Wines Under 20 Euros
Hidden in the rugged hills of Galicia, northwestern Spain, the Valdeorras appellation has long been one of the country’s best-kept secrets. This cool, Atlantic-influenced region, with its granite and slate soils, is home to two outstanding native grapes: Godello for whites and Mencía for reds.
Over the last decade, Valdeorras has begun to receive the recognition it deserves, thanks to small producers who combine traditional vineyard work with a contemporary, minimal-intervention approach.
One of those winemakers is José Aristegui, whose Traste 2017 perfectly captures the purity and tension of Mencía from this terroir. Aristegui farms a handful of small plots with old vines—some more than 70 years old—and works with spontaneous fermentations and gentle extraction to express the natural character of the fruit. Production is tiny, around 2,000 bottles per year, making each bottle a true reflection of its origin.
Traste 2017 — José Aristegui, DO Valdeorras (Spain)
The wine is made primarily from Mencía, a native grape that often evokes comparisons to Pinot Noir for its elegance, red-fruited freshness, and delicate floral aromas. In the glass, Traste 2017 shows a brilliant ruby hue. The nose reveals redcurrant, cherry, violet, and wet stone, all underlined by subtle earthy tones. On the palate, it’s silky and medium-bodied, driven by lively acidity and fine-grained tannins. The finish is long and lightly spiced, leaving a sense of balance and quiet depth.
At around 14 €, Traste offers remarkable value—proof that authenticity doesn’t need to come with a luxury price tag. On Vivino, it holds a solid 4.0/5 rating, an impressive score for such a small-scale, artisanal wine. While it hasn’t yet broken into major international rankings, among sommeliers and Spanish wine enthusiasts it’s considered a hidden gem from one of the country’s most promising regions.
In terms of pairing, Traste shines alongside grilled sardines, baked octopus, mushroom risotto, or lightly spiced poultry dishes. It’s a wine that bridges the sea and the earth—a red with the freshness of the Atlantic and the quiet power of Galicia’s ancient soils. A true discovery in the world of sub-20-euro wines.
