3000 cases) will ultimately spend 14 months in a mix of new and used French oak. It is opaque purple in color with a primary perfume of pain grille, mineral, spice box, incense, and blackberry. Locked and loaded with remarkable concentration and depth, this mouth-coating lengthy offering manages to incorporate some elegance into its powerful physique. (JM)" (06/2011)

Bid on this bottle of 1946 Bodegas Toro Albalá "Don PX Convento Selección" Pedro Ximenez Jerez (100RP). Wine Advocate: "The 1946 Don PX Convento Seleccion produced with Pedro Ximenez grapes dehydrated under the sun at the time of the Second World War, was only bottled in September 2011. This is an extreme wine, my first descriptor was ultra-mega-super concentrated. It is unbelievably powerful, both in the nose and the palate, full of umami, with sweet cinnamon, Christmas cake, camphor, petrol, lemongrass, Belgian chocolate and butter. Incredibly complex and rich, sweet, balanced and smooth in the palate, it is both very sweet and somehow salty, and with time it develops a black olive note. It combines the texture of the 1962 and the elegance of the 1949. It is as decadent as it gets. 825 bottles were produced. This wine will survive all of us... (LG)" (08/2013)

Bid on this 2-bottle lot of 1998 Bodegas Numanthia-Termes "Numanthia" Toro (95RP). Wine Advocate: "The 1998 Numanthia is an explosively rich, super-concentrated wine of riveting intensity. The color is a dense purple, and the wine has soaked up its 18 months in new French oak. It offers a smoky, blackberry and cherry-scented nose of extraordinary purity and precision. Full-bodied, enormously-endowed, and unctuously-textured, this monstrous wine displays tremendous potential. Because of its low acidity, it can be approached now, but it is best aged for another 2-3 years, and drunk over the following two decades. This compelling new offering proves what can be achieved in the appellation of Toro. Bravo! (RP)" (08/2001)

Beautiful 100% Tempranillo, oak-aged Rioja with great intensity, expression and harmony. Sourced from small, non-irrigated vineyard parcels at 500m-580m in San Vicente de la Sonsierra and Abalos (Rioja Alta), the destemmed fruit is fermented then transferred to a concrete tank for malolactic, then racked into used 225L French and American oak barrels to mature for 14 months. Full of appealing blueberry and gentle spice supported by smooth, velvety tannins, it's an elegant wine with real poise that still offers satisfying concentration. The finish is moreish and invites further drinking. (BW)

An excellent vintage in Rioja, and the promise of Yjar is delivering a totally knockout wine here. Impossible not to smile when tasting this, so much energy and precision, savoury, mouthwatering redcurrant, cranberry, blueberry fruits, with waves of dried herbs, lavender, and crushed rose petals. Juicy, moreish, building in power across the palate. Tasted at the estate and again in Bordeaux. Telmo Rodriguez winemaker of this 3.8ha plot set within his family Remelluri estate in the foothills of the Sierra de Toloño in Rioja Alavesa. Harvest October 14 to 24, fermentation with native yeasts, open top wooden vats.

Trademark Lopez Heredia Tondonia finesse in a refined, oxidative way. White mushrooms, macadamia, dried lemons, sweet spices and stones. Clear, precise and bright on the medium-bodied palate with lovely acidity and a long finish that will help it age. Elegant. Viura with around 20% malvasia. (ZS)

Intensely flavoured aromas and palate of baked apple, muscovado sugar, roasted walnuts and savoury umami, with a lovely elegance and complexity to the palate. *2025 Decanter World Wine Awards*

Elaborate swirls of lime, lemon, passionfruit and white peach entice the nose whilst the pristine purity of acidity and mineral freshness disarms the terroir-driven palate. Salty, linear and tangy, demonstrating Atlantic style at its best. *Platinum Medal - 2025 Decanter World Wine Awards*

One of the most iconic producers in Txakolina. From the importer: "Ameztoi is one of the top producers of Getariako Txakolina. They own 20 hectares of vines in the best location. From the vineyards one can see the town of St. Sebastian and understand the influence of the Atlantic Ocean on local viticulture. Made from the indigenous grape varieties of Hondarribi Zuri and its red companion Hondarribi Beltza. The wine is fermented in stainless steel and bottled with residual carbonic acid that gives the wine its natural spritz."

The Ameztoi Winery is a historic, family-run estate located in the coastal Basque town of Getaria, where five generations have cultivated vineyards overlooking the Bay of Biscay. Founded in its modern form in 1994, the winery specializes in producing traditional txakoli wines under the Getariako Txakolina designation of origin, primarily using the indigenous Hondarribi Zuri grape. Ameztoi Getariako Txakolina is their signature white wine, known for its light body, low alcohol content, and natural spritz created by retained carbon dioxide during bottling. The wine is crisp and refreshing, with bright acidity and distinctive citrus, green apple, and slightly saline notes that reflect its seaside terroir.

The 2019 Vina Ardanza is a highly impressive, full-bodied blend of 80% older-vine Tempranillo and 20% Garnacha from two different parts of Rioja grown at the same altitude. The producer’s own American oak was used to age the Tempranillo 36 months and the Garnacha 30 months, 20% new. The fruity nose of black cherry and plum complements beautifully against Garnacha’s seductively spicy texture and mouthfeel. It’s lively, complex, and lengthy, with melty tannins. Age 10-15 years. (VB)

A recent Corpinnat standout for me has been the 2021 Huguet de Can Feixes Brut Nature, which is a steal at just $19.99. The primary grape here is Parellada, which is the most fruit-forward of the local Penedès varieties and represents 55% of the total blend, balanced by 35% Macabeo (a.k.a. Viura in Rioja) and 10% Pinot Noir. On the palate, classic yeasty notes of sourdough come through, and the Brut Nature style results in a lean, crisp and racy style of Corpinnat. There’s just such a nice balance between the fresh acidity and the dense fruit notes – this would be a great wine to have on hand for the festive season.

Seductive depth and focus on the nose, at once fresh and complex, with mineral freshness underpinning the richness of the ripe red fruit. It leverages the juiciness of the Garnacha fruit, with a citric drive of blood orange,pink grapefruit and red apple crunch. Focus and energy throughout, with a lingering sweet spiciness on the long finish. (IS)

Excellent and refined, showing deep, fresh blackberries with tar, dark minerals, cocoa powder and roasted spices. Full-bodied with tight but fine-grained tannins. Lasting well in the finish. (ZS)

Fine and mineral with a floral scent to the lemons and sour cream. Fresh, gastronomic and bone-dry on the palate with a medium body and an elegant, lightly saline finish. Excellent length here. Drink now. (ZS)

With a minimum of 30 months aging on the lees, this beautifully crafted Cava bursts from the glass with notes of fresh brioche, toasted almond, lemon zest, and Granny Smith apple, all wrapped in fine, persistent bubbles. The palate is energetic yet creamy, balancing bright citrus fruit with layers of chalky minerality and a subtle hint of honey. Bottled as a Brut Nature, with just 1.5 g/L of residual sugar, the finish is crisp and clean, achieving a great balance between the lees-derived rich mouthfeel and the austerity of the acidity. Despite its serious pedigree and traditional-method craftsmanship, the wine feels joyful and approachable — the kind of bottle that disappears far too quickly once opened. It’s equally at home paired with oysters, sushi, roast chicken, or even juts salty potato chips. This is a sparkling wine that overdelivers in every possible way and proves just how exciting great grower Cava can be.

94+ points. The red 2018 Viña Cubillo Tinto Crianza is pretty and attractive, fresh and aromatic, floral, the result of a challenging year with lots of rain and high humidity. This is usually the last vineyard to be harvested, and the grapes were picked late, the 26th of October. It's a blend of 70% Tempranillo, 20% Garnacho and 5% each Graciano and Mazuelo that matured in a combination of oak vats and well-seasoned American oak barrels for six years. It's elegant and clean, young and undeveloped, with very fine tannins and a sleek, polished mouthfeel. It has 13.5% alcohol, a pH of 3.0 and 6.5 grams of acidity. This could be the finest Cubillo in recent times, and it's a bargain. (LG)

Grapefruit, saline, very citrus-driven with a stony austerity. It combines expressive fruit with saline acidity balanced by a touch of texture. From estate-owned vineyards in Condado de Tea. Fermented and aged in tank. A straightforward albariño with a touch of generosity. (JGA)

Yet another remarkable wine from Marcos Eguren, the 2014 El Puntido Gran Reserva is from a small portion of El Puntido planted to high-density trellised vines. There’s a pure expression of the site from the special selection of grapes that led to long aging before barrel fermentation and 28 months of aging in new French oak Bordeaux barrels. The wine was bottled in March 2017. The vintage was difficult because of rain falling 10 days before harvest, but the result here is a bright wine of considerable acidity that tastes fresh and alive in lovely strawberry, raspberry, and dried herb, with understated, full-bodied weight and breadth. Drinking beautifully now, it shows the ability to shine another 10-15 years. (VB)

They had to source new vineyards for the 2024 La Bruja, one from El Tiemblo, as the main vineyard delivered only 9,000 kilos of grapes because of the frost (it can produce up to 30,000 kilos in a normal year). So, this is a regional Gredos red from the Cebreros part. It has more fruit and is rounder and juicier than the 2023, but it still delivers very pretty aromas of violets and wild herbs. It has a fine-boned mouthfeel with chalky tannins. It comes in at 14% alcohol, with good freshness and balance. (LG)

The 2014 Viña Bosconia is 80% Tempranillo with 10% Garnacha, 5% Graciano and 5% Mazuelo from the El Bosque vineyard in Haro, Rioja. Garnet in hue, it opens with cassis, cola and oak-driven aromas. The palate is youthful and smooth, with well-integrated tannins, black fruit and anisette at the finish. Still growing, it’ll develop greater complexity with more time in bottle. (JH)

Made from 100% Pinot Noir, the Mas Codina Brut Rosé Reserva Cava is fresh, juicy, and loaded with gorgeous red fruit notes – think ripe red cherry, strawberry and plum – all kept in check with bright, racy acidity and a chalky finish. A touch fuller-bodied than the white Reserva and Gran Reserva, the more prominent fruit notes make this an ideal Cava to pair with soft cheeses and charcuterie, or even dishes featuring grilled chicken or shrimp. It’s also an astounding value, considering that it’s made from organically grown fruit and handmade at a family-owned estate that has been in operation since the 1600s. The quality of Cava has never been better, and this one is a prime example of that trend!

Aromas of elderberries, cedar and a touch of red berries. The palate is medium- to full-bodied and elegant, with polished, fine-grained tannins and a defined finish. Drink or hold. (JGA)

94+ points. The flagship white-label Reserva-style red 2022 Marqués de Murrieta wants to showcase the personality of the estate through blending places and grapes. In the 2022 vintage, it's 85% Tempranillo, 7% Mazuelo, 6% Graciano and 2% Garnacha. In the warmer and drier year, with two important heat waves that hurried things up, the grapes were hand-harvested between the 7th and 23rd of September, quite early, and they fermented separately in stainless steel. The wine matured in 225-liter American oak barrels for 25 months. Tasting with Vicente Cebrián, he told me he likes 2022 better than 2023 and 2024, which surprised me (let's see what he tells me next year...). It was a gourmand year, with rounder and glossier wines and with more volume, hedonistic and full. The wine is surprisingly balanced and elegant and doesn't show any excesses; the higher percentages of Mazuelo and Graciano provided the extra freshness needed but also had to age for longer in wood, but the oak is perfectly integrated, and the wine is clean and focused. It has contained ripeness and 14% alcohol, keeping a pH of 3.65 and 5.1 grams of acidity. It's a triumph over the adverse conditions of the year. (LG)

92+ points "The 2022 Vermell was produced with 50% Mandó, 30% Arcos and 20% Garnacha Tintorera, a very different blend from the 2020 I had tasted last time, with a lot less Garnacha Tintorera, turning more into a small brother of the Safrà and Parotet. It's a light red with 13.5% alcohol, a medium body and good freshness with brightness and pretty notes, perfumed and fresh. It's elegant, with finesse, and has much more elegant tannins. It's more serious, less rustic. 75,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in April 2023. (LG)"

A Rioja blend with a combination of red and dark fruit, spices and violets. The palate is fluid, medium- to full-bodied, elegant and concentrated, with polished tannins and a subtle, nervy edge. Very approachable already. (JGA)

This Rosé Txakolina bursts from the glass with vibrant aromas of fresh strawberries, watermelon rind, pink grapefruit, and fresh-cut herbs, all framed by the wine's signature subtle spritz on the palate. The palate is light on its feet, zipping along with mouthwatering acidity and a refreshing streak of citrus, creating a wine that's as playful as it is thirst-quenching. There's an unmistakable Atlantic freshness here, with a subtle mineral edge and salinity that adds just enough seriousness beneath all the fun. The delicate natural effervescence gives the wine extra lift, making it dangerously easy to pour another glass. Whether paired with grilled shrimp, fish tacos, or simply enjoyed on a sunny afternoon, this is the kind of bottle that disappears faster than you'd expect.

The 2021 Extra Brut La Cuvée Aliances is 63% Xarel·lo, 32% Macabeu and 5% Parellada from Corpinnat, Penedès. It was aged a minimum of 24 months on the lees (the bottle tasted had 34 months). Subtle tertiary aromas, pastry notes, lime, mandarin zest and grated apple open in the glass. The mousse is fine and lively, with an ethereal, dry palate that lingers with gentle autolytic complexity. A true expression of Corpinnat with a refined finish. (JH)

Vibrant cherries, spiced berries, hibiscus flowers and a touch of chalk. Fruity and fine-grained, with firm, chalky tannins and a fruit-expressive finish. No oak here, but excellent quality. (ZS)

93+ points. The entry level bottling of Albariño from Eulogio Pomares’ Bodegas Zárate is made from vines that are thirty-five years of age located in the Val do Salnés, with the wine fermented with indigenous yeasts and given extended aging on its fine lees prior to bottling. The 2025 version offers up a deep and vibrant aromatic constellation of lime, tart orange, granitic minerality, a lovely touch of leesiness, lemongrass and a topnote of citrus zest. On the palate the wine is bright, full-bodied and mineral-driven in personality, with a beautiful core of fruit, laser-like focus, a lovely girdle of acidity and a long, complex and impeccably balanced finish. This is great young Albariño and I cannot wait to taste some of Eulogio’s single vineyard bottlings from this vintage in the not too distant future!

The bottled 2023 PSI is faithful to the final blend I tasted last year before the wine was bottled. It's juicy, ripe and approachable, a little showier and headier, not quite reaching 14% alcohol but almost. This year, it has some 10% Garnacha in the bottled blend, some of it mixed with Tempranillo and some of it on its own. They are planting more Garnacha for the future. It feels like a very classical old-time Ribera del Duero wine, with elegant rusticity that I love. It's perfumed and floral with notes of decayed flowers. Twenty percent of the wine matured in barrels while the rest matured in oak vats, for some 14 months. The tannins are polished, and it feels like the time in bottle has done it good; the PSI tannins usually need time. They are resolved quite quickly, but the wine does need a bit of time. (LG)

The 2021 Terra de Cuques is a 50-50 blend of Garnatxa and Cariñena from Priorat. Garnet in color, it features aromas of blood orange and grapefruit, with pomegranate, curry and spice hints over an herbal bouquet. Dry, lean and chalky on the palate, it offers a nimble yet concentrated mouthfeel that contrasts with the wine’s intensity. This is a modern take on Priorat reds, crafted in a distinctive style. (JH)

The 2020 Rioja “Reserva” bottling from Cuné is composed this year from a blend of eighty-five percent tempranillo, with the other fifteen percent being a mix of graciano, garnacha and mazuelo. The wine was aged for a year and a half in American oak barrels and comes in at an even fourteen percent alcohol in this vintage. The wine’s aromatic constellation is bright, deep and youthfully complex, offering up scents of cassis, dark berries, coffee bean, a lovely base of soil, incipient notes of Rioja spice, American oak and a topnote of cigar smoke. On the palate the wine is bright, full-bodied and still youthful, with a lovely core of black fruit, fine soil signature and grip, ripe tannins and fine balance on the long, focused and still fairly young finish. This is just starting to get velvety on the palate, but it still has enough tannins that tucking it away in the cellar for a handful of years will pay dividends.

Sourced from different vineyards across Ribera del Duero, the 2023 Tempranillo was aged for up to 16 months in barrels, 60% American oak and the remainder French, with one-third new. Fine oak frames a fruit profile that moves between freshness and liqueur-like ripeness, joined by flowers, wild herbs and a subtle toasted note. The palate tells a different story: agile and silky, with delicate tannins, a touch of chalky grip and juicy freshness that adds dimension. In a house style often shaped by richness and élevage, the 2023 vintage brings unusual energy and precision. Tempranillo remains a benchmark of modern Ribera. (JH)

Empordà lies in Catalonia’s northeastern corner, where the Pyrenees meet the Mediterranean near the French border. Anna Espelt’s 2021 “Pla de Gates” is a red Garnacha from this coastal Spanish wine region, featuring the grape known in France as Grenache.

Founded in 1922 in Aguilar de la Frontera, Toro Albalá has built its reputation on vintage-dated Pedro Ximénez wines. The 1993 Don PX Gran Reserva comes from Montilla-Moriles in Andalucía, where this white grape is central to the region’s distinctive tradition of sweet-wine production.

The 2021 Vina Bujanda ‘Crianza’ Rioja comes from vines planted back in 1977. Orange peel and shades of white pepper combine with red cherry compote and loganberry notes on the nose. The palate is soft and juicy with a great sense of freshness and texture.

Gonzalo Iturriaga only uses 1% Graciano in the blend with Tempranillo here, but he says it has a "huge" influence. Aged in foudres and 40% new oak, it's a very fine pan-Sonsierra blend that partners components from Ábalos, Elvillar, Labastida, Navaridas and San Vicente de la Sonsierra. Polished, refreshing and self-assured, it has layers of blackberry, liquorice and tangerine, textured tannins and a balanced, refreshing finish.

The 2022 Alión comes from a year they considered to be a challenge; it was warm and dry and ripeness didn't follow the usual pattern: late vineyards ripened earlier and early vineyards took longer this year. Their obsession was to keep the freshness in the wine, so they did a softer vinification and employed more careful use of oak, using larger volumes and other materials like concrete to tame a powerful and solar vintage. The nose is serious and even has some austerity. The wine is obviously juicier and rounder, with 14.5% alcohol, a pH of 3.89 and 4.58 grams of acidity, but it has very good balance overall. The tannins are round, polished and slightly dustier than other vintages, and the wine has a tender mouthfeel. (LG)

his is a stunning expression of Torre Muga, often described as the most 'modern' of the bodega’s reds. Partnering Tempranillo, 15% Graciano and 5% Mazuelo, it’s an intense, layered, self-assured assemblage that handles its new French oak with ease. Think of it as Rioja meets Cru Classé Bordeaux, with appealing cedarwood, mocha and wild herb aromas, mouth-coating tannins, plenty of cool climate acidity and a core of black cherry, liquorice and bramble. One of the great 2021s.