Nekeas is one of the producers in the highly regarded portfolio of Jorge Ordoñez, the Spanish wine impresario who has almost single-handedly, over the past 30 years, brought the wines of Spain to the attention of American wine lovers and was our host during the Navarra visit. In fact, Nekeas has one of the few Garnacha plantings in the zone. The vines are very, very old (the plantings date from between 1890 and 1960) and, at altitude and cooler weather, ripen slowly with only a gradual accumulation of sugar, bringing with it a set of cooler flavors replete with entrancing notes of white and black pepper and almost an old-fashioned Southern Rhône sort of garrigue-laced aromatics. With old vines planted in the surrounding hillsides, many of which are historical sites, the calcareous soils of marl and sandstone yield wines of character and finesse instead of bombast and round fruit.

This is an earthier, peppery, more complex iteration of Grenache and one that beguiles with understatement. It also loves, loves, loves food! Braised or grilled beef, tapas laced with smoked paprika, burgers or anything you’d normally pair with your favorite Côtes-du-Rhône would work. And, at under $25, you almost can’t afford not to have at least a case on hand when it warms up and the backyard cookin’ starts happening. Just sayin’!