Celler del Roure 'Vermell' Valencia DO 2020

At Celler del Roure in Valencia, winemaker/owner Pablo Calatayud and his father Paco are advocates of indigenous grape varietals and indigenous viniculture. Though they acquired the bodega fonda (underground winery) relatively recently, in 1996, it was established some 300 years earlier, with a labyrinth of halls lined by dozens of clay tinajas—Spain's version of amphorae—carved into the earthen infrastructure and connected by stone channels that allow for gravity flow winemaking. They added a minimalist cellar of steel tanks and new oak barrels above ground, allowing them to merge modern techniques to their centuries-old starting point. This cuvée showcases the best of both worlds. A blend of garnacha tintorera and mandó, it's fermented in stainless steel tanks and stone lagars, then aged four months in the tinajas. Medium in body with nervy acidity and manageable tannins, it offers the perfect balance of red berries and minerality. Certified organic, vegan.