Rioja, Spain

In 2021, the legendary Bodegas Faustino celebrated its 160th anniversary. Located in the Rioja Alavesa subzone, in the town of Oyón, the estate has been run by successive generations of the same family and has grown into one of Rioja’s largest bodegas. Reserva and Gran Reserva bottlings are their specialty, and their vast cellars contain more than 47,000 barrels of wine in various stages of maturation. Not surprisingly, Faustino is also one of the largest landowners in the Rioja appellation, farming some 650 hectares of vineyards in all the Rioja subzones.

As savvy collectors are aware, well-aged bottlings from grand bodegas such as Faustino represent some of the greatest values in wine: For one thing, their provenance—coming directly from the winery’s cellars—is impeccable. This ’94 still exhibits deep, youthful color and surprising freshness, as befits a well-stored wine.

Aged for a minimum of 18 months in American oak, then further in bottle, before release, the “Faustino V” is polished and concentrated. It is right at the point in its evolution where its dark, ripe fruit is giving way to more savory notes of leather, tar, tobacco, and cedar. Decant it briefly before serving in Bordeaux stems and enjoy its smooth, silky texture alongside beef or lamb dishes.