¡Viva España! A Six-Bottle Spanish Wine Journey

Spain is a country of extraordinary viticultural diversity, where ancient vines and dynamic winemakers are redefining the global landscape. ¡Viva España! is a six-bottle celebration of that diversity: it opens with a zero-dosage Cava from Catalonia, glides along Galicia's Atlantic coast for a briny Albariño, climbs into Rioja for a boundary-pushing white blend, crosses to the volcanic cliffs of Tenerife for an electric Canary Islands red, links up for a legendary Bierzo collaboration, and finally anchors with a powerful, four-year-aged Rioja Gran Reserva built for the long haul. Six regions, six unique terroirs, and a definitive showcase of Spain's modern renaissance.

2020 Avinyó, "Can Fontanals" Cava Brut Nature Reserva, Penedès, Catalonia

"The Zero-Dosage Classic"

The Esteve family has been cultivating vines in the Penedès region for generations, maintaining a steadfast commitment to traditional methods and indigenous grape varieties. The "Can Fontanals" is a classic blend of Xarel·lo, Macabeo, and Parellada, crafted in the traditional method with extended lees aging to earn its Reserva status. Bottled as a Brut Nature with zero dosage, it offers a bone-dry, crystalline expression of Cava. The nose is bright and inviting, with aromas of green apple, white flowers, and toasted almond. On the palate, it is crisp and energetic, delivering a fine, persistent mousse and a refreshing, saline finish that perfectly primes the palate.

Pair with: Marcona almonds, jamón ibérico, or fresh oysters.

2024 Castel de Fornos, Albariño, Rías Baixas, Galicia

"The Atlantic Aperitif"

Castel de Fornos is produced by Bodegas Chaves, one of the oldest family-owned wineries in the Salnés Valley, the coolest and most coastal subregion of Rías Baixas. Sitting just miles from the Atlantic, the estate's vineyards catch steady maritime breezes that preserve bracing acidity and a distinctive saline edge. Fermented entirely in stainless steel to protect its purity, the 2024 delivers a crisp, high-toned white built on citrus, green apple, and white peach over a base of granitic tension — zero oak, all coastline.

Pair with: Chilled oysters on the half shell, ceviche, or grilled sardines.

2024 Artuke, Rioja Blanco "Trascuevas", Rioja

"The White Rioja Reinvented"

Forget heavy, over-oaked Spanish whites — Artuke's Trascuevas rewrites the script for Rioja blanco, chasing the chiseled precision and saline drive of premier White Burgundy instead. Sourced from 1.3 high-altitude hectares split across Baños de Ebro, Samaniego, and Ábalos (85% Viura, 10% Palomino Fino, 5% Malvasía Riojana), it's fermented with wild yeasts and aged 11 months split between concrete tanks and large oak foudres. Fennel and wildflowers open onto a savory palate of salted lemon, toasted almond, and electric mineral tension. 95 points from both Wine Advocate and James Suckling.

Pair with: Roasted turbot or another firm white fish with brown butter.

2022 Envínate, "Táganan" Tinto, Tenerife, Canary Islands

"The Volcanic Edge"

Founded by a "gang of four" who met in winemaking school in 2005, Envínate lets Tenerife's extreme, wild terroir do the talking. This field blend of 50- to 100-year-old, un-grafted Listán Negro and rare native grapes is farmed by hand without chemicals, foot-trodden, and fermented wild in old barrels and concrete, on cliffs just above the crashing Atlantic. The result is raw ocean salinity and smoky volcanic character, with wild berry fruit locked into an electric mineral crunch. 94+ points from the Wine Advocate.

Pair with: Grilled octopus, charred lamb skewers, or wild mushroom dishes.

2021 Antoine Graillot & Raúl Pérez, Bierzo Tinto "Encinas-La Rata", Bierzo

"The Legendary Collaboration"

When Antoine Graillot of the Northern Rhône and Raúl Pérez, the undisputed king of old-vine Mencía, join forces, the result is unforgettable. Sourced from the prized La Rata parcel—a sixty-to-eighty-year-old field blend adjacent to the legendary El Rapolao vineyard—this wine co-ferments Mencía with Alicante Bouschet, Bastardo, and a splash of white Doña Blanca. Utilizing one hundred percent whole clusters and a massive cement fermentation vat, the wine rested for ten months in large foudres. It unfurls with smoky, cracked-black-pepper aromatics seamlessly married to the silky, wild-strawberry perfume of a great Burgundy, finishing with an unmistakable Atlantic crunch of crushed-stone mineral brilliance and electric acidity. The Wine Advocate awarded it ninety-four points.

Pair with: Roasted meats, aged cheeses, or artisanal charcuterie.

2015 Hermanos Peciña, Rioja Gran Reserva "Finca Iscorta de Peciña", Rioja

"The Powerhouse Anchor"

Founded in 1992 by Pedro Peciña Crespo, a former vineyard manager at the legendary La Rioja Alta bodega, this family estate still farms Finca Iscorta by hand and organically—an eight-hectare, north-of-the-Ebro vineyard of fifty-year-old bush vines rooted in calcareous clay. The 2015 Gran Reserva blends Tempranillo, Graciano, and Garnacha through four years in used American oak plus three more in bottle, bottled unfined and unfiltered. Blackberry jam and raspberry meet eucalyptus on the nose, unfolding into tobacco, leather, and smoky coconut over a structured, spice-box finish.

Pair with: Grilled lamb chops, roasted beef tenderloin, or aged Manchego.