Spain

Located in the beautiful medieval hilltop village of Laguardia in Rioja Alavesa, Casa Juan is a small, family-owned winery that consistently produces aged Riojas that are honest, detailed and soulful expressions of the region. They are also some of most sensibly priced wines in the region, with the quality far outpacing their modest prices, which is why Casa Juan remains one of the most popular wineries we import directly, with a loyal and growing fanbase. The winery's origins trace back to the first half of the 20th century, when it occupied a historic underground cellar built beneath what had once been Laguardia's old flour mill. Its modern chapter, however, began in 1995 when Ángel Escudero and his wife, Araceli Sanchís, purchased and restored the historic winery while carefully preserving its traditional character. Today, Angel, along with his siblings (CArmen, SAntiago, JUlio and ANgel = Casa Juan) run the simple yet functional bodega, along with slightly under 30 hectares of vineyards they help to farm primarily themselves with no herbicides or pesticides. The wines typically contain mostly Tempranillo, with up to 15% Mazuelo. Most of the vineyards are mature, averaging around 45 years old, with some vines up to 100 years old. Primary fermentation occurs always with indigenous yeasts in concrete tanks, where the wines are eventually racked to barrels, which are used up to seven years and consist primarily of American oak.

K&L has been direct importing Cava from Mas Codina for well over a decade, and over that time they have developed a loyal fan base — and with good reason, as these are possibly some of the best-value sparkling wines we stock. While Cava from Penedès, the historic heart of sparkling wine production in Spain, is dominated by a handful of large corporate producers, small family-run wineries like Mas Codina continue to swim upstream, steadfastly devoted to producing high-quality, traditional method sparkling wines at very reasonable prices. The estate comprises just 40 hectares in the cool-climate Alt Penedès sub-region and was first established in 1681, passed down through the decades and now managed by brothers Toni and Jordi Garriga. While previous generations sold their fruit to larger wineries, in 1985 the then 17-year-old Toni began bottling wine at the estate. Since then, numerous improvements to the estate have been made, including organic certification, and the wines have never been better – each shipment we receive just seems to improve upon the last. Each wine is made from 100% organic estate-grown fruit, and all winemaking, bottling and aging is likewise done onsite. The Brut Nature Gran Reserva is 40% Macabeo, 30% Xarel-lo, 20% Chardonnay and 10% Pinot Noir and is aged for 30 months before disgorgement. Just 11.6% alcohol, the wine has a dosage of less than 1.5 g/L.

Located in the beautiful medieval hilltop village of Laguardia in Rioja Alavesa, Casa Juan is a small, family-owned winery that consistently produces aged Riojas that are honest, detailed and soulful expressions of the region. They are also some of most sensibly priced wines in the region, with the quality far outpacing their modest prices, which is why Casa Juan remains one of the most popular wineries we import directly, with a loyal and growing fanbase. The winery's origins trace back to the first half of the 20th century, when it occupied a historic underground cellar built beneath what had once been Laguardia's old flour mill. Its modern chapter, however, began in 1995 when Ángel Escudero and his wife, Araceli Sanchís, purchased and restored the historic winery while carefully preserving its traditional character. Today, Angel, along with his siblings (CArmen, SAntiago, JUlio and ANgel = Casa Juan) run the simple yet functional bodega, along with slightly under 30 hectares of vineyards they help to farm primarily themselves with no herbicides or pesticides. The wines typically contain mostly Tempranillo, with up to 15% Mazuelo. Most of the vineyards are mature, averaging around 45 years old, with some vines up to 100 years old. Primary fermentation occurs always with indigenous yeasts in concrete tanks, where the wines are eventually racked to barrels, which are used up to seven years and consist primarily of American oak.

Bodegas Altanza was founded in 1998 by a group of four local entrepreneurs who shared a goal of producing high-quality Rioja at accessible prices. The winery is located in the town of Fuenmayor, in Rioja Alta, an area known for its moderate climate and excellent conditions for grapegrowing. Though modern in its founding, Altanza has aimed to preserve traditional Rioja winemaking practices with current-day technology, creating a balance between heritage and innovation. The winery is especially known for producing Reserva and Gran Reserva wines that emphasize elegance, structure, and aging potential. The 2015 Altana Gran Reserva Rioja is made from 100% Tempranillo and aged for 24 months in a combination of French and American oak barrels, before resting for three months in 2200L oak vats. The wine then continues to age in bottle for several more years before release.

96 points Wine Advocate: "I had the chance to taste a bottle of the 2001 Viña Tondonia Reserva 10 years after it was released, and the wine has evolved beautifully and quite slowly—at least that is the case for these bottles that have been kept in the winery for all these years. It's austere and elegant, with balance and concentration, polished tannins and a chalky texture, long tasty and dry. This is lively and should continue developing in bottle for quite some time... (LG) 96+" (07/2022) 95 points James Suckling: "This is very fine and polished after a decade since its release onto the market. It's medium-bodied with ultra-fine tannins with a racy and silky texture. Energetic acidity gives it tension and brightness. Still a little tight considering its age." (08/2023) 94 points John Gilman: "The 2001 Viña Tondonia Rioja “Reserva” from López de Heredia is a truly beautiful wine in the making. At age eighteen, it is drinking with a great degree of style and polish, but is still in climbing mode and will be even better down the road than it is today! The gorgeous bouquet wafts from the glass in a mix of cherries, raspberries, toasted coconut, cloves, salty soil elements, cigar wrapper, cinnamon and orange zest in the upper register. On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied, refined and nicely tangy, with a lovely core of fruit, great soil signature, moderate, buried tannins and stunning length and grip on the vibrant and very complex finish. This is not a powerful wine by any stretch of the imagination, but rather a vibrant, intensely flavored and beautifully transparent wine of breed and stellar complexity. 2001 is a great vintage in Rioja and the Viña Tondonia “Reserva” has fully captured all of the potential of this magical year. It is delicious now and is only going to get better for the next couple of decades." (09/2019) 93 points Wine & Spirits: "Elegance and understatement are the classic hallmarks of fine Rioja, sustained in this estate-grown red from an exceptional vintage. The wine’s complexity begins in the light cranberry essence of its aroma, which deepens to cherries and adds zesty notes of orange peel as the flavors build in richness. Sleek and mature, this is the ultimate red for rack of lamb." (12/2012) 92 points Vinous: "(75% tempranillo, 15% garnacha and 5% each of graciano and mazuelo) Bright medium red. Expansive bouquet of musky red and dark berries, medicinal cherry, rose oil and Asian spices. Juicy raspberry and rose pastille flavors are framed by silky tannins and given a boost by zesty minerality. Packs a solid punch but comes off almost weightless. The tannins fade into the sweet fruit on the finish, which is strikingly pure and very persistent. (JR)" (09/2010)

La Rioja Alta, originally founded in 1890, is renowned for producing traditionally-styled wines that deliver consistency and age-worthiness, vintage after vintage. This historic bodega was formed in 1890 by five winegrowers eager to explore the export potential of “modern” wines from the region. At that time, French vineyards were ravaged by phylloxera and quality was inconsistent. Rioja, separated from France by the Pyrenees, boasted a favorable climate and phylloxera-free soils. Experiments with Bordeaux-style vinification and barrique-aging proved successful and a new style of wine, based upon indigenous Tempranillo, aged in barrique, was developed. Since then, many wineries in Rioja have continued to experiment, slowly moving away aging in American oak as has been the tradition, or even no oak at all. La Rioja Alta is adamant about preserving their historic style, however, and continues to mature their wines in American oak barriques, leading to the classic savory style the region is so well known for. This is not to say that La Rioja Alta is a rustic winery, however, as they now occupy a new ultra-modern winery near Haro. All the wines produced are aged for extended periods of time in barrel and bottle; they are ready for consumption but will continue to age for many more years. This release of wines with several years age is a rarity in today’s wine world, where most wine is released soon after production, and collectors must patiently wait for the wines to mature.

CVNE’s foray into sparkling wine lives through Roger Goulart — a historic Catalan Cava house now part of CVNE. Founded in 1882 in Sant Esteve Sesrovires, Roger Goulart was one of Spain’s pioneers in producing sparkling wines by the traditional method. The wines are crafted from the classic Cava grape varieties (Xarel-lo, Macabeo, and Parellada), all grown in vineyards in Penedès. After the base wine is made, the second fermentation and aging happen deep underground — in a network of caves 30 meters below ground — where temperature and humidity remain constant, creating ideal conditions for slow, careful development. As a result, Roger Goulart Cavas tend to be long-aged, think fine bubbles, balanced acidity, and layers of yeast-derived richness alongside fruit, citrus or subtle brioche and pastry notes. With just a touch of sweetness on the palate, this is an easy-drinking, fun and fresh style of Cava.

K&L has been direct importing Cava from Mas Codina for well over a decade, and over that time they have developed a loyal fan base — and with good reason, as these are possibly some of the best-value sparkling wines we stock. While Cava from Penedès, the historic heart of sparkling wine production in Spain, is dominated by a handful of large corporate producers, small family-run wineries like Mas Codina continue to swim upstream, steadfastly devoted to producing high-quality, traditional method sparkling wines at very reasonable prices. The estate comprises just 40 hectares in the cool-climate Alt Penedès sub-region and was first established in 1681, passed down through the decades and now managed by brothers Toni and Jordi Garriga. While previous generations sold their fruit to larger wineries, in 1985 the then 17-year-old Toni began bottling wine at the estate. Since then, numerous improvements to the estate have been made, including organic certification, and the wines have never been better – each shipment we receive just seems to improve upon the last. Each wine is made from 100% organic estate-grown fruit, and all winemaking, bottling and aging is likewise done onsite. The Brut Reserva is made from 50% Macabeo, 25% Xarel-lo, 10% Chardonnay and 10% Pinot Noir and is aged for 18 months before disgorgement. Just 11.9% alcohol, the wine has a dosage of 8-9 g/L.

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 story of the Méndez family is deeply tied to Galicia’s native Albariño grape. Gerardo Méndez, alongside his father Francisco, was one of just 14 growers who helped establish the Rías Baixas DO back in 1988. But his work with Albariño started well before that. This first wine, made in 1973, didn’t even have a label. When he finally released his first labeled bottling a decade later, he called it Do Ferreiro (“The Blacksmith”), a nod to the family’s roots. Today at Do Ferreiro, the Méndez family farms more than 175 tiny parcels of Albariño by hand, all scattered around their home in the Salnés subzone. With the Atlantic nearby and mountain ranges offering natural protection, the location is ideal for producing Albariño with elegance and purity.

This the ninth vintage of Adegas Valtea we have directly imported from the winery, and it continues to be a K&L customer favorite! Adegas Valtea is located in the Condado do Tea sub-region, which is the warmest and most inland part of Rias Baixas. About equidistant between the towns of Vigo and Ourense, and not far north of the Miño River, Valtea benefits from a unique microclimate that helps Albariño grapes fully ripen – the nights are very cool, but the days are warm, allowing the grapes to develop intense aromatic concentration. The vineyards are planted on extensive terraced slopes overlooking the Miño River and facing Portugal, with a north–south orientation and gently irregular terrain. Weightier than a typical coastal Albariño, this wine is excellent with any shellfish, especially Dungeness crab!

K&L has been direct importing Cava from Mas Codina for well over a decade, and over that time they have developed a loyal fan base — and with good reason, as these are possibly some of the best-value sparkling wines we stock. While Cava from Penedès, the historic heart of sparkling wine production in Spain, is dominated by a handful of large corporate producers, small family-run wineries like Mas Codina continue to swim upstream, steadfastly devoted to producing high-quality, traditional method sparkling wines at very reasonable prices. The estate comprises just 40 hectares in the cool-climate Alt Penedès sub-region and was first established in 1681, passed down through the decades and now managed by brothers Toni and Jordi Garriga. While previous generations sold their fruit to larger wineries, in 1985 the then 17-year-old Toni began bottling wine at the estate. Since then, numerous improvements to the estate have been made, including organic certification, and the wines have never been better – each shipment we receive just seems to improve upon the last. Each wine is made from 100% organic estate-grown fruit, and all winemaking, bottling and aging is likewise done onsite.The Rosé Brut Reserva is 100% Pinot Noir and is aged for 18 months before disgorgement. Just 11.9% alcohol, the wine has a dosage of 8 g/L.

Miguel Torres is an influential figure in modern Spanish wine, known for blending tradition with innovation across several regions. One of his notable ventures is the Pago del Cielo project, which reflects his family’s expansion beyond their Catalan roots into other prestigious appellations. This project includes both Ribero del Duero and Rueda, two regions located in far a focus on the Rueda denomination of origin, an area widely respected for producing fresh, expressive white wines. In Rueda, Torres sought to highlight the potential of the indigenous Verdejo grape, which has become the region’s signature variety. Pago del Cielo represents a careful balance between respecting local viticultural traditions and applying modern winemaking techniques. The 2024 “Celeste” Verdejo is 86% Verdejo blended with 14% Sauvignon Blanc (the second most widely planted variety in the appellation), all grown in estate vineyards on the slopes of the Duero River near the town of Villafranca de Duero. The wine is fermented in stainless steel then aged for several months on the fine lees in tank, adding distinctive complexity and mouthfeel to this friendly and approachable wine.

96 points Wine Advocate: "I had the chance to taste a bottle of the 2001 Viña Tondonia Reserva 10 years after it was released, and the wine has evolved beautifully and quite slowly—at least that is the case for these bottles that have been kept in the winery for all these years. It's austere and elegant, with balance and concentration, polished tannins and a chalky texture, long tasty and dry. This is lively and should continue developing in bottle for quite some time... (LG) 96+" (07/2022) 95 points James Suckling: "This is very fine and polished after a decade since its release onto the market. It's medium-bodied with ultra-fine tannins with a racy and silky texture. Energetic acidity gives it tension and brightness. Still a little tight considering its age." (08/2023) 94 points John Gilman: "The 2001 Viña Tondonia Rioja “Reserva” from López de Heredia is a truly beautiful wine in the making. At age eighteen, it is drinking with a great degree of style and polish, but is still in climbing mode and will be even better down the road than it is today! The gorgeous bouquet wafts from the glass in a mix of cherries, raspberries, toasted coconut, cloves, salty soil elements, cigar wrapper, cinnamon and orange zest in the upper register. On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied, refined and nicely tangy, with a lovely core of fruit, great soil signature, moderate, buried tannins and stunning length and grip on the vibrant and very complex finish. This is not a powerful wine by any stretch of the imagination, but rather a vibrant, intensely flavored and beautifully transparent wine of breed and stellar complexity. 2001 is a great vintage in Rioja and the Viña Tondonia “Reserva” has fully captured all of the potential of this magical year. It is delicious now and is only going to get better for the next couple of decades." (09/2019) 93 points Wine & Spirits: "Elegance and understatement are the classic hallmarks of fine Rioja, sustained in this estate-grown red from an exceptional vintage. The wine’s complexity begins in the light cranberry essence of its aroma, which deepens to cherries and adds zesty notes of orange peel as the flavors build in richness. Sleek and mature, this is the ultimate red for rack of lamb." (12/2012) 92 points Vinous: "(75% tempranillo, 15% garnacha and 5% each of graciano and mazuelo) Bright medium red. Expansive bouquet of musky red and dark berries, medicinal cherry, rose oil and Asian spices. Juicy raspberry and rose pastille flavors are framed by silky tannins and given a boost by zesty minerality. Packs a solid punch but comes off almost weightless. The tannins fade into the sweet fruit on the finish, which is strikingly pure and very persistent. (JR)" (09/2010)

Brothers Xabi, Iñaki and Mikel Sanz created Viña Zorzal in 2007, taking advantage of their long history and tradition as a winemaking family in Correla, Navarra. Their family winery, Bodegas Correlana, had been run by their grandfather and father, and it had become a reference point for Navarra wines. The rocky and stony landscape in Fitero, a subzone of the D.O. Navarra, differs from the much flatter areas of Navarra where Garnacha and Tempranillo are cropped in high volumes. Viña Zorzal owns 40 hectares, 25 of which planted with the traditional Garnacha of the land. The wild bush vines are old, many centenarian, and are farmed organically.

Bidaia translates to “the journey” in Basque – a fitting name for Xabi Urruzola and Garazi del Rey, high-school sweethearts who have traveled the world together and ended back in their home of Getariako, Spain. Together, they grow the local varietals Hondarabbi Zuri and Hondarabbi Beltza on their 8.5-hectare property, where they also make the wine on site. They also own a small restaurant in their 15th century cider-house where locals fill the seats every weekend to enjoy Basque food and wine. The 2024 Getariako Txakolina is a blend of Hondarribi Zuri, Grose Manseng and Petit Corbou, made in a very traditional style to the region. Harvested early, the grapes are fermented in tank and bottled with a touch of lingering carbon dioxide, leading to a low-alcohol (this wine clocks in at just 10.5% alcohol) and distinctly fizzy style of wine that is a joy to drink. Equally zesty and quaffable, this wine is the perfect pairing for the famous pintxos (tapas) of the Basque region. It also is light and refreshing enough to have on its own.

Bodegas R. López de Heredia is one of Spain’s most iconic and historically significant wineries, renowned for its steadfast dedication to traditional winemaking and extended aging practices. The winery is the oldest in Haro and one of the first three in the Rioja region, and they have consistent crafted extraordinary wines of place. Since its founding over 130 years ago, little has changed at López de Heredia. Unlike many Rioja producers who source grapes from a network of small growers, López de Heredia cultivates all its own fruit, sourcing exclusively from its own vineyards: Viña Tondonia, Viña Bosconia, Viña Cubillo, and Viña Gravonia. They rely exclusively on natural yeasts, avoid filtration, and continue to age their wines in wood for six to eight years—using barrels they craft themselves. A hallmark of their approach is extended aging; wines are released only when the family deems them ready, often 5–10 years post-harvest. Increasingly in demand, with wine collectors around the world seeking them out, any chance to secure López de Heredia should be taken advantage of!

Located in the beautiful medieval hilltop village of Laguardia in Rioja Alavesa, Casa Juan is a small, family-owned winery that consistently produces aged Riojas that are honest, detailed and soulful expressions of the region. They are also some of most sensibly priced wines in the region, with the quality far outpacing their modest prices, which is why Casa Juan remains one of the most popular wineries we import directly, with a loyal and growing fanbase. The winery's origins trace back to the first half of the 20th century, when it occupied a historic underground cellar built beneath what had once been Laguardia's old flour mill. Its modern chapter, however, began in 1995 when Ángel Escudero and his wife, Araceli Sanchís, purchased and restored the historic winery while carefully preserving its traditional character. Today, Angel, along with his siblings (CArmen, SAntiago, JUlio and ANgel = Casa Juan) run the simple yet functional bodega, along with slightly under 30 hectares of vineyards they help to farm primarily themselves with no herbicides or pesticides. The wines typically contain mostly Tempranillo, with up to 15% Mazuelo. Most of the vineyards are mature, averaging around 45 years old, with some vines up to 100 years old. Primary fermentation occurs always with indigenous yeasts in concrete tanks, where the wines are eventually racked to barrels, which are used up to seven years and consist primarily of American oak.

Pardas was founded by Penedès growers Ramon Parera and Jordi Arnan after they acquired the historic Can Comas estate in Alt Penedès, where they planted local grapes like Sumoll and Xarel·lo. From the beginning, their work has centered on a holistic, biodynamic-inspired approach that integrates forest, crops, and vineyard into a single ecosystem. The vineyards are dry-farmed, soils are left unplowed to protect microbiology, and only organic methods are used. Pardas is part of a regional revival of native varieties, relying on cuttings from old local vines to reestablish traditional grapes. In the cellar, they use spontaneous fermentations and minimal intervention to craft wines that are expressive, mineral, and refined. The "Hermós" is a blend of 69% Xarel.lo and 31% Sumoll from four plots of clay/limestone soils. Grapes are hand-harvested, pressed together in tank, and cofermented. The wine is aged 6 months in stainless steel vats and 36 months in bottle, with zero dosage after disgorgement.

95 points Jeb Dunnuck: "The 2020 Muga Selección Especial checks in as 70% Tempranillo, 20% Garnacha, and the rest Graciano and Mazuelo that's aged six months in new French barrique, followed by two full years in older French and American (70/30) oak barriques. Rocking levels of cassis and black raspberry-like fruit as well as graphite, spicy wood, violets, and lead pencil notes all shine on the nose, and it hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, a round, layered mouthfeel, and silky tannins. It's already hard to resist." (07/2024) 94 points Wine Advocate: "Their most gastronomical red is the 2020 Selección Especial, a blend of the four traditional varieties from Rioja—Tempranillo, Garnacha Tinta, Mazuelo and Graciano—fermented in oak vats. Half of the destemmed grapes were put through an optical sorting machine. The wine matured in French oak barrels, 40% of them new, for 26 months and was racked every eight to nine months. 2020 was a warm year, and the wine comes in at 14.5% alcohol, with a pH of 3.56 and 5.75 grams of acidity. Manu Muga likes 2020 very much and says it's a year that suffers because it's in between 2019 and 2021. This is also a textbook example of this wine, a little more developed and tertiary, with generous spice and toast and a palate with more grip. The tannins are not as precise and elegant as those from 2021 (yeah, it suffers in the comparison), but it's a very worthy wine. (LG)" (02/2025) 94 points Tim Atkin: "Selección Especial is a wine that generally requires patience, so be prepared to tuck this away for a while. Based on Tempranillo, with support from 20% Garnacha and 5% each of Mazuelo and Graciano, this is a dense, serious, French oak-aged cuvée showing flavours of orange zest, blueberry, coffee bean and toast, lots of acidity and layered tannins." (06/2025) 93 points Vinous: "The 2020 Selección Especial Muga is Tempranillo, Garnacha, Mazuelo and Graciano. This aged for 26 months in 40% new French oak. Concentrated, with aromas of sour cherry, plum, fine oak, cedar and herbal notes, it's dry in the mouth with plush tannins and well-defined fruit. The tackiness adds structure and promises good aging potential. (JH) " (05/2025)

agar de Costa is a family-owned winery founded in 1950 in the heart of the Salnés Valley, the historic and most renowned subzone of Rías Baixas. The Salnés Valley is especially distinctive because of its close proximity to the Atlantic Ocean, which creates a cool, humid climate with mild temperatures, frequent rainfall, and strong maritime influences that are ideal for growing Albariño grapes. Granite-rich soils, salty ocean breezes, and morning fog contribute to the bright acidity, dense minerality, and sense of freshness that have made wines from this region internationally acclaimed. Within this unique landscape, Lagar de Costa farms 7.3 hectares of vineyards spread across 22 separate plots, allowing the family to work with a variety of microclimates and soil conditions throughout the valley. The vineyards average 45 years of age, but two of the estate’s parcels contain vines that are more than 100 years old. These old vines produce lower yields with exceptional concentration and complexity, adding depth and elegance to the wines. Today, the winery’s third generation is dedicated primarily to vineyard work, carefully preserving traditional growing practices while maintaining the health of the historic vines.

The Raventós i Blanc estate, which has belonged to the Raventós family since 1497, covers 300 acres of vineyards, woodlands and a lake in Sant Sadurní d’Anoia. Following this line of succession, in 1872 Josep Raventós Fatjó made the first bottle-fermented wine in Spain using native grapes from this estate. Raventós i Blanc, the longest, documented viticulture tradition in the world, owned by the same family since 1497. In November 2012, the family decided to leave the DO Cava and create their own more strictly defined and geographically specific appellation: Conca del Riu Anoia. It was born to create wines coming from a single estate, a specific climate, native grape varieties and a rigorous, well-defined and respectful form of viticulture. The 2023 Blanc de Blancs is 40% Xarel-lo, 39% Macabeu, 15% Parellada, and 6 % Malvasia de Sitges from the Vinya del Llac. It ages for 18 months sur-lie before disgorgement.

92 points Vinous: "Sourced from Alto Najerilla, the 2025 Rosado blends Garnacha and Viura. Its aromatics, recently bottled and still slightly closed, offer delicate cherry and pear notes. On the palate, it is fresh and energetic, with fine texture and a sleek, nervy flow. The character of this young Rosé is shaped by both the cool mountain origin and the vintage. (JH)" (05/2026) 90 points Wine Advocate: "90+ points. The super young, pale and delicate rosé 2025 Rosado was produced with more than 60% Garnacha (perhaps a little more this year, which was a very good vintage for the variety) and the rest Viura, mainly from the Alto Najerilla zone of Rioja, where the soils have a mix of clay, limestone and iron that give them an intense red color, but the wine is still a pale pink. The must fermented in small oak vats for 15 to 20 days at 16 to 18 degrees Celsius and was kept with lees that were worked for three months before bottling. It has 13.5% alcohol, a pH of 3.19 and 6.02 grams of acidity, great parameters for freshness, and is still a bit reductive. This was just bottled a few weeks ago, but it should be better in just a couple of months. It has a core of rose petals and chalk, while the palate is where you have to pay attention. They got very good Garnacha in 2025, and the grapes were picked at the right time to get a balance between alcohol, freshness and acidity. (LG)" (03/2026)

La Rioja Alta, originally founded in 1890, is renowned for producing traditionally-styled wines that deliver consistency and age-worthiness, vintage after vintage. This historic bodega was formed in 1890 by five winegrowers eager to explore the export potential of “modern” wines from the region. At that time, French vineyards were ravaged by phylloxera and quality was inconsistent. Rioja, separated from France by the Pyrenees, boasted a favorable climate and phylloxera-free soils. Experiments with Bordeaux-style vinification and barrique-aging proved successful and a new style of wine, based upon indigenous Tempranillo, aged in barrique, was developed. Since then, many wineries in Rioja have continued to experiment, slowly moving away aging in American oak as has been the tradition, or even no oak at all. La Rioja Alta is adamant about preserving their historic style, however, and continues to mature their wines in American oak barriques, leading to the classic savory style the region is so well known for. This is not to say that La Rioja Alta is a rustic winery, however, as they now occupy a new ultra-modern winery near Haro. All the wines produced are aged for extended periods of time in barrel and bottle; they are ready for consumption but will continue to age for many more years.

Bodegas R. López de Heredia is one of Spain’s most iconic and historically significant wineries, renowned for its steadfast dedication to traditional winemaking and extended aging practices. The winery is the oldest in Haro and one of the first three in the Rioja region, and they have consistent crafted extraordinary wines of place. Since its founding over 130 years ago, little has changed at López de Heredia. Unlike many Rioja producers who source grapes from a network of small growers, López de Heredia cultivates all its own fruit, sourcing exclusively from its own vineyards: Viña Tondonia, Viña Bosconia, Viña Cubillo, and Viña Gravonia. They rely exclusively on natural yeasts, avoid filtration, and continue to age their wines in wood for six to eight years—using barrels they craft themselves. A hallmark of their approach is extended aging; wines are released only when the family deems them ready, often 5–10 years post-harvest. Increasingly in demand, with wine collectors around the world seeking them out, any chance to secure López de Heredia should be taken advantage of!

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."

Located in the beautiful medieval hilltop village of Laguardia in Rioja Alavesa, Casa Juan is a small, family-owned winery that consistently produces aged Riojas that are honest, detailed and soulful expressions of the region. They are also some of most sensibly priced wines in the region, with the quality far outpacing their modest prices, which is why Casa Juan remains one of the most popular wineries we import directly, with a loyal and growing fanbase. The winery's origins trace back to the first half of the 20th century, when it occupied a historic underground cellar built beneath what had once been Laguardia's old flour mill. Its modern chapter, however, began in 1995 when Ángel Escudero and his wife, Araceli Sanchís, purchased and restored the historic winery while carefully preserving its traditional character. Today, Angel, along with his siblings (CArmen, SAntiago, JUlio and ANgel = Casa Juan) run the simple yet functional bodega, along with slightly under 30 hectares of vineyards they help to farm primarily themselves with no herbicides or pesticides. The wines typically contain mostly Tempranillo, with up to 15% Mazuelo. Most of the vineyards are mature, averaging around 45 years old, with some vines up to 100 years old. Primary fermentation occurs always with indigenous yeasts in concrete tanks, where the wines are eventually racked to barrels, which are used up to seven years and consist primarily of American oak.

Bid on this 6-bottle lot of 2014 Marques de Riscal 'Baron de Chirel' Reserva, Rioja.

Bid on this bottle of 2008 López de Heredia "Viña Tondonia" Reserva Rioja (96DC, 95JS, 95RP, 94VN, 93JG). Decanter: "A classic Rioja, yes, but one with its own beautiful, distinctive signature. Here is a wine so elegant and graceful, so silky in texture and so remarkably fresh and balanced between wild strawberry, cherry, a whiff of incense and savoury, truffle notes. Long, fine, tapering finish. (DW)" (10/2021)

Calma Crianza is a small-production Rioja made from a high-altitude, single vineyard planted to 100% Tempranillo. This special site is called Viña Badrinal and is located in the village of Hormilla near the Sierra de la Demanda mountain chain in Rioja Alta. Planted to sandy limestone and clay soils at almost 2000 feet in elevation, the bright acidity and depth of the fruit from this parcel provide winemaker Alberto Orte with site-specific raw material to make an age-worthy wine of remarkable depth and elegance. The wine is made using 15% whole cluster maceration, while the remaining 85% of the bunches are de-stemmed and crushed. The must is macerated for seven days at cool temperatures, then fermented in open-top stainless steel tanks for 15 days to extract flavor and tannin, followed by a post-fermentation extended maceration for seven days. The wine is aged for 16 months in used oak barrels: 90% French and 10% American.

Rafael Cambra is a small winery based in Fontanars dels Alforins in the interior of Spain’s Valencia region, run by winemaker Rafael Cambra whose philosophy emphasizes minimal intervention, organic viticulture and respect for the Mediterranean terroir. He works with vineyards planted at around 2,300 feet above sea-level on clay-calcareous and sandy soils, crafting wines that reflect the warm sun, inland elevation and rugged environment of the region.

94 points John Gilman: "The 2004 Viña Tondonia Reserva is a beautiful bottle that is just starting to blossom, but is clearly built for the long haul and will be drinking far better a decade down the road. The bouquet is deep and nascently complex, wafting from the glass in a mix of cherries, red plums, toasted coconut, Rioja spice tones, a touch of mustard seed and a topnote of cigar smoke. On the palate the wine is full-bodied, focused and tangy, with a lovely core, excellent soil inflection, fine-grained tannins and lovely length and grip on the nascently complex finish. This is very easy to drink already, but it has not yet developed the full panoply of Tondonia complexity yet and will be even better with another half dozen years of bottle age. A lovely bottle. " (03/2017) 94 points Wine Advocate: "The 2004 Viña Tondonia Reserva is a completely different story. It is a worthy follower of the 2001, the greatest of the Viña Tondonia Reservas of recent times. It has the usual blend and usual levels of alcohol and acidity, bottled after six years in oak barrels. The nose feels savory (if that's possible–umami?) and developed, with tertiary aromas and good balance between spices, leathery notes, cherries and balsamic notes of cigar box and incense. The palate is both round and crisp, with refined tannins. It has very good balance with subtle acidity and very good persistence. (LG)" (04/2015) 93 points Vinous: "(aged for six years in American oak barrels) Deep red. Exotic, oak-spiced red berry liqueur, dried cherry and vanilla aromas are complemented by a smoky overtone. Sweet and pliant in the mouth, displaying a velvety texture to the plush black raspberry, cherry-vanilla and coconut flavors. Shows no rough edges and picks up a suave floral note with air, finishing with excellent clarity, a hint of allspice and round, harmonious tannins. (JR)" (05/2017)

90 points James Suckling: "Lemons, green apples and seashells on the nose of this crisp and tangy white. It’s light- to medium-bodied, tart and racy. (CN)" (10/2025)

Viña Elena is a family-owned estate in southeastern Spain with deep roots in viticulture. Founded in 1948, the winery has been passed down through generations and is today led by Elena Pacheco, who has helped modernize the estate. It is located in Jumilla, one of Spain’s warmest and driest wine appellations. Jumilla received DO status in 1966 and is best known for its signature grape, Monastrell, which is indigenous to this part of the world. The region’s high elevation, intense sunlight, and poor, limestone-rich soils produce wines with concentration and structure. Old-vine Monastrell thrives in the arid climate, yielding wines with dark fruit and savory notes. Viña Elena focuses on expressing the character of the local vineyards, particularly those in the Estrecho de Marín valley. The winery often ferments and ages wines in concrete to preserve freshness and highlight purity of Monastrell.

Bodega Miguel Merino is located in the Rioja Alta village of Briones. Having spent decades in the business of exporting Rioja to the world, Miguel Merino had more than his fair share of the classic great wines from the region. It was with that knowledge and inspiration he founded his own Bodega in the mid 1990’s. It is the combination of clay soils rich in limestone, the altitude, and relatively steep slopes that make this an incredible location to grow Tempranillo. The blend is mostly Tempranillo with a small amount of Graciano, the wine is fermented in stainless steel and then aged for two years in oak. It is then bottled and then aged for an additional three years. They like to describe their style as “updated classic,” meaning they use a mix of French and American oak and craft wines with a fresher, brighter fruit component. That style is evident here with ripe, fresh fruit character. The oak frames the fruit with a mix of savory and sweet spices; that classic Rioja leathery earthiness is present but subdued. The tannins are present and polished and there is a fine lingering earthiness on the finish of the wine. This is an updated expression of a classic style.

Bodegas Ontañón is a historic family-owned winery in eastern Rioja, rooted in more than four generations of viticulture and winemaking tradition. The winery began with the Pérez Cuevas family’s commitment to crafting distinctive Rioja wines from vineyards planted in the high-altitude slopes of the Sierra Yerga Mountains (situated at about 2,600 feet) south of the Ebro River, near the village of Quel. Over the decades the family expanded their holdings to hundreds of hectares, making Ontañón one of the largest family vineyard owners in the region. Raquel, Ruben, Leticia and Maria Perez Cuevas make up the current generation of the Perez Cuevas family to carry on a tradition of winemaking, following their father, Gabriel, who took over in the 1970s and began making wine from the vineyards rather than selling fruit.

92 points Wine Advocate: "The 2023 De Nit is a pale rosé produced with 50% Xarel.lo, 34% Macabeo, 9% Parellada and 7% Monastrell from organically farmed vineyards. It refermented in bottle with lees for 18 months. In this third year of heat and a lack of water, many old vines died; Xarel.lo and Sumoll behaved better. By lowering the yields and keeping the poise, the wines have tension and freshness and don't show any heat. This is an extra brut with 12.5% alcohol and four grams of residual sugar. It has a very similar nose and profile as the Blanc de Blancs, Mediterranean, sapid and fresh, with small bubbles and a dry, chalky finish, showing great balance. It's more than a rosé. Pleasure per dollar. (LG)" (05/2025)

Bodegas Muga is one of Rioja’s most respected family-run wineries, founded in 1932 in the historic Barrio de la Estación in the heart of Haro. They are well-known for combining traditional winemaking methods with careful vineyard management and oak aging. Among its lineup of wines, "Prado Enea" stands out as the winery’s flagship Gran Reserva, produced only in the best vintages and representing the pinnacle of Muga’s craftsmanship. The grapes for "Prado Enea" are picked last in the harvest from high-altitude vineyards. After a meticulous double selection and traditional fermentation in large oak vats, the wine ages for three years in French and American oak barrels, followed by another several years in bottle before release.

94 points John Gilman: "The 2004 Viña Tondonia Reserva is a beautiful bottle that is just starting to blossom, but is clearly built for the long haul and will be drinking far better a decade down the road. The bouquet is deep and nascently complex, wafting from the glass in a mix of cherries, red plums, toasted coconut, Rioja spice tones, a touch of mustard seed and a topnote of cigar smoke. On the palate the wine is full-bodied, focused and tangy, with a lovely core, excellent soil inflection, fine-grained tannins and lovely length and grip on the nascently complex finish. This is very easy to drink already, but it has not yet developed the full panoply of Tondonia complexity yet and will be even better with another half dozen years of bottle age. A lovely bottle. " (03/2017) 94 points Wine Advocate: "The 2004 Viña Tondonia Reserva is a completely different story. It is a worthy follower of the 2001, the greatest of the Viña Tondonia Reservas of recent times. It has the usual blend and usual levels of alcohol and acidity, bottled after six years in oak barrels. The nose feels savory (if that's possible–umami?) and developed, with tertiary aromas and good balance between spices, leathery notes, cherries and balsamic notes of cigar box and incense. The palate is both round and crisp, with refined tannins. It has very good balance with subtle acidity and very good persistence. (LG)" (04/2015) 93 points Vinous: "(aged for six years in American oak barrels) Deep red. Exotic, oak-spiced red berry liqueur, dried cherry and vanilla aromas are complemented by a smoky overtone. Sweet and pliant in the mouth, displaying a velvety texture to the plush black raspberry, cherry-vanilla and coconut flavors. Shows no rough edges and picks up a suave floral note with air, finishing with excellent clarity, a hint of allspice and round, harmonious tannins. (JR)" (05/2017)

Product details coming soon.

La Rioja Alta, founded in 1890, is renowned for producing traditionally-styled wines that deliver consistency and age-worthiness, vintage after vintage. This historic bodega was formed in 1890 by five winegrowers eager to explore the export potential of “modern” wines from the region. At that time, French vineyards were ravaged by phylloxera and quality was inconsistent. Rioja, separated from France by the Pyrenees, boasted a favorable climate and phylloxera-free soils. Experiments with Bordeaux-style vinification and barrique-aging proved successful and a new style of wine, based upon the indigenous Tempranillo grape, and aged in barrique, was developed. Since then, many wineries in Rioja have continued to experiment, slowly moving away aging in American oak as has been the tradition, or even no oak at all. La Rioja Alta is adamant about preserving their historic style, however, and continues to mature their wines in American oak barriques, leading to the classic savory style the region is so well known for. This is not to say that La Rioja Alta is a rustic winery, however, as they now occupy a new ultra-modern winery near Haro. All the wines produced are aged for extended periods of time in barrel and bottle; they are ready for consumption but will continue to age for many more years. This release of wines with several years age is a rarity in today’s wine world, where most wine is released soon after production, and collectors must patiently wait for the wines to mature.

Marqués de Murrieta is one of Spain’s most historic and prestigious wineries, and certainly one of the most well-known in Rioja. Founded in 1852 by Don Luciano de Murrieta, a Peruvian immigrant who studied winemaking in Bordeaux, the estate helped to revolutionize Rioja by introducing French winemaking techniques, such as aging wines in oak barrels—a practice that helped shape the modern identity of the region. Its legendary 1852 vintage was the first fine Rioja ever exported, establishing the wine on the international stage. Located on the Ygay Estate near Logroño, Marqués de Murrieta maintains its status as part of the "Rioja aristocracy" and continues to produce elegant, long-lived wines that balanced tradition and innovation. The winery’s flagship, Castillo Ygay Gran Reserva Especial, is often considered one of the finest expressions of Rioja’s terroir, but every wine in their stable shares the same commitment to quality and craftsmanship.

Located in the village of Atauta, in the coolest, highest-elevation eastern section of Ribera del Duero, Dominio de Atauta boasts an average vine age of 85 years, with many pre-phylloxera vines topping 120 years. Each of these ancient vines is extremely low yielding, with less than a bottle per vine of finished wine – a miniscule amount in today’s world that often prioritizes quantity over quality. Extreme temperature differences, with very hot summers and very cold winters, further limits yields as springtime frost is always a danger. The result is wines of stunning concentration and complexity, balanced by fine-grained tannins and bright, refreshing acidity. The 2022 vintage in Ribero del Duero was very dry and warm, but the eastern location of Dominio del Atauta handled the conditions with ease not seen elsewhere in the appellation. The wines have a gorgeous, ready-to-drink quality, yet are firmly structured and marked by a fresh acidity resulting from the high elevation.

Compañía Vinícola del Norte de España (CVNE) is one of Spain’s most influential and historic wineries, founded in 1879 by brothers Raimundo and Eusebio Real de Asúa in the famed Barrio de la Estación in Haro, Rioja Alta. Over its nearly century-and-a-half of operation, CVNE has remained family-run and has played a major role in shaping modern Rioja winemaking, becoming known for innovations such as gravity-flow winery design and building some of the first temperature-controlled fermentation facilities in the region. Among CVNE’s most renowned achievements is its Imperial line, which represents the pinnacle of the estate’s craftsmanship and is produced only in exceptional vintages. The Imperial Gran Reserva is sourced from high-altitude, older vineyards in Rioja Alta that provide concentrated fruit and naturally balanced acidity. Grapes are hand-harvested and carefully selected before undergoing traditional fermentation and extended ageing in both American and French oak barrels. After two years in barrel, the wine continues to mature in bottle within CVNE’s deep underground cellars. The result is a classic, age-worthy Rioja with layered aromas of dark fruit, spice, leather, and balsamic notes supported by polished tannins. Over time, Imperial Gran Reserva has become one of Spain’s most collectible wines and a benchmark for the Gran Reserva category.

Vinas Jovenes is the young vine bottling from Miguel Merino. Sourced from several vineyard where, in the last 25 years, they have started replanting vineyards in sites around the village of Briones. This is mostly Tempranillo with a little Graciano and Garnacha. The wine is fermented in stainless steel and then is aged in used barrels for one year. The barrels were previously used for their Reserva wine, and the staves are made from American oak and the heads from French oak. The wine is then bottled and left to age for one additional year before release. This wine easily qualifies as a Crianza but is not labeled so. This is a wine about the region and varietals first, not how it is aged. This young and fresh Rioja boasts bright fruit tones, subtly framed with oak and accented with herbs, spice, and earth.

Recaredo is one of the world's great sparkling wine projects. Started in 1924, proprietor Josep Matep Capellades was a sparkling wine disgorger who began reserving his own bottles. He built his own cellar and eventually founded Caves Recaredo. Over the last 80 years, the winery has acquired some of the best land in Alt Penedes and most of the vineyards are on calcareous soil (similar to that of Champagne). Keeping with tradition the wines are aged on the lees under natural cork enclosures, hand disgorged without freezing the neck and no dosage is added keeping these bubblies at the Extra Brut level of dryness.

The world’s 1st & only vermouth made with 100% Hondarrabi Zuri Getariako Txakoli Wine.The underlying wine is produced by the fifth-generation of winemakers from the famed Eizaguirre family, from old vines grown high on breathtaking rolling hills just above and overlooking the beautiful Bay of Biscay in Zarautz, Spain. They pioneered the use of local "Integrated Production" since the climate in the area is too wet for certified organic or biodynamic production methods. Instead of spraying, they bring sheep from a farm next door to eat the dead vine leaves, grass, and pests that would otherwise lead to rot, leaving only the living grapes which fight through rough conditions to produce the wine. The wild wine made here is famous for its freshness and complexity and this vermouth uses a double maceration technique to highlight it's best qualities. More than 80 mostly local aromatic herbs from all around the Basque Country are extracted in a base spirit of Orujo -a pomace brandy similar to eau de vie. This concoction is aged for several months in old French oak barrels before being blended with the txakoli wine and adjusted to 15% abv. A deep chestnut auburn in color. The nose is complex with grapefruit, raspberry, and nectarine notes, and a finish of toast, vanilla, and caramel, all balanced by a bitter and tannic base. The underlying txakoli wine fills everything with bright acidity, mineral, and salinity, but the rich botanicals lend more depth.

Brothers Xabi, Iñaki and Mikel Sanz created Viña Zorzal in 2007, taking advantage of their long history and tradition as a winemaking family in Correla, Navarra. Their family winery, Bodegas Correlana, had been run by their grandfather and father, and it had become a reference point for Navarra wines. The rocky and stony landscape in Fitero, a subzone of the D.O. Navarra, differs from the much flatter areas of Navarra where Garnacha and Tempranillo are cropped in high volumes. Zorzal's Graciano is made from vines over 30 years old located in the Ombatillo area (Corella). This is a wine that exemplifies how Graciano adapts exceptionally well to hot climates, resulting in a wine that is both refreshing and structured,