El Puntido Red Wine – Viñedos de Páganos, Rioja

El Puntido is the flagship wine of Viñedos de Páganos, the single-estate label within the celebrated Sierra Cantabria family group, whose roots in the Sonsierra stretch back over five generations. Built on the philosophy of one estate, one vineyard, one wine, this is a Rioja that rewards the patient and the curious in equal measure.

Crafted entirely from Tempranillo grown on clay-limestone soils at the foot of the Sierra de Cantabria, the wine spends 16 months in new French oak barrels — a deliberate choice that privileges precision over opulence, allowing the vineyard's mineral character to shine through the wood influence. The microclimate here, shaped by the 1,200-metre mountain range to the north and the Ebro valley to the south, delivers grapes with natural acidity, concentrated fruit and a freshness that lifts the wine above many of its peers.

On the nose, El Puntido opens with an expressive yet refined bouquet: ripe dark cherry and plum, layered with dark chocolate, liqueur and subtle mineral threads, underpinned by a delicate white floral note that adds an unexpected elegance. On the palate, the mouthfeel is full-bodied and structured, with grippy yet polished tannins that integrate seamlessly with the ripe fruit and toasty oak. The mid-palate shows beautiful balance between concentration and freshness, and the finish is long, savoury and notably persistent — exactly what you would expect from a wine scoring 96 points from the Guía Peñín and 93 from Robert Parker's Wine Advocate.

A terroir-driven, age-worthy red that pairs beautifully with roasted red meats, game, slow-cooked stews and aged sheep's milk cheeses. Buy El Puntido online through Mercado 46 and enjoy European delivery of one of Spain's most acclaimed single-vineyard Riojas.