El Bombero Gran Reserva 2017

“This bodega is making some of the best-value wines in Spain … Domeque has his pick of ancient plantations of Garnacha and Tempranillo.”
– Decanter

El Bombero Garnacha is one of our most popular reds, thanks to its intense raspberry fruit flavors and seductively smooth texture. So you can imagine how excited we were when winemaker Javier Domeque unveiled this gloriously barrel-aged El Bombero Gran Reserva. It’s a regular on the international awards circuit, and the just-landed 2017 is no exception, already sporting a gold medal.

Like the original, this is 100% Spanish Garnacha from seriously old vines (some up to 90 years of age!) and delivers a punch of deep, dark, berry flavor. But thanks to three years mellowing in oak barrels and another three-plus years in bottle, there’s also an intriguing spicy-cocoa character that keeps you coming back for more. Guaranteed to be a hit on your dinner table—pair with hearty beef or pork roasts, lamb chops, meaty pastas or small plates of chorizo and Manchego cheese.

It’s wines like this that demonstrate why “Cariñena is home to some of the best value reds in Spain, if not the world” (Decanter). And, why Decanter reserves particular praise for Javier and Bodegas San Valero. As you pour El Bombero Gran Reserva for guests, here’s another gem to share: San Valero is Spain’s second-largest organic producer. They also promote biodiversity in the vineyards and win awards for their sustainable packaging. A win-win for everyone.

A quick word to the wise though—those 90-year-old vines? They only produce a tiny amount of grapes, which means there’s only so much of this Gran Reserva to go around. Order yours quickly.