Blackcurrant, raspberry fruit leather, bay leaf, iron-streaked soil: aromas that rise effortlessly from the glass. Chalky earth and incense, orange zest and inky black cherry: flavors that stamp the palate and seem to linger longer than reasonable. These are the notes of Bodegas Aranleon’s newest edition of their core red wine, the Encuentro. The Utiel-Requena DO is named for two towns at the heart of a mid-mountain valley east of Valencia. At nearly 2000 feet, Bodegas Aranleon farms organically, and their favorite red grape Bobal produces a generous crop that – when farmed correctly – can produce a structured, multi-layered red that has much of the earth scented depth, full body, and class of Cabernet Sauvignon without much of the price tag. It is the standard red wine in Valencian cafés, indeed it is the third most popular red in Spain after Tempranillo and Garnacha. This is the choice for burgers and meaty pastas, for patatas bravas, croquetas, and empanadas, and for anything else calling for a hearty, rustic red.