Bodegas Viña Magaña, Tinto Reserva

When we first tasted this stunning 1997 Reserva, two things happened in rapid succession: We compared it to expensive, decades-old Pomerol and then joined Viña Magaña’s sub rosa cult following. Though young by European standards, this legendary and critically acclaimed estate has been fooling/stunning blind tasters for decades, just like it did us. For one, it’s fueled by Merlot, but it’s the origin of these vines that make today’s tiny parcel of ‘97 such a jaw-dropping affair: Back in 1970, Juan Magaña acquired Merlot cuttings from the very nursery that supplies Pomerol’s Château Pétrus—undoubtedly among the world’s greatest wines. For comparison, Pétrus can fetch anywhere between $2,500 to $7,000, and even that’s not a hard ceiling! Although today’s mature Spanish gem is a far cry from those prices, we understand that $90 isn’t exactly pocket change either. But let’s look at it from another angle: This 24-year-old Bordeaux-style showpiece breaks down to just $3.75 per year, most of