When Tommaso Ciampoli of Fantini wines went to the region of Castilla La Mancha on a business trip, he was dazzled by a parcel of 25 hectares of century-old vines to the southwest of Valencia. They rested on a plateau ranging from 700 to 900 meters above sea level in Albacete, where the climate and soils are dry and the temperatures reach wide extremes—not just between seasons but throughout each day. The gnarled old bush vines produce very small yields of flavour-packed grapes, which are a variety of indigenous and introduced varieties, from Tempranillo and Verdejo through to Syrah and Sauvignon Blanc.

At Alepat Taylor, we currently import the two entry labels from Finca Fella. Both incredibly good value, easy-drinking wines, these are just the kind of thing to put in front of the vino-curious who have an eye on the budget. The white is a 70/30 Sauvignon Blanc Verdejo blend, and the red is 80% Tempranillo with the remainder Syrah. Our top tip, drink with food – particularly with that of the region. The white is made for seafood paella or most starters in the saline/smoky spectrum. The Tinto is bright and lip-smacking, with just the right balance to cut through chorizo or other charcuterie, and it’s also not too heavy to wash out tomato-based savoury courses

Please visit Finca Fella for more information