The 2005 Gran Viu Finca Santiaga is a blend of 60% Garnacha, 20% Vidadillo (aka Crespiello, so obscure neither are referenced in The Oxford Companion to Wine) and 20% Carinena from vineyards over 100 years old and aged for 36 months in new and used French oak. Purple-colored, it delivers a brooding bouquet of underbrush, mineral, game, spice box, black cherry, and blueberry. Supple-textured, it has tons of savory black fruits, incipient complexity, and 6-8 years of cellaring potential. Drink this muscular effort from 2015 to 2030. Vinedos y Bodegas Pablo offers several excellent red and white wine values that are noted in Issue 181. The Pablo family farms biodynamically using no herbicides or chemicals and all the wines are estate grown and bottled. Importer: Tom George, Frontier Wine Imports, Dover, NJ; tel. (973) 328-4500

The 2004 Gran Viu Finca Santiago is a blend of 60% Garnacha, 20% Vidadillo, and 20% Carinena sourced from a single 100-year-old vineyard. It was aged for 36 months in a mix of new and used French oak. A glass-coating opaque purple, it delivers a complex bouquet of pain grille, pencil lead, espresso, licorice, plum, blueberry, and black cherry jam. Opulent and layered, on the palate additional notes of chocolate and mocha emerge. There is some well-concealed ripe tannin which will support another 5-7 years of evolution. Drink this impressive effort from 2012-2035. Vinedos y Bodegas Pablo fared well in last year’s tastings. These releases from the outstanding 2004 vintage are equally good. The winery farms biodynamically and makes use of indigenous varietals from their estate vineyards. Importer: Tom George, Frontier Wines, Dover, NJ; tel. (973) 328-4500