No mas Senyor Cava! Sorry if you missed out, we’re already begging for more…

How about we stay in the Iberian Peninsula, but head on over to Southern Portugal where a turquoise coastline of Algarve and vinous treasures of Alentejo await us?

Here’s another recommendation by Master of Wine Martin Reyes of WineWise, as one of the greatest Portuguese reds out there. Helps when it’s 95 points by Wine Advocate AND 40% off. Yes, please!

This stars Alicante Bouchet, an-uber rare teinturier as one of the few wine grape varieties that not only is red on the skin but in the flesh too! While it’s a rustic blending partner by reputation, in this case, it makes an otherworldly red of its own. Feeling geeky enough? Read on…

According to The Portugal Resident “When thinking of the Alicante Bouschet grape to make a varietal red in Portugal, the first wine that will come to mind for any Portuguese wine lover is Mouchão, one of the country’s (and especially the Alentejo’s) most highly regarded producers and the estate that first introduced this grape variety to Portugal at end of the 19th century.”

Dark as night, it’s surprisingly aromatic, with notes of blackberry jam, balsamic fig compote, and spiced plum chutney. The exotic nose that further resonates with violets and black olive then takes a refreshing twist on the palate, with lively tart black cherries and juicy pomegranate nuances. An utterly unusual, yet unequivocally appealing, one-of-a-kind red that must be tasted to be believed. Leave it to Wine Enthusiast to sum it up: “This wine is legendary and remains a benchmark for Alicante Bouschet.”

Oh, and not much o’ Mouchão either, ha!

95 Points – Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate

“The 2015 Tinto is a 76/24 blend of Alicante Bouschet and Trincadeira. It was aged for 36 months in used 5,000-liter tonels of varying ages and comes in at 14% alcohol. It was then held back another 24 months. A great vintage, this adds extra concentration, extra focus, and extra power, albeit in a controlled fashion. You can drink it now, but this will be better in a few years. It will last for a couple of decades after that. Drink 2022-2045.”