INSIDER'S PICK: 2019 KIKO CALVO 'BIGARDO' VINO TINTO EXPERIMENTAL CASTILLA Y LEON $26.99

'Don't mess with the bull, or you'll get the horns'. The 'bull' in this case is the Toro wine region in Old Castile, just down the river from Ribera del Duero. Just like its more famous neighbor, Toro has grown grapes for centuries but known for quality only in the past 30-40 years. Their style is also largely built on more modern techniques and characters, richer and extracted, more new oak, etc. So to go against the establishment style is to 'mess with the bull', and that is exactly where the Bigaro wines go, embracing the horns and daring to be different. The wine is 'experimental' in that Kiko calls his own shots and sets his own standards working the fruit from his family's ancient vineyard, building on techniques learned at working wineries on four continents, like following the mantra at harvest 'don't cut fruit you wouldn't eat'.  The wine has plenty of size, but not in a dense or heavy way, with lots of dusty dark fruits on the nose from the start, earning a bit of blackberry sweetness and peppery spice the longer it stays open. The palate is very mouthfilling with its unfiltered texture and surprisingly light dusty tannin, allowing the fruit to show through naturally with some unexpected tart notes (boysenberry-ish?) behind the currant and dusky black cherry. The finish is remarkably refreshing for a wine with such dark notes and almost unheard of from the region. A wine for big foods, but not one-dimensional kill-it-and-grill-it dishes, able to handle lots of marinades and savory side dishes. 

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