For those who chase the road‑less‑traveled wines—the bottles with cult status, microscopic production, radical transparency, and precision that borders on the supernatural—this is a pinnacle find. 

José Luis Mateo, the quiet master of Galicia’s smallest DO, Monterrei, has just released his 2018 Muradella Tinto. He is one of the only vintners in Spain—indeed, anywhere—who refuses to release a wine until he believes it has reached its moment of truth. Most wineries, even the most iconic, simply can’t pull this off. With only 300 cases imported and SommSelect securing just three cases, this is a rare chance to own one of Spain’s most profound field‑blend reds at the best price in the nation when you lock in a 4‑pack.

Mateo’s story is legend among Spanish sommeliers: a lone figure who spent 30+ years reviving abandoned vineyards, replanting exclusively with heirloom massale cuttings, and restoring ancient varieties like Zamarrica, Bastardo, Caiño Redondo, and Brancellao. The 2018 Muradella Tinto is sourced from a single vineyard planted in 1999–2000 on a mosaic of sand, slate, and iron-rich clay, and is co-fermented in concrete with macerations that extend beyond two months. The Wine Advocate’s Luis Gutiérrez calls it “elegant, complex and subtle… with a sense of purity and balance that is touching,” awarding 95 points. James Suckling pushes it to 97 points, praising its “fresh, elegant, nuanced harmony” and “silky tannins.” This is the kind of critical consensus that usually sends prices soaring into triple digits—yet today, it’s yours for $70 on a 4‑pack.

On the palate, the wine is a revelation. A soaring perfume of wild herbs, dried rose, sour cherry, and crushed slate leads into a texture that is both weightless and impossibly deep. Layers of red currant, pomegranate, blood orange peel, and savory spice unfold over a mineral core that vibrates with tension. The tannins are silky and ultra‑fine, gliding into a long, saline finish that evokes cool mountain air and iron‑tinged earth. It’s more mouthwatering than most Red Burgundies, with layers of detail that even top Northern Rhône and Priorat producers struggle to replicate. This is the kind of wine that sommeliers whisper about—because once you taste it, you understand.

For collectors, restaurants, and Spanish specialists, the 2018 Muradella Tinto is a benchmark: a wine that demonstrates the profound, transparent, and terroir-driven qualities of Monterrei in the hands of its most devoted steward. With only 3,600 bottles produced, and Mateo’s next release always an unknown, this is the moment to act. 

¡Viva España!

Critical Acclaim:

97 points, James Suckling: 

• "This shows earthy aromas of dried flowers. Medium-bodied, fresh and elegant, this is subtle yet nuanced with silky tannins. Love the harmony and subtlety in this wine. A blend of brancellao, caino redondo, souson, bastardo, zamarrica and around 3% dona branca. This macerates for three months in tank in an almost static way. Then aged for two years in foudre and another one in tank again."

95 points, Wine Advocate: 

• "I love the elegant, complex and subtle nose of the 2018 Quinta da Muradella Tinto, produced with 23-year-old vines planted on three different soils: sand, slate and clay with lots of iron. It has a sense of purity and balance that is touching. There is a sense of innocence and simplicity that is difficult to achieve. It's subtle and balanced, with very fine tannins and a beautiful mouthfeel. It's a co-fermentation of Mencía, Zamarrica, Bastardo, Caíño Redondo and Albarello fermented destemmed in concrete with a soft extraction and a long maceration. The wine decanted in stainless steel for six months and then matured in foudre and one 500-liter barrel.”