Alvar de Dios, Camino de los Arrieros 2017

91 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
"I tasted two very different vintages from the village red from Villadepera, the much warmer and drier 2017 and the radically different 2018. The 2017 Camino de los Arrieros, which is approximately 25% Juan García, 15% Bastardo, 20% Trincadeira Preta, 10% Rufete, 10% Mandón and the remaining made up of white grapes fermented with indigenous yeasts and matured in 1,000-liter oak foudre and 500-liter barrel for six months. Despite the character of the vintage, the wine is only 12.5% alcohol, and yes, it feels a little riper when tasted next to the 2018, but it's still a medium-bodied, lightish and pale red that is characterful and easy to drink, with some cherries and wild herbs and very fine, almost unnoticeable tannins. It's simply delicious. 8,800 bottles were filled in June 2018."

Vinous Reverie Notes
Arribes is a little-known appellation located on the extreme western edge of Spain along its border with Portugal. Here, Alvar de Dios 36 small parcels of vines totaling 5 hectares, most of which are used to create Camino de los Arrieros. A blend of Rufete, Juan García, Trincadeira Preta, Merenzao, and some other stray varieties mixed in the vineyards all planted on sandy red slate soils, Camino is harvested by hand, fermented whole cluster by indigenous yeasts in French oak vats with pigeage by foot.