Viña Ilusion Rioja Prana, 2019

Martín Alonso is a son of the Mediterranean hills of Rioja in Spain and always wanted to be a farmer. He and his partner Gloria Plaza Medina founded their mixed farm by planting grapevines, fruit, and olive trees in 1992. From the beginning, they embraced the teachings of Masanobu Fukuoka, a pioneer of “do-nothing” natural farming. They do not plow their 5 hectares of vines, preferring to plant cover crops beneath the rows, and are certified organic. You can expect deep plum flavors, with tannins and a light smokiness. Try grilling up some Babette’s Table Toulouse Sausages to pair, or even enjoy it alongside this easy Spanish-style paella.