Finca Sandoval Fundamentalista

Finca Sandoval helped put Manchuela on the map for people who thought Spanish wine began and ended with Rioja. Based in a rugged inland part of southeast Spain, the winery focuses on lower-intervention wines built around old-vine Mediterranean grapes and loads of freshness. Which sounds simple enough until you realise how many warm-climate reds completely forget freshness exists.

Syrah, Monastrell and especially Bobal feature heavily throughout the range. The wines bring dark fruit, herbs, pepper and earthy spice, but there’s also a lifted, almost savoury edge running underneath that keeps everything energetic rather than heavy. Bobal especially gets treated with a lot more care here than it historically did, showing just how good the grape can be when people stop treating it like an afterthought.

The whole project has a slightly modern Spanish wine rebel feel to it. Less obsession with oak and extraction, more focus on vineyard expression and drinkability. You still get concentration and depth, but without needing a nap after one glass.

Finca Sandoval also leans into organic farming and careful cellar work, helping the wines keep loads of texture and personality without becoming overly polished. There’s a nice rough-edged honesty to them.