2017 Suertes del Marques 7 Fuentes Vino de Villa Valle de la Orotava Spain 750 ml

We made it through the crush of locals and tourists at Madrid’s Mercado San Fernando and finally found Bendito Vinos y Vanilos, the wine bar that one of our Napa-based winemaker friends had insisted we visit. We were close to cursing his name after spending hours trying to find the place, but his insistence and our stop there was one of the most important decisions we made during our fateful three-week trip to Spain.

Inside, rhubarb-red jamon hung from the ceiling waiting to be sliced, while rare Spanish cheese, like the raw-goat’s-milk Ibora and a particularly delicious Cabrales, were served on old vinyl records. As soon as we saw the 2017 Suertes del Marques 7 Fuentes Vino de Villa Valle de la Orotava on the menu, we ordered it. It was totally unfamiliar, but its origin in the Canary Islands—where our winemaker friend was from—was enough to sell us on giving it a shot.

Even though we were constantly being jostled by the elbows and shopping bags of locals pushing through the crowded bar, we polished off the bottle at our tiny wooden table in what must have been some sort of record time.

This is what we’d flown overnight to discover: The wine was nearly black in the glass, and the brooding aromas of black pepper, exotic spice, black raspberries, and plums seemed to mirror its appearance. Monumentally structured tannins framed flavors of spiced ripe cherries, and it paired perfectly with the fatty, rich foods on the table. We’re offering it today for $22.99 per bottle. And you don’t need jamon to fall in love with it.

The 2017 7 Fuentes is a blend of 90% Listán Negra and 10% Castellana Negra, both rarely seen outside of the Iberian Peninsula but absolutely perfect for the hearty stews of the North American winter or just as delicious alongside grilled meats in the summertime. It’s like a spicy Pinot Noir, or a Rhône red blend with more tannic structure, and higher-toned peppercorn notes and more brambly berries.

The winery is named for the village on Tenerife where it’s located; 7 Fuentes translates to “seven springs.” And while the Canary Islands are famously drenched in warmth and sunshine, the northern portion of Tenerife, where the Valle de la Orotava is located, is rainier, cooler, and sees a higher level of humidity than the southern part of the island. It’s actually chillier in general than much of the rest of Spain, which results in a wine of beautiful acid balance and tannins that don’t ripen nearly as quickly.

The Suertes del Marques vineyard itself is found near El Teide volcano which, like so many of the great volcanic locations around the world, provides an inimitable sense of tension, structure, and complexity. The altitude of the land, combined with the ancient trenzado method of training the vines on the west-facing hillsides of the 22-acre vineyard, make for a wine that will share the table perfectly with beef, lamb, and pork, and also shine on its own, with nothing more than some good conversation to accompany it.