From the faraway world of Rioja, cava and paella comes Perinet Merit Priorat 2016, a big bold Southern Rhône-style Spanish red wine with a Napa Valley twist. This licorice-laced blend of mostly merlot and syrah is heavily spiked with the traditional Spanish grapes Grenache and Carignan. This creates red cherry aromas on the nose, escalating to ripe black fruit flavors mid-palate, rounding out with smoothly textured tannins on the finish.

Perinet Merit captures the character of Priorat, arguably Spain’s best wine region dating back to the 12th century. Ninety minutes south of Barcelona and high in the rugged Montsant Mountains, Perinet Winery sits on 133 acres of steeply terraced vineyards. The winery uses classic old-world winemaking techniques with new-world innovation, thanks to its affiliation with the Alpha Omega Collection.

Available BTG at French Market Bistro, Perinet Merit Priorat pairs perfectly with the Aged Angus Rib Eye. Or take home a bottle for $20 from Ralph’s Market Pelican Point, where Mickey Martin can share his wine education and explain why the Priorat motto should be “lost in translation, not in flavor.”