Laberinto 2023 Arcillas Pais 750ml

What a lovely pais, full of juniper, ginseng, lemon peel, white pepper and raspberry aromas. It’s medium-bodied with nervy spices and fresh acidity. Long and nuanced. The tannins are quite tamed, which is unusual for pais. Winemaker Rafael Tirado says he uses stems (around 30%) to extract the soft tannins, as the grape skins have more rustic tannins. The winemaking is infusion style. This is irresistible now, but can hold.

Score: 94 points -- Zekun Shuai, jamessuckling.com, 2025