Castillo de Fuente, 2007 ($7.99) and Vina Carosa, NV ($7.99) - I won't wax poetic about these easy-drinking, $8 Spanish wines, but they are attractively fruity, cleanly made, and they certainly won't spoil your Wednesday night hamburger.

Señor Sangria, NV ($8.99) - Yes, Charlotte, this is the first time we have ever gotten even remotely excited about a Sangria. I've been following the development of this product since last year when the earnest Rick Martinez came into the store with his girlfriend (now fiancée) and told me he planned to create and market a high quality Sangria using real fruit. What can I say? It won't compete with Chateau Latour or Joseph Phelps Insignia, but this is a delicious, all natural, summer quencher that leaves commercial Sangrias in the dust.

Ursa Maior Rioja Tinto, 2007 ($9.99) and Rioja Crianza, 2005 ($11.99) - Tasting both of these value wines is educational. The tinto, which sees little if any wood, is quite pleasant, but it is a simple wine. The crianza saw one year in oak and is a much more complete wine with nuances, even better balance, and a smoothness of texture.

Campo Viejo Rioja Crianza, 2005 ($10.99) and Gran Reserva, 2001 ($22.99) - I previously assumed that Campo Viejo, Rioja's largest winery, was more about quantity than quality. Tasting these wines changed my mind; the quality is solid, and the value is fantastic. The Crianza is a star! A blend of Tempranillo, Garnacha (Grenache), and Mazuelo, it was aged in American oak for 12 months and is surprisingly rich in fruit. The Gran Reserva, a blend of Tempranillo, Graciano, and Mazuelo, was aged in barrel for two years and bottle-aged an additional three years before release. A soft, seductive wine, it offers more complexity and finesse. I also tasted the 2004 Reserva but found it no better than the Crianza! Most visitors to Spain never get to the wine districts. If you appreciate architecture, you must go, for the wineries seem to compete in building the most spectacular facilities. Campo Viejo's beautiful example was built in 2001 and named Bodegas Juan Alcorta for the man who strongly influenced the brand and all of Rioja. Pictures are at www.campoviejo.com. A gateway to Spanish winery architecture can be found at the blog www.manfatta.com/wineblog/2006/10/spanish-wineries-and-cutting-edge.html.

Baronia del Montsant Flor de Englora, 2006 ($17.99) - Another Spanish winner! Parker: 92! “A candidate for best red wine value in my Spanish tastings. It is a blend of 63% Garnacha, 32% Carinena (Carignan), and the balance Syrah and Merlot aged in stainless steel. Purple-colored, it offers a captivating bouquet of mineral, black cherry, and black raspberry. This is followed by a plush, rich, layered wine with gobs of sweet fruit and no hard edges. It exhibits superb balance and a long finish. It is all about pure pleasure. Drink it now-2013.”  

Bodegas Lan Rioja Reserva, 2004 ($18.69) - Another Wine Spectator "Top 100" wine! "90 points. A silky texture carries expressive flavors of black plum, violet, licorice and smoke in this focused, balanced red. Has good intensity yet remains vibrant and accessible. Drink now through 2012." Very limited.

Las Rocas Garnacha VV, 2005 ($19.99) - Here is the newest release of this wonderful Spanish wine. The price is a little higher due to the weak dollar, but this is still an excellent value. Parker 91 “The 2005 Las Rocas Vinyas Viejas comes from high altitude, low yielding, 100+ year-old Grenache vines, and is aged in French and American oak. More aromatic than its sibling, it has a splendid perfume of spice box, lavender, kirsch, and blueberry. It is also a bit richer and longer in the finish. While it may evolve for 1-2 years, who could resist it now?” Josh Reynolds, writing for Stephen Tanzer’s IWC: “Dark ruby. Intensely aromatic nose offers vibrant raspberry and kirsch complemented by suave mocha, licorice, and spicy minerality. Sexy cherry-cola and dark berry flavors are impressive for their purity and impact, offering far more character than one usually finds at this price. The sweet red fruit finishing flavors show impressive lift and persistence. While writing this article, I drank a bottle of the 2001, and it was holding on nicely, showing suave flavors of dried red fruits, cassis, and smoked meat.” Garnacha is the Spanish name for Grenache, the varietal that forms the backbone of Chateauneuf-du-Pape and most other southern Rhône reds.  

Bodegas Y Vinedos Maurodos “Prima,” Toro (Spain), 2005 ($20.99) - This is the new vintage of a wonderful Spanish wine from the Toro district. This obscure part of Spain produces some superb wines. Prima is a big, highly extracted wine that is soft, spicy, and very appealing. It is made from 100% Tinta de Toro (Tempranillo) and was aged 11 months in French and American oak. Both Robert Parker and Stephen Tanzer rated this wine 90 points. Tanzer: “Spicy cherry and dark chocolate aromas are underscored by minerals and orange zest. Sweet raspberry and kirsch flavors are impressively pure and deep... Gains sweetness on the long, spicy finish. This outstanding value offers the complexity of wines costing much more.”  We still have some of the 2004 at the same price - Robert Parker: 90 “The 2004 Prima is 100% Tinto Fino (Tempranillo) aged 11 months in French and American oak and bottled unfiltered. It reveals notes of cedar, pencil lead, black currant, and blackberry liqueur. Medium to full-bodied, the wine’s personality is fruit-filled and flavorful. It has fine depth and concentration, and the tannin is ripe. This strong effort will evolve for 2-4 years and drink well through 2017. It is an outstanding value.”

Falset Márça Old Vines, 2003 ($19.99) - Certain wines make you step back and say, “Wow!” This is one of them. From the hills of Montsant, Spain, which is very close to Priorat, this big, delicious blend of 85% Garnacha (Grenache) and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon is fabulous and a real value. The grapes were grown on a vineyard with an 11% slope, which is difficult for the workers, but great for the quality of the wine. The excellent drainage and very poor soil ensures low yields. Jordi Alonso was the winemaker for this 1200-case cuvée. Stephen Tanzer 90 “Inky ruby. Deep, powerful, and exotic on the nose, with intense cola, licorice, cherry liqueur, and oak spice aromas; this smells like a serious, big-bucks wine. Suave, silky, and lush, the cherry and dark berry flavors show great intensity and sweetness and are given focus and support by fine-grained tannins. Pliant and sweet through the strikingly pure, bright, long finish. A superb bargain.”

Earth 2.0 Reserva, Navarra, 2003 ($23.99) – The Navarra district in north-east Spain wraps around the eastern and southern part of Rioja, and it frequently offers better value than its famous neighbor. This blend of 50% Tempranillo and 50% Merlot comes from an organically certified vineyard that has seen no herbicides or artificial fertilizers for three years. After a warm, eight-day fermentation in stainless steel, the wine is transferred to oak barrels for 18 months of aging. The extensive oak aging shows in the wine. Deep cherry color pairs with complex toasted oak aromas and ripe, dark fruit with spices. It is a smooth but powerful wine with lingering but soft tannins. This attractive, modern-style wine is excellent with steaks and roasts.

El Coto Rioja Reserva "Coto de Imaz," 2001 ($23.99) - We’ve carried the El Coto Rioja Crianza since it was our Wine of the Month in 2005, but this is the first time we’ve carried the Reserva. Made from selected Tempranillo grapes from El Coto’s vineyard in Rioja Alta (the Crianza also uses grapes purchased from growers in Rioja Alavesa). It was given a long maceration with the skins and after which it was aged 18 months in American oak barrels. It was further aged for 24 months in the bottle before release. This is just a beautiful example of a traditional Rioja. Soft, oaky, elegant, and very refined, it is a supple, pleasurable, medium-flavored wine. El Coto was founded in 1970 and has grown dramatically since then. The Reserva is named for the estate surrounding the medieval fortress pictured on the label. Monks cultivated vineyards surrounding the Fortress of Imaz as early as the 16^th century.

Martinez La Orbe Rioja, 2002 ($22.99) - This is the replacement for the stunning 2001 vintage. From a clearly more challenging vintage, it none-the-less is a very successful wine with plenty of flavor and finesse. Parker 87: “The 2002 La Orbe spends 12 months in French and American oak, exhibits leathery, spicy, graphite characteristics along with sweet cherry and black cherry fruit infused with toasty vanilla. It is best consumed 2005-08”

Condada de Haza, Ribera del Duero, 2002 ($22.99) - This is a terrific replacement for the 1995 and 1996 vintages. This is a new property of Alejandro Fernandez, the owner of Pesquera. Rich, chocolatey and moderately oaked this is good stuff! Delicious now, but seems to have the stuffing to last a few years. Recent vintages have all received Wine Spectator 92!! ratings.

Venta del Puerto Noiz Selección Especial, 2005 ($24.99) - We have often focused on the inexpensive wines of Spain (four monthly selections over the last year have been Spanish), but many excellent values are also being made in the middle price range. Wine making in Valencia predates the Romans, but the region was thought to be too hot for top quality. Recently there has been a dramatic improvement in the best of the local wines. This blend of Cabernet, Merlot, Tempranillo, and Syrah from low-yield, head-trained vines shows the wood influence from 10 months in American oak, but it has vibrant and balanced fruit. It comes from Bodega la Viña de Font de la Figuera, a cooperative that dates to 1944. With vineyards totaling over 5000 acres, it produces wines that range from basic, everyday plonk to this superb Selección Especial.

Los 800, 2003 ($24.99) - Here is another Spanish wine that offers tremendous value. Compare this to a $40 California Cabernet! The name of this Priorat wine derives from the fact that all the vines are planted at an altitude of at least 800 meters. Aged for six months in a combination of French and American oak, this blend of 50% Grenache, 30% Carignane, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 10% Syrah is not a huge wine. But there is good depth of fruit, the balance is superb, and it components are beautifully integrated. Stephen Tanzer: 90 “Bright red. Fresh raspberries and candied cherry on the nose plus a jolt of minerals adding energy. Crisp, nervy red berry flavors are underscored by zesty minerality and gain sweetness on the finish. Very fresh and elegant, especially for the price.”

López de Heredia Viña Bosconia Rioja Reserva, 1996 ($44.99) -You may have noticed Eric Asimov’s article in the New York Times about traditional Riojas (www.nytimes.com/2009/08/12/dining/12pour.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=lopez&st=cse). Much of the article was devoted to Lopez de Heredia. I visited this amazing winery in 2003 and was blown away by the cobwebs and the fact that Lopez doesn’t release any of their wines until they are at least six years old. Many cuvées are held back until they are even older. Little about López de Heredia has changed in the 125 years since its founding. The family adheres to the tradition begun in the 1880’s - to make wine only from their own vineyards, using natural yeasts, long aging in wood, and no filtration at bottling. Most of its competitors are now owned by outside investors, but López de Heredia is owned and operated by the family who founded it. The bodega is now in the capable hands of the family’s youngest generation, Maria José, Mercedes, and Julio Cèsar.
        López de Heredia’s greatest wines are their two red Gran Reservas - Viña Tondonia and Viña Bosconia - aged 6 to 8 years in immaculate old barrels which mellows the fruit, allows for natural clarification, and gives the wines great complexity. Tondonia, Gravonia, and Bosconia are single-vineyard sites where López grows all its fruit. The reds are a blend of 75% Tempranillo, 15% Garnacha (Grenache), with some Manzuela and Graciano. Backbone and alcohol are provided by Tempranillo and Garnacha, respectively. The acidity and color come from the Graciano, which is high-yielding, and Manzuela, which has a very long ripening cycle. Neither reach full maturity thus providing the acidity for which López is famous.
         Most of their wines are very expensive, so it is a pleasure to offer one that is affordably priced. Stephen Tanzer: 91 “Moderately saturated medium red. Aromas of cherry syrup and charry oak. Ripe but dry with a lush, dense texture and intriguing flavors of strawberry, cherry, and minerals. A really seamless and mellow Rioja, finishing with soft tannins and lovely ripe, but firmly dry, red fruit flavors.” If you haven’t tasted traditional style Rioja - no chemicals, no pesticides, no chaptalization, no machines, only hand-harvesting, hand-racking with oak funnels, 4 barrel-makers on staff, etc., etc. - López should be at the top of your list.Viña Cubillo Crianza, 2003 ($27.99) - The least well known of Lopez’s four vineyards, Viña Cubillo wines are generally released as Crianzas whereas the other red wines are typically Reservas and Gran Reservas. Lopez chose not to label this wine "Gran Reserva" even though it meets the legal minimum of two years in barrel and three additional years in bottle at the bodega. The 2003 vintage was difficult because the record heat and drought caused most vines to shut down for self preservation without fully ripening the grapes. The old vines of Cubillo were able to draw enough moisture from deep underground to avoid this problem. When rain finally fell in September, the vines were in good shape and were able to finish ripening. The harvest, between September 14th and October 23rd, was one of the longest harvests in the bodega’s history. This unfiltered blend of 65% Tempranillo, 25% Garnacha, and the remainder Mazuelo and Graciano was aged three years in wood (the legal minimum for Crianza is only 12 months). It is dramatically rich for Lopez and is capable of aging at least another eight years.
Viña Tondonia Gran Reserva, 1987 ($99.99), Viña Tondonia Gran Reserva, 1985 ($124.99), and Viña Bosconia Gran Reserva, 1981 ($124.99) - These are world-class wines that every serious wine lover should experience at least once in his or her life. The Bosconia was aged for six years in barrel; the Tondonia wines saw eight years of barrel aging! Complex, refined, and fully mature, these wines will remain at their plateau for many years.

Bodegas Tritium Tempranillo, Rioja, 2003 ($36.99) - Robert Parker: 91 “The delicious 2003 Tritium, 100% Tempranillo, was bottled for the importer by Vinicola de Alcanadre, a cooperative. It is medium to dark ruby in color with aromatics that just won’t quit. Spicy red and black fruits with hints of cedar and smoke are followed by an elegant, medium bodied wine with a velvety texture and intense, lingering flavors. Close your eyes and you might think you were drinking great Burgundy.” Montegrossi Chianti Classico Riserva San Marcellino, 2003 ($49.99 net) - Robert Parker: 91 “The 2003 Chianti Classico Riserva San Marcellino (100% Sangiovese) saw 18 months in small oak barrels. It represents a sweeter, fatter interpretation of Chianti Classico in super-ripe dark fruit, chocolate, and toasted oak nuances, with excellent length and fine overall balance. It should drink well for another decade and will show its best if opened a few hours prior to serving. Anticipated maturity: 2007-2017.”

San Vicente, Rioja, 1999 ($44.99) -  One of Rioja’s perennial winners, San Vicente makes wines that are Pomerol-like, but with more intensity. It is made from 100% Tempranillo, spends 20 months in new American and French oak, and is bottled unfiltered. This 1999 is developing nicely, but it’s already plump and seductive. Parker: 92 “The dense, hedonistic, jammy 1999 boasts loads of fruit and glycerin, as well as additional ripeness, volume, fat, and depth. Displaying the same black currant, jammy cherry fruit, and copious toasty new oak characteristics, it will provide enjoyment during its first decade of life.” I would age this another year or two.