“Wines with great depth of flavor.” – Vinous

At a price less than what you pay for a casual burger these days??!

Last we saw a red Rioja this affordable was more than 3 years ago, that we recall, and that closeout was missing the glowing reviews from both sides of the Atlantic that this one has, with the added bonus of time in the cellar. Fire up the grill for the summer and seize this opportunity by the case. Seriously, if you dig lamb chops, pork belly, or a simple roast chicken dripping with juices over mashed potatoes, this is your jam.

Wine Advocate has the nitty gritty on this legendary modernist who’s par with the likes of Artadi: “Miguel Ángel de Gregorio, proprietor and alma mater of Finca Allende, was born in La Mancha, but at the tender age of six months he moved to Rioja, as his father was in charge of viticulture at the Ygay estate from Marques de Murrieta. Miguel Ángel grew up in Ygay, surrounded by vines and wine, and it was difficult to see how he’d escape the wine world. After his oenology studies he got a job as technical director of (the now disappeared) Bodegas Breton, and in 1994 he started his own project, making a carbonic maceration wine he aged in oak that he called Allende, meaning, far away. He has come a long way since, becoming one of the most prominent winemakers in Rioja and the whole of Spain.”

No wonder the dude has insanely sought-after wines like this one that fetch $400+ and are impossible to find in the US.

This one? Meant to be an entry-level offering at the original $45 release price, it drinks like anything but. Deep, dark, haunting nose of ripe blackberries and black cherries as well as earthy and light, toasted-oak undertones. A floral, aromatic, and fruit-forward style, with complexity to spare. This is a full-bodied and structured textbook contemporary Rioja with chewy, polished tannins and a long, jam-packed, minerally finish. Very classy red with aging potential. An insanely approachable summer red that’ll sing with food.

Points, schmoints. Per the Consejo Regulador, the governing body of Rioja, “although scarce, the 2017 harvest has offered wines with slightly higher alcohol levels than last season, endowed with a very good structure and high aging potential, which makes it possible to define it as a high-quality harvest.” This is the perfect example of deliciousness Spain’s greatest wine region is capable of, at a ridiculous price.

We don’t have much, so have at it.

93 Points – Guía Peñín “Deep cherry, garnet rim. Aromas of aged wood nuances, ripe fruit, cocoa bean, cigar, toasty, meaty notes. Flavorful, spicy, toasty, powerful tannins.”

92 Points – Vinous “Known as the enfant terrible of Rioja, Miguel Ángel de Gregorio y Sánchez founded Allende in 1995 with a clear, viable vision: to use grapes from a historic vineyard planted in Briones in clay and gravel soils in order to develop a distinctive Rioja Alta identity with more fruit and energy, in addition to methodical aging. While he was at it, he also restored an 18th-century mansion that now serves as his home and winery. This winemaker with a bulletproof sense of humor produces wines with great depth of flavor. The 2017 Allende is 100% Tempranillo sourced from Briones, Rioja Alta. Exhibiting a dark garnet color, this wine releases a liqueur-like aroma with blackberry and cherry notes against a backdrop of wild herbs. Dry, rich and intense, the fairly reactive fine-grained tannins add texture to a bold, ripe palate. It lingers long with a flavorful finish. The dry and warm conditions of the year left a distinctive mark on this wine. Drink 2024-2032.”