“Most wine drinkers, I suspect, have never heard of Bierzo, but word is getting around. And if you get the opportunity to taste a good bottle, with its haunting, exotic wildflower, licorice and fruit flavors, you can't help but remember it.”

• Eric Asimov, The New York Times

Why to buy: Brimming with bright red berries, violets and cola, this quartet of wines from a beloved Spanish producer showcases the food-friendly mencía, Garnacha and Carignan grapes at their best. The Bierzo region of Spain has become a critics’ darling and, like those from Priorat, they are just as wonderful without food, too.

Characteristics: All four of these wines—hailing from the Bierzo and Priorat appellations—have been awarded 91 or 92 points by Stephen Tanzer’s International Wine Cellar, and with good reason: All have in common notes of dark berries, cola and licorice that make them wonderful with all sorts of dishes, from seared duck to roast turkey. Those from Bierzo have more of a light minerality, thanks to the delicate mencía grape. Additionally, all have been aged briefly in French oak; owner Alvaro Palacios trained at Château Pétrus in Bordeaux, and his training shines in these elegant, superbly drinkable wines.

Here’s what you get:

• One 750 ml bottle of Descendientes de José Palacios Pétalos del Bierzo 2010

• One 750 ml bottle of Descendientes de José Palacios Villa de Corullón 2010

• One 750 ml bottle of Alvaros Palacios Camins del Priorat 2011

• One 750 ml bottle of Alvaro Palacios Les Terrasses Velles Vinyas 2010

Brand: Alvaro Palacios