The folks at Finewine.com are some of our favorite wine detectives. This month, they sounded the alarm when Bierzo popped onto their radar.

Located in the Northwest corner of Spain, Bierzo is poised to become one of Spain’s leading wine regions. The landscape, the focus on indigenous grapes, and the personalities involved all indicate that this region is destined for the big time. Many in the industry are making the comparison between Bierzo and Priorat — another region that rose from obscurity to worldwide fame.

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The Mencía grape is the main grape in Bierzo. It produces fascinating wines across a spectrum of styles. On one end, they are very concentrated and powerful with an exotic earthiness, smooth tannins and an enviable reflection of the mineral-rich Bierzo terroir. On the other end are wines that are fruity and forward with supple tannins and succulent fruit.

Long way of saying, “Run, don’t walk.”