Cabernet Sauvignons in Agrelo often do well during warm years, thanks to the clay soils and this is a perfect example. Aged for 12 months in new French oak. Purplish-red in the glass. The nose offers up black currant, roasted red pepper, black pepper and country herbs. The wood brings out the character. Intense in the mouth, with firm, spiky tannins. Freshness is scarce but the flavors are full and the finish lengthy. Will grow in the bottle. Keep for at least two years.

After a somewhat disappointing 2016 in my last tasting, I was looking forward to the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Owen's Vineyard, produced with grapes from an old pergola vineyard in Agrelo, fermented in stainless steel and barriques and matured in new French oak barrels for one year. This is riper than the rest of the single-vineyard bottlings, from an old parral planted in the Calle Cobos, and the grapes seem to achieve very high ripeness, perhaps because of the very low yields. It seems like this vineyard is hit and miss, as I see different wines depending on the conditions of the vintage. In 2018, the character is very much of cooked morrón peppers. 25,000 bottles produced.