A hand, a little white horse, dark cherries dangling over a lady's shoe: this Hands Off bottle got a collage for a label too. The young Spanish brand works with winemakers who intervene as little as possible and keeps everything else deliberately simple — The Red Wine, it needs no other name. It's made by Bodegas Gardel, a family winery in Las Mesas, in the province of Cuenca, which also makes the brand's white and rosé.

Character

Tempranillo is Spain's red grape, the backbone of Rioja and of many wines from Castile. Drunk young, as here, it gives mostly red fruit — cherry, plum — with supple tannins and a touch of spice. At 13% it has enough body for a hearty plate without getting heavy. Organic and vegan, as the label says.

How I serve it

At 14 to 16 °C, so a little cooler than room temperature. A young red like this gets fresher and fruitier for it.

• With spaghetti bolognese or lasagne.
• With meatballs in tomato sauce and crusty bread.
• With chorizo, Manchego and a few tapas.
• With a burger or sausages off the barbecue.

What to do with it

This is my house-wine candidate: an organic red you can open guilt-free on an ordinary weeknight. Buy a few and you'll always have something in for unexpected guests. And for fun: put it on the table with the white and the rosé and let everyone pick their favourite label.

Origin & facts

• Grape — Tempranillo
• Origin — Vino de la Tierra de Castilla, Spain
• Alcohol — 13% vol
• Volume — 75 cl
• Organic — EU organic, control body ES-ECO-002-CM
• Vegan — yes, with vegan label
• Producer — Bodegas Gardel, Las Mesas (Cuenca, Spain), for Hands Off
• Allergens — contains sulphites