Bernabeleva, "Navaherreros", Garnacha (Grenache)

For decades now, the pure Grenache of Château Rayas has existed in a class of its own. There’s just something about its utterly seductive perfume, weightless elegance, and spicy-herbal profile that makes me weak at the knees. (Its $1,500–$2,500 price tag is equally debilitating!) Naturally, this has led producers around the world to try to decode the Rayas blueprint. And while a few have come close, they tend to charge accordingly. So the question remains: where can you find that gorgeous, hauntingly perfumed style of Grenache without the inevitable buyer’s remorse?

One of the few answers lies an hour west of Madrid, where a city of millions gives way to rugged, sandy terrain dotted with ancient bush vines. At Bernabeleva, these vines have been quietly preserved for a century, and when the estate reemerged in the 2000s, the focus was clear: perfume over power, finesse over extraction, transparency over oak. The result isn’t a replica of Rayas—but one that clearly channels many of the qualities that make it so mesmerizing. And just look at the price for the 2023 Navaherreros Tinto: just $28.00 per bottle. Sign me up.

In 1923, Vicente Álvarez-Villamil, a Madrid-based physician, discovered a stretch of mountainous land in the foothills of the Gredos Mountains. With its elevation and poor sandy soil, he believed it was perfectly suited to producing exceptional Garnacha. Unfortunately, he was never able to realize his winemaking vision, and his vines were abandoned for decades. It wasn’t until 2006 that his great-grandchildren, Juan Diez Bulnes and Santiago Matallana Bulnes, returned to revive the Bernabeleva property. What they found stunned them: most of the forgotten bush vines were still healthy and producing incredible fruit at nearly 80 years of age. 

Perhaps because of this discovery, they felt a calling to make wines like their great grandfather would have. This, of course, ran counter to the prevailing style of the time, when many Spanish reds leaned toward heavy extraction and new oak. Instead, with a guiding hand from Raúl Pérez, they steered the estate toward organic farming, low yields, natural whole-bunch fermentations and aging in larger, mostly used oak barrels.

The 2023 Navaherreros Garnacha de Bernabeleva shimmers a translucent ruby red and immediately stuns with a highly perfumed nose of ripe wild strawberry and kirsch infused with rosemary and cracked pepper. The palate is supple, ripe and fresh, revealing the full effect of strawberry and cherry, as well as some darker fruit with air. Make no mistake: this is joyous, easy-drinking Grenache. But beneath that charm lies a level of depth and persistence that is virtually unmatched at this price. Give it a quick decant, serve it on the cooler side in a large Burgundy stem, and watch it come alive with air.