Bodegas Arrocal, Ribera del Duero Crianza (Castilla y León, Spain) 2020

 Bodegas Arrocal’s Ribera del Duero Crianza is delicious every year, but I confess that I’m always tempted to tell readers to just dig a little deeper into their pockets to buy Arrocal’s “Selección Especial,” which rings up for about ten bucks more.  But in 2020, this wine is so good that you should buy both, taste both, and decide what to do when you go back to the store — which you will surely do once you’ve tasted them.  The oak is really restrained in this, lending some subtle spiciness and a little whiff of toast but almost no evident wood tannins.  There is a bit more grip in this than the “Selección Especial,” but the fruit is rich and generously flavored and more than equal to the challenge of buffering any astringency in the finish.  Ready to rip right now with robust food, this is also capable of improving for at least a decade in a decent cellar, which can’t be said of many $32 wines from anywhere these days.