50 Barricas by Pruno 2018

This kind of deal comes around just once in a blue moon. And it’s only available because of our deep roots in Spain. But there’s just 300 cases—and when it’s gone, it’s gone.

The ultimate next-door story
A literal stone’s throw from iconic Vega Sicilia—at one-fifteenth the price.

Vega Sicilia is “Spain’s most prestigious estate…recognized for its supreme quality,” writes Decanter. They’re also the oldest bodega in Spain’s premium Ribera del Duero region, whose coveted vineyards along the Duero River proved to naysayers back in the early days that this is serious wine country. Good enough to rival even Bordeaux’s finest reds.

“Some of the greatest Spanish wines I have ever tasted come from this region. Not Rioja, not Priorat, but Ribera del Duero.” — Neal Martin in The Wine Advocate

Vega Sicilia’s flagship cuvée, Único, fetches a hefty $400+ a bottle, which is why this wine is so utterly unmissable. Because if you wander just a few feet from Vega Sicilia, you’ll find yourself among the vines of Finca Villacreces, a leading name in its own right, whose hugely acclaimed ‘Pruno’ label is “reminiscent of a baby Vega Sicilia” (The Wine Advocate) and consistently wins 90+ point scores.

Their limited-release ‘50 Barricas’ edition is made with the same grape varieties as Único—Tempranillo with a splash of Cab—grown in the same soils, in exactly the same conditions and aged in the finest oak barrels.

After Ribera’s fantastic (and high-yielding) 2018 vintage, plus the bumper crop of 2019, the Villacreces cellar team found themselves desperately short on space. Their first call went to Beth Willard—a longtime friend of the estate and our local expert. Eager to make a deal, they offered up a jaw-dropping price on their final cases of 50 Barricas 2018.

One sip, and Beth knew it was special:
“Fabulous barrel-aged red from practically the same vineyard as Vega Sicilia. Pure, elegant…and an absolute steal at this price. Heady aromas of dark fruit, with alluring clove, oak and vanilla that billow from the glass. The wine itself is immense: full-bodied unmistakably elegant, charged with black currant, dark chocolate, black pepper and leather. Just stunning.”

This wine won’t cost you hundreds of dollars a bottle—but it easily could. Instead, you’ll pay under $30 a bottle if you’re quick.