05 Protocolo Tempranillo
$9.99
More proof that some of the best deals in wine today are coming out of Spain. Weighing in under $10, this 100% tempranillo (A native grape used in nearly all of Spain’s great wines) is tough to beat when it comes to affordable reds. What’s it got going for it? A brief stint in middle-aged American oak, selection by the famed Spanish wine importer Jorge Ordonez, and origins in La Mancha (think Don Quixote), a region from where many of the country’s top bargains are coming. But how does it taste? Well, it’s garnet in color, smells of black cherries, and is smooth, fruity but dry, and relatively low in acidity. It makes a great summer table wine, but is just as good year round with tomato-based pasta, paella, and light chicken dishes. At this price, you won’t feel so bad about cooking with it, or turning a bottle into Sangria, one of Spain’s other native treats. All I can really say about this wine is that its success is, well…quixotic.