Ancient Coins and Old Vines in Borsao

Borsao coins that are over 2,300 years old.

Iñigo Alberto knows he could command a greater price.

If Bodegas Borsao’s Tres Picos was in Paso Robles or France it could fetch anywhere between $50 and $75.

But, it isn’t and it does’t.

Grown in vineyards between 30 and 50-years old and situated between 1,600 to 2,000 feet in clay, red clay, limestone and white soils, Tres Picos’ strength is in the soil. Each produced a different wine that added to the complexity of the final blend.

“If you grab a glass of Tres Picos you can taste the friendship and the honesty in the price,” Alberto said. “It’s the way the wine is vinified. It’s a whole pack that works together.”

Embossed on the bottle is a solider on a horse. An homage to the coins of Borsao that date back to 300 B.C.

“It was very common for a big city to make their own coins to show their strength,” Alberto said.

Tres Picos shows it’s a strong value at less than $20.