Spanish Wine Under $10

Harkening back to the elegant style of the 2001, 2004, and 2006 vintages, the 2008 Banda Azul opens with a rich perfume of dark cherries and vanilla; on the palate, the authoritative Tempranillo fruit is well-seasoned by notes of spicy vanilla oak from aging in new barrels. Although fully ready to  enjoy now, this wine offers a significant aging potential of 3 to 9 years.

Although Tempranillo is the workhorse grape of Rioja, it has proved quite successful in other regions of Spain, including nearby La Mancha, perhaps better known as the home turf of the wayward knight, Don Quixote. Although Tempranillo typically produces a lighter style of wine in Rioja, in the warmer La Mancha region it takes on added intensity and ripeness. Made in a friendly, fruit-forward style, without any wood notes to mask the fruit, this bouncy Spanish red offers lots of spicy Tempranillo fruit, supported by light, crisp tannins on the finish. Great with BBQ, or serve lightly chilled as an aperitif.