Casa Balaguer’s red grapes come from a property in the rugged, dry mountains of Alicante along Spain’s southeast coast. This is the ancestral homeland of Monastrell – what the French call Mourvedre – and the grape thrives in the hot, dry winds from the interior. Marta Ribera and Andres Carull both grew up in Valencia but met while working harvests in France. A chance meeting with natural wine in Bordeaux inspired them to bring the concept home to the 18th century Balaguer estate. Tragolargo means “long gulp”, a wine meant to be easy to approach and enjoy. The harvest is done by hand to ensure only healthy grapes are used, and grapes are gently handled to make sure Monastrell’s always imposing tannins don’t overwhelm the wine. Aromas begin with black raspberry, orange oil, cinnamon stick, leather and chalky soil before the palate arrives, dense with tannins yet neatly balanced by acidity and powerfully flavored with cherries, raspberries, scrubland earth and burnt orange peel that lingers on the finish. This one would be excellent alongside Pork Valenciana, pan seared chicken, or a stew full of root vegetables.