2019 Paul & Remy Tempranillo Aragon 750 ml

“You won’t believe the price when you taste the quality.” 

That’s what our friend Pierre Courdurié, owner of Robert Parker–favorite Château Croix de Labrie in Saint-Émilion, promised us right before he introduced us to Christophe Chapillon. 

Chapillon’s wines delivered as promised across the board. But when we experienced the stunning quality of his insanely affordable 2019 Paul & Rémy Tempranillo, we were taken aback again. 

This wine demonstrates the magic at play in Aragon’s parched soils and extreme climate, and it shows exactly why the Loire-born Chapillon chose this place for his winery. Crafted from 100% Tempranillo, it’s dense in appearance—almost black near the center—with intense aromas of cocoa, candied raspberries, leather, lemon peel, clove, and baked strawberry, preceding a palate full of candied cherries, fresh garden herbs, and star anise. 

Gazing upon Christophe Chapillon’s bush-trained Tempranillo plants, a novice might not even know they’re looking at vineyards because they bear absolutely no resemblance to the prim rows of grapevines you might see in Napa Valley, Champagne, or Chablis. Located in northerneastern Spain’s Aragon region, they’re short, squat, and sheltered from the heat by a leafy canopy—hardly the picture of wine-country elegance. 

But there’s no denying the quality of the grapes they produce.

Chapillon has spent some 20 years producing stunningly affordable Tempranillo of exceptional quality. His grapes ripen in the Aragonese heat and develop beautiful acidity in the dramatically cooler nights. The resulting wines are what he affectionately calls “vins d’amis”—wines for friends. His 2019 Paul & Rémy Tempranillo validates his decision to head south to Aragon, and it’s the exact bottle you want when friends stop by: rich, delicious, and ready to pop without a second thought!