Esteban Martín, Oak 6 2020

Esteban Martín is one of the names quietly doing excellent work in Cariñena, in the heart of Aragón — a region better known for sturdy, sun-baked reds than for the kind of polished, oak-aged wines this producer has made his calling card. The Oak 6 spends, as the name suggests, six months in barrel, and the 2020 vintage carries that ageing with confidence: dark fruit at the centre, a warm vanilla and toasted wood frame around it, and enough structure to keep things interesting without tipping into heaviness. This is a genuinely satisfying bottle from a producer who understands that Garnacha, in the right hands, can be both generous and serious.