El Vínculo, La Mancha DO (Spain) Crianza 2013

 ($19, Folio Fine Wine Partners):  Made from Cencibel, a thicker-skinned type of Tempranillo, this Crianza comes from the Fernández family’s outpost in La Mancha.   It conveys a combination of hearty dark fruit flavors mixed with the spice characteristic of aging in American oak barrels, where it spent 18 months.   With a charmingly rustic boldness, it makes a good choice for the long simmering meals that comfort us in the winter.  
88 Michael ApsteinFeb 19, 2019