Prodigo Rioja Crianza La Vina de la Merce 2021

Pedro Peciña is an affable guy with an indomitable spirit. He needs the latter in a place like Rioja, ruled by just a few massive co-ops. It’s a real David and Goliath situation for small winemakers like him who prize quality over quantity. His determination pays off in the transcendent, silky Tempranillo that is tethered body and soul to the windblown, stony clay soils of Rioja.

Pedro got his start alongside his father, Pedro Peciña the elder. Together they operated under the name Hermanos Peciña making traditional, beautiful Rioja that reflected the terroir of the Rioja Alta region in the westernmost part of Rioja. But Pedro the elder's lineage goes even further—before starting his own label, he worked with the famed La Rioja Alta winery.

In Pedrito's calling card cuvée, named for his mother Mercedes, you'll find cherry pie, juicy plum, sunny yellow dill flowers, crushed vanilla beans, and worn leather. This is a gorgeous wine that makes a statement at the table. With its feathery tannins it’s a slam dunk with rich meats—whether that’s a burger or a rack of lamb.