Wild, Soulful Ribera del Duero

Goyo Garcia Viadero is of the earliest generation of natural winemakers. As natural wine continues to grow in popularity it makes me respect some of the pioneers of the movement even more. They had few peers, a lot of resistance to their methods, and little critical support. These were people so captivated by their first brushes with raw, unadulterated wines that they changed the course of their careers and lives to pursue this new direction. Goyo Garcia Viadero, unlike natural winemakers in fringe appellations, embarked on his adventure in a region known around the world for big, powerful (and often very expensive), red wines — for instance, Vega Sicilia. This makes his journey and wines all the more intriguing.

Goyo was apparently enthralled by the wines of Jura legend Pierre Overnoy, so he began making natural wines in his home of Ribera del Duero in 2003. To this day, he uses zero sulfur and makes wines that feature individual vineyard parcels, some interplanted with white grapes, a very old local practice. Along with his wife Diana Semova Georgieva, they are showcasing the lush depth of Ribera del Duero but with an entrancing, delicious freshness. If you already know about Goyo Garcia, then you know how stupidly satisfying these wines are.

While his reds were initially the main attraction, the skin-contact whites are now becoming the most difficult to access. His orange Malvasia is now tightly allocated. We can only offer two bottles per person, first come-first serve, and I highly recommend grabbing one if possible. They are some of the most compelling orange wines around. The Blanco, made from Malvasia and Albillo, is not far behind and shares many of the same high points as the Malvasia, so don't hesitate to pick one of those up if the Malvasia is sold out.