Bodegas Olivares Tinto

Bodegas Olivares is one of the top estates of Jumilla in Southeastern Spain, and their Tinto seems to garner at least 90 points with every release. A Cotes du Rhone-like blend of 75% Monastrell, 15% Syrah, and 10% Garnacha, it earned 90 points from Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, who called it "highly drinkable." Yep, that's exactly what it is. Deeply colored, richly fruited, and spicy, with ripe, supple tannins and just enough gentle oak, this is an absolute steal for anyone who likes boldly flavored reds.

The foundation of this wine is old, un-grafted, organically farmed vines planted in the 1930s. Monastrell, known as Mourvedre in France, is the key to the wine's character and thrives in the hot, sunny, dry conditions of Jumilla. Bodegas Olivares is the home estate of the Selva family, a hard-working farming family that began bottling their own wines in 1998 and has helped introduce the world to the wonders of Spanish Monastrell ever since. This is totally legit, estate-bottled, old-vine deliciousness.