The 2005 Esencia Tempranillo Crianza has a simple bouquet with tightly wound red currant and pomegranate fruit. The palate appears diffuse at first, but patience is rewarded as it pulls together in the glass. There is plenty of fleshy cranberry and dark cherry fruit with soy towards the spice-tinged finish, and the overall result is a decent Crianza, perchance a year or two past its peak. Drink now. The Garcia family founded Bodegas Ovidio Garcia in 1999. On a bitterly cold February afternoon I visited their ancient subterranean cellars, which are over three centuries old and accommodate a gargantuan, 15-meter long Roman press. Here you will find the twelve concrete vats they use to ferment the wine, while on the ground-level sits the stainless steel vats that they intend to use in the future. They eschew the use of pesticides in their vineyards around the village of Cigales. I appreciated these wines for their purity and natural harmony, quite conservative in style at first, strict and focused but often with very satisfying finishes. Importer: Enye Group, Chicago, IL; tel. (312) 876-1200