2019 Garmon Continental Garmon Ribera Del Duero 750 ml

Mariano Garcia might be the most iconic winemaker in Spain. He’s also the person who knows the demands of elite-level winemaking in Ribera del Duero better than anyone. 

He was technical director of Vega Sicilia for 30 years, and over the course of those three decades, the winery transformed from a regional landmark to a blue-chip icon that the wealthiest collectors in the world proudly feature in their cellars.

Now, he and his two sons, exceptional winemakers in their own right, produce Garmón Continental from some of the most coveted old vines in central Spain. The 2019 is one of the most remarkable vintages in the estate’s short history, which means you are truly getting in on the ground floor: Master of Wine Tim Atkin awarded this bottle 97 points, calling it a “world-class red.” 

The Garcias source grapes from a remarkable six different villages for this one cuvée, drawing fruit from Anguix, Baños de Valdearados, La Aguilera, Moradillo, Quintanilla de Onésimo, and Tubilla del Lago. They’re after intense fruit, powerful structure, and mesmerizing complexity, and the vineyards they tap are up to 100 years old.

2019 was a fantastic vintage, with a warm spring, typically hot summer, and drought throughout—which concentrated berries and intensified flavors. Once the hand-harvested grapes were brought into the winery, the team at Garmón allowed them to ferment with native yeasts, pumping the must over daily for ideal extraction.

Once fermentation finished, the Garmón was aged for 20 months in exclusively French oak barrels—the exceptional Tonnellerie Cadus is a favored cooper here, and it shows in the sophistication of the finished wine. All in all, this wine is one of Spain’s young superstars.