Bodegas Frontio Una Más Arribes 2021

In 2016, Thyge Benned Jensen left his job in Copenhagen to become a winemaker in Fermoselle, a tiny village in Arribes. If you're wondering where Arribes is, it's a protected natural park in western Spain, straddling the border with Portugal in the provinces of Salamanca and Zamora.

Thyge has become so local now that he goes by the nickname "Chus," a Spanish diminutive for Jesús. Anyway! He found high-altitude vineyards (650–750 metres), granite soils, and rare local grape varieties. Basically, the dream setup for wines with actual personality.

At Bodega Frontio, they farm organically their 8 hectares of old vines, harvest by hand, and take a no-compromise, natural approach. Spontaneous fermentation, often with whole clusters. Minimal sulfur, if any.

This bottle is a 50/50 split of Tempranillo and Juan García. The Tempranillo is destemmed; the Juan García stays whole cluster for a gentle maceration. It ages 24 months in French oak, then another eight in stainless steel. It's everything you expect from Tempranillo, but with a fresher, spicier, more feral personality.

The wines are authentic, deeply rooted, and genuinely good. Way better than the modest prices would have you believe.