Founded in 2006, Sedella is owned and run by Lauren Rosillo, an innovative, young Spanish winemaker who worked on projects in Rioja, Rueda and La Mancha before falling in love with the Axarquia region. There he found a 2.5-hectare vineyard located in Sedella—a quaint town of 400 people—with slate-strewn soil that forced the vines to dig deep into the earth. Its high elevation, along with an ancient field blend of Romé and Jaén planted amidst the Garnacha vines, made it the perfect site for Lauren to craft the old school red wines he had dreamt of making.

Using Roman plows and horses rather than tractors to avoid compressing the soil, Lauren maneuvers the horses adeptly on the hillsides. The vineyards are organically farmed and certified. Production is tiny—about 400 cases total for the entire world! The 2020 Laderas de Sedella showcases that field blend of three grapes (Romé, Garnacha and Jaén Tinto) to create a robust, earthy, yet simultaneously plump and densely concentrated wine with ample fruit and structure. Think old world Zinfandel or even a fruitier Barbera.

Given the work that goes into making it, the age of the vines, the microscopic production levels, and the quality of the flavor, it’s hard to believe that Sedella can ship this bottle around the world and have it land on a shelf at less than $20.

91 POINTS: ROBERT PARKER’S WINE ADVOCATE - The red 2020 Laderas de Sedella, which wears the subtitle "Anfora," has an earthy and rustic nose with some dusty notes, hints of fresh meat, wild berries and aromatic herbs. It has a medium-bodied palate with abundant, slightly powdery tannins and a dry finish. It’s a blend of Romé, Garnacha and Jaén Tinto from vines planted in 2008 on slate soils, fermented in stainless steel with indigenous yeasts and matured in concrete eggs and clay tinajas for 14 months.