It might come as a surprise to some, but Spain’s modest workhorse grape, bobal, which is unknown to many consumers outside the country, is one of the most planted Spanish red varieties. It is one of Spain’s three main grapes, coming only after tempranillo and tying with garnacha. The planting has decreased since the 1990s thanks to the popularity of international varieties that phased out some bulk wines. Bobal was once commonly used as a source of color and acidity for red (often in grape concentrate) and rosé wines. Today, the highest quality wines made of this variety are, however, most varietal red wines from the old vines found in elevated sites in the DOs of Utiel-Requena, Manchuela and Ribera del Júcar, some produced by talented winemakers on small projects and some from the co-ops that used to make a large amount of wine.

The late-ripening bobal is often considered not for the meek, which justifies its alleged Latin name that means ‘bull’s head’. The grape has a high amount of color, antioxidants, acidity, and most importantly, robust tannin, being sometimes a little rustic and even throat cutting. This reputation often derives from some of the young vines which sometimes results in problematic uneven ripeness. Careless selection and over-extraction in winemaking are big issues – after all, it is a variety that needs to be carefully treaded in harvest and winemaking to avoid any jammy and overripe fruit, spiky and harsh tannin.

At their best, the old, gnarled bush vines of bobal that thrive in the hot and arid climates in Valencia and Castilla La Mancha produce solid and flavorful reds. They manage to deliver wines with a medium to full body, rich, but which are still fresh with an elegant mix of red and black fruit, sometimes with a touch of clove/licorice spice, new leather, and only a hint of rusty nail character cossetted by the firm and dusty tannins. Yet it is still very juicy and energetic thanks to its naturally high acidity, especially those from old vines in the elevated sites.

Today, Spain boasts a few local red grapes that increasingly show the diversity of its cultivars and wine styles. With mencia and listan negro on the cooler, more subtle, and elegant side of it, high-quality wines made from grapes like bobal (and monastrell, which you can read about in our previous value report; $15 wines that taste like $50: Monastrell) in the warm and often drought-stricken southeast of the country often deliver surprises with a zealous, hospitable Mediterranean personality and typicity. It is one of a kind that only the most keen-eyed Spanish lovers care to find and drink.

Below we have selected eight bottles that retail around $15-$25. Ponce is an expert in bobal’s distinctive terroirs and diverse expressions with two wines featured in our flight, Pie Franco 2017, an ungrafted bobal on the sandy soil, and La Casilla 2017, bobal from more limestone soils. Also, look beyond this selection with worthy producers like Bodegas Mustiguillo and Finca Sandoval who deliver consistent examples. Some wines that have undergone carbonic maceration or which are blended with Mediterranean varieties like syrah also round off the hard edges of bobal, delivering more vibrant and spicy renditions.