Founded in 1903, the 200-hectare Finca Torremilanos in Aranda de Duero is the second-oldest wine-producing estate in what is now Ribera del Duero DO (after Vega Sicilia). The current regime dates to the late 70's, and was instrumental in the establishment of the DO in 1982. Pilar Pérez Albéniz, one of the most respected women in the region and winner of the inaugural ‘Ribera Heritage’ Award in 2019, is still at the helm, with two of her sons, Ricardo and Vicente, handling winemaking and sales respectively. Montecastrillo is their bread-and-butter red, made from the estate's younger vines, and aged for 3-4 months in French and American oak barrels to soften the tannins of this roughly hewn clone of tempranillo. This hearty red would be enjoyed with BBQ or grilled meats, paella valenciana, or sheeps' milk cheeses, among many other things.

Old Vine Ranch / Old Vine Red

Tesselaarsdal was founded in 2015 by long-standing Hamilton Russell Vineyards employee Berene Sauls. This wine is named after the historic Overberg farming hamlet of Tesselaarsdal, not far from the Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge wine appellation. Berene was born a descendant of the freed slaves who were bequeathed the land by former East India Company settler Johannes Tesselaar in 1810. This small-production, classically-styled pinot noir succinctly expresses the personality of the cool, maritime Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge and its elevated, iron-rich soils. Lifted wild red fruit and sour cherry aromas give way to a silky palate tinged with delectable, salty minerality. A profoundly graceful wine that will age beautifully.

Varietal: Grenache NoirVine Age: 100+ years (these are the oldest vines of the domaine)Terroir: Schist and marl soils in the "Terres Noires" of Espira de l'AglyViticulture: Organic (certified), biodynamic methods. Yields are around 15 hl/ha here.Vinification: 100% whole clusters (crushed), ambient yeast fermentation, infusion. Aged for 24-60 months in used barrels. No chaptalization, acidification, fining, or filtration. Bottled by gravity in accordance with the phase of the moon."Estaca" means "vine stake" in Catalan.