Wine of the Week 9/21/21

Zestos Old Vine Garnacha 2019

Regularly $14.99/On Sale for $10.96

If you love wines of tension that exhibit purity and finesse, you will find Zestos Old-Vine Garnacha to be your new love. Zestos shows the complexity of a wine three times its price. In the words of Robert M. Parker Jr., Zestos is “a staggering value” and “an unbelievable wine for the price”. Zestos old vine is produced from Garnacha vines that were planted as far back as 1950 in the high elevation vineyards of San Martin Valdeiglesias, which is northwest of Madrid. Today San Martin produces some of the most floral and mineral-driven Garnachas in all of Spain. The older the vines, the better the wine. Old vines do not overproduce. As a result, the vines yield fully ripened grapes. Perfectly ripened grapes make wine that improves with time. Zestos means "basket" in Spanish. Not too many years ago, baskets like the ones depicted on the label were used to transport grapes from the vineyard to the wineries. Madrid has recently become the center of one of the most interesting and innovative wine regions on the Iberian Peninsula. The outskirts of this storied royal city are filled with old Garnacha vines situated in high elevation vineyards that have been planted in ideal soils. Madrid is a sort of “great unknown” that is now just freshly discovered. Many people are unaware that Madrid makes wine, and because Vinos de Madrid is somewhat under the radar, it is a great source of incredible value today. Yet another fantastic Iberian red at a tremendous price!