El Outsider 2021

The peppery and herbal 2021 El Outsider, a lighter red with 90% Tempranillo and 10% Calagraño (white) with 13.5% alcohol, reminded me of some reds from the Jura, informal, a little wild, with character and personality. Here, Mazo changes source in search of less alcohol and structure. It's very spicy, medium-bodied with freshness, unusual in the zone, reflecting also a cooler vintage. I loved the austere finish. 2,450 bottles were filled in April 2022.

El Outsider - one for Albert Camus fans perhaps - is a blend of Garnacha and 20% Calagraño and Tempranillo, sourced from a 0.22-hectare plot in the Planas Altas sub-zone of Alfaro. Entirely unwooded, with fermentation and ageing in concrete and glass demijohns, it's a floral, lacy, delicate red with subtle reduction and lip-smacking summer berry fruit. 2023-29