This was a random Trader Joe’s find for me, and while I love the random cheap wines I can find at TJ’s, they make it really damn difficult to pass them on to people who don’t have one near them. This is because Trader Joe’s has some crazy, backdoor tactic when it comes to getting their hands on the wines they sell. They source them direct, I believe, and so the only way to get them is to head to one of their stores. Damn your smart business tactics Trader Joe’s!

I’ll say this for the wine: Kick-ass label. Nothing works better on a bottle of wine than a fat, floating pig.

Color

Light and filtered, just as a Tempranillo should look. Nothing too hefty.

Nose

Frozen cherries, black licorice, tree bark. Cold, empty room with a gurney. Don’t ask me what that means, but it’s what came to mind and what I wrote down immediately. It must be the writer in me. Something in the nose of this wine just evoked “empty” and “hospital”. Boy, I’m really giving the hard sell on this wine, aren’t I?

Taste

BOOM licorice! Really heavy anise flavors stand out completely. Tart cherry, the tree bark again, and a really nice third course of dirty cocoa. Not chocolate; cocoa. Decent structure, but not as good as other Tempranillos I’ve had (but please, this was $6) and even some California Tempranillos. The finish is quick and doesn’t really leave any money on the dresser.

With Food

Great as a standalone, but could work wonders with pizza or some cured meats. Won’t hold up to barbecue or red sauces. Also, strangely enough, this would work with some grilled, spicy fish. Add some red pepper and some lime and you’re set. Paella, too.

Where to Buy

$6 at Trader Joe’s, baby.

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Rioja is one of, if not the, principal wine making region in Spain. They make a huge variety of wines, from reds to whites to roses. Their flagship “Spanish Galleon” grape is the deliciously lively Tempranillo, which is growing in popularity in California these days. Rioja wines are always worth checking out, not only for their amazing range of flavors, but for their quality and always-low prices.

Color

Ruby red, with a nice velvety look to it. It actually looks like it tastes delicious.

Nose

Full and stiff. This smells like the tobacco I buy for my father every year. Dark, moist, sweet, with bits of vanilla and gummy colas. Very, very appetizing.

Taste

The nose came through here, with everything and more being matched on the palate. The wine is chewy and delicious, leaving your mouth watering. Being 8 years old also helps. The flavors mingle very well, with the cola-soaked wood and tobacco coming through, and the vanilla wiping out the obvious heat from the alcohol, leaving you to smack your lips. The tannins are balanced with the fruit and elements so they never turn your tongue into a saddle. The last thing that must be noted is the finish, which goes on and on and on. This should definitely be savored.

With Food

Thanks to the spicy yet jumpy flavors, this would work well with gamey meats cooked any way you like. Not really a cheese and fruit wine, but do what you like. A perfect dish might be buffalo steaks with some sort of peppercorn sauce.

Only $14.98 at Wine Library, so jump on it while you can!

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A Spanish Table Wine consisting of 45% Monastrell, 25% Tempranillo, and finished off by Syrah, Garnacha, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon.

Color

Deep and inky. Looks delicious and rather heady for a table wine. Very intense.

Nose

The intensity continues on the nose and blasts you with a strange concoction of smells. Heavy, heavy smoke, Maine blueberries, and spiced wood. This is no ordinary table wine.

Taste

The smoke is very present still in the flavor. Aged six months in French and American oak, the wine gives off a bit too much wood. However, the layers are balanced and very very ripe. Blackberry cobbler and rich stewed cherries. The finish is long and clean with the acid lasting all the way. Basically, the wine totally overdoes it.

With Food

Red sauce, lamb, beef, ostrich, the usual suspects. Also, for a table wine, it would work on it’s own as a tasty party wine. This wine goes on forever.

$8.99 at WineLibrary.com!

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Altos De Luzon Jumilla

From a region about 200 miles south of Madrid (that’s Spain), comes the Altos De Luzon Jumilla red wine. This table wine is a blend of three varietals: Monastrell, Cabernet Sauvignon and Tempranillo (Spain’s flagship grape).

Spain is hot, and in many regions (particularly the wine-growing ones), the soil is chalky and unforgiving for grape vines. What this means is that vines need to struggle and fight all of their lives to produce fruit, and they don’t produce much of it. What they do produce, however, is more powerful, concentrated and flavorful.

Translation: Struggling Vine = Better Wine.

Bad News First

Nada. Unless, of course, you like your reds on the unfocused and hollow side.

Good News

Color: Dark, dark purple. Squid ink with some clouds. The concentration of flavors is definitely evident in the color. Keep away from light carpeting at all costs

Nose: Deep dark fruits: Raisins, prunes, dark stewed cherries with a bit of cinnamon and some clove.

Flavor: Cassis has arrived! This is a flavor we have not mentioned much (mostly because it rarely comes to mind). Cassis is basically blackcurrant, but with a bit more concentration of flavor and a touch of alcohol thrown in. The prunes have turned back to plums but the raisins remain. The tannins are firm but not pronounced, making the finish on this wine absolutely delectable. The spice is back as well, along with some toast and vanilla oak from the French and American barrels.

This wine was made with extreme skill and care.

With Food

Strong red foods and stinky cheeses. Paella would work well, as would a delicious rack of lamb. Pair it as you would a stiff Cabernet.

$11.99 at WineLibrary.com!

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Spanish No. 1

Our first Spanish wine ever here at Wine Welfare, and what a deal from the BevMo 5¢ Wine Sale! We are still not sure how long this thing is going on for, but who cares? Just grab as many bottles as you can while it lasts! Now let’s get into the Hoya de Cadenas Tempranillo.

Good News: The nose on this wine is weak, despite its age. Faint raspberry and a touch of cedar. Think morning in the woods, but with a stuffy nose. The wine tastes weak structurally, but the flavors are there: Blackberry, smoke and a bit more of that raspberry. Spanish Tempranillos are not known for being huge, in-your-face reds, but rather they are more subtle and understated. That said, this one lacks even a tap, much less a punch. You might want to give it an hour or two out of the bottle to let it thicken up.

With Food: While it is a red and most reds, by and large, can handle BBQ, we would not recommend pitting this one against your grilled steaks. Try grilled chicken or even Ahi tuna. Not a wine for cheese or fruit either. If you aren’t grilling (which we don’t understand given that it’s summer time) then just enjoy it alone.

$13.04 for 2 bottles at the BevMo 5¢ Wine Sale!

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