1996 Bodegas y Vinedos Alion, Ribera del Duero, Spain.

This 1996 vintage of Alion shows why everybody in the wine world is talking about the Ribera del Duero, a region that, until recently, was known for just one wine, the fabled Vega Sicilia, which owns this estate. Alion is among the best of the new breed of wineries from this dynamic region. Inky and profound, with none of the candied sweetness Tempranillo can sometimes have, the 1996 Alion continues to fascinate sip after sip. It is as dark and somber as the region’s landscape. Put this against any Bordeaux in the same price range and see which is better.

About $32. Available at fine wine stores. If you can’t find it, have your local retailer call the distributor, Diamond Wine Merchants, at (510) 547-7766.