El Casetero Garnacha 20

Three childhood friends from Aragón came together in 2008 to create Bodegas Frontonio. Mario López, the winemaker at Bodegas Borsao, Fernando Mora, and Francisco Latasa, shared a noble vision -- to celebrate and elevate the status and quality of the old vine Grenache grown on their home turf. I believe these guys have done just that!

Bodegas Frontonio is the epitome of "garage winery," having literally started in one of the garages at Mario's family winery, Bodegas Borsao. It didn't take long for the guys to graduate from the garage to one of the back rooms at Borsao.

Unlike Mario's family production, the guys make small batches from single-vineyard plots, with little or no intervention. They currently manage close to 50 hectares, and all of their vineyard plots have been certified organic since 2017.

El Casetero is Bodegas Frontonio's entry-level wine, produced for a small group of U.S. importers. It may be an entry-level wine; however, it sure doesn't drink like one and packs a punch on the quality to price ratio!

In your glass, you'll note peppery, red berry, and cherry aromas that lead to a bright, juicy palate of crunchy red fruits. There's nice lift and density, making this another super-versatile red for anything from burgers to chops and even roasted birds. I find it has just enough oomph to hang with a steak as well, and for now, it's one of the few wines that can still park at $9.99!