Our selection criteria include:

• A very good Quality rating of >=3.5 stars (out of 5)
• A price tag of <=$15
• Must be widely available

Campo Viejo was founded in 1959 by two winemakers from La Rioja, Beristain and Ortigüela. After 50 years, Campo Viejo is still going strong, producing accessible and approachable wines in Rioja. In 2001, Campo Viejo built a new state-of-the-art winery.

“We designed the winery ageing room in dark colors with indirect light, prioritizing a dark, restful atmosphere. I wanted to imprint this character on Campo Viejo Crianza and elaborate a wine which can be defined in two words: velvety and elegant.” –Elena Adell, Campo Viejo Winemaker

2010 Campo Viejo Rioja Tempranillo (Rioja, Spain): Deep red in color. Aromatic with molasses, cedar, and herbaceous notes on the nose. More molasses and cedar as well as blackberry and cherry cola come through on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity, medium to high tannins, and a long finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $10; Available elsewhere, $9 to $12

A Wine for Tonight: 2010 Campo Viejo Rioja Tempranillo was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

Today, I’m going to expand my wine bucket list to include special wine regions around the world that we’ve not yet visited but want very much to visit. We’ve been fortunate enough to have the opportunity to not only visit all of the major U.S. wine regions multiple times, but also take trips to the Bordeaux region of France, all of the major wine regions of Australia, the Marlborough region of New Zealand, all of the major wine areas of South Africa, and both the British Columbia and Niagara-on-the-Lake regions of Canada.

Now, our goal is to visit the following wine regions that have a special interest for us:

• Northern and Southern Rhône in France
• Champagne region of France
• Tuscany and Piedmont areas of Italy
• Douro Valley and the Port lodges of Portugal
• Argentina and Chile in South America
• Rioja region of Spain
• Mosel region of Germany

Hopefully, we can work our way through this wine travel bucket list over the next ten years, and then start working on our next list. If you believe that there’s a wine region that we should definitely add to our current list, please let me know (and if you’d like to sponsor a trip to your favorite area we just might be able to move it up the list). As we make some of these bucket list trips, we’ll report on our travels and recommend to you the ones that meet or exceed our expectations.

Cheers!

(Photo by Megan Mallen)

My Wine Bucket List—Expanded was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

Our selection criteria include:

• A very good Quality rating of >=3.5 stars (out of 5)
• A price tag of <=$15
• Must be widely available

Tapeña Wines, produced by the Ferrer family in Spain, are fresh and fruit-forward. Made to pair well with tapas (small plates), Tapeña wines feature a distinctive fork on the label. At every taberna in Spain, tapas are served communal style—each person armed with a glass of wine and a fork. Perhaps best known as the owners of Freixenet, the popular sparkling wine, the Ferrer family operates over 11 wineries in Spain. Gabriel Suberviola joined Freixenet in 1980 and has risen to become head winemaker for several of the Ferrers’ wineries.

“Opening with powerful violet-red hues, this wine has a tremendous concentration of ripe cherries and juicy candied fruits. The palate is intense in rich, ripe, dark fruits balanced by soft tannins and a lovely spicy mouthfeel. It is well structured, soft but lively, ending with a lingering velvety finish.” –Tapeña Wines

2010 Tapeña Garnacha (Spain): 100% Garnacha (Grenache). Medium ruby red in color. Aromatic with black cherry and a touch of barnyard on the nose. Fruit-forward with cherry, licorice, and earth on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity, medium tannins, and a long finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $10; Available elsewhere, $7

A Wine for Tonight: 2010 Tapeña Garnacha was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

Our selection criteria include:

• A very good Quality rating of >=3.5 stars (out of 5)
• A price tag of <=$15
• Must be widely available

Spartico is produced by Bodegas Iranzo, Spain’s oldest estate bottled winery, by winemaker Francisco Galbardón. Bodegas Iranzo is located in the D.O. Utiel-Requena region, the second largest winegrowing region in Spain. Spartico Tempranillo is the first USDA Certified Organic No Sulfites Added (NSA) wine from Spain available for nationwide distribution. It is made from 100% USDA certified organic Tempranillo grapes, without the addition of any sulfites during production. It is available through Whole Foods nationwide and other fine wine retailers across the country.

“On the nose it shows a good intensity where there are marked tones of young red fruits. In mouth the wine shows balance and a good noticeable acidity that makes the wine appear very clean and fresh.” –Bodegas Iranzo

NV Spartico Organic Tempranillo (D.O. Utiel-Requena, Spain): Deep purplish red. Nose is a bit tight at first and then some red fruit and earthy aromas emerge. Red fruit, earth, and leather come through on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with crisp acidity, medium tannins, and a long finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $11.99; Available elsewhere, $10 to $12

A Wine for Tonight: NV Spartico Organic Tempranillo was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

For this month’s challenging wine pairing, I decided to prepare hot dogs and some complementary side dishes beyond the usual choices of chips and baked beans. We enjoyed a meal of hot dogs with mustard and relish condiments, green bean salad, hominy salad, and almond crunch bars for dessert. It was delicious, if I may say so myself!

I truly believe that there is a wine to pair with every food, even hot dogs. And, my trusty guide for pairing food and wine, What to Drink with What You Eat by Andrew Dornenburg and Karen Page, came through once again with recommendations. We selected the 2009 Dr. Loosen Riesling Kabinett Blue Slate and the 2010 Conde de Valdemar Rosado. Both wines were very good; however, the Riesling was the consensus favorite both for sipping and with the meal. However, the rosé paired really well with the dessert; it really brought out the toasty and salty notes in the almond crunch bars. On a side note, if you like chili on your hot dogs, you might consider a red wine such as Zinfandel.

We’d love for you to share in the comments what you would have paired with this meal. And, as always, we welcome your suggestions for challenging wine pairings for us to try in the future.

Bon Appétit!

2009 Dr. Loosen Riesling Kabinett Blue Slate (Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, Germany): Pale to medium greenish yellow. Aromatic with minerality, pear, and white peach on the nose. White peach, Granny Smith apple, and mandarin orange come through on the palate. Off-dry to medium sweet and medium-bodied with crisp acidity. Well-balanced with good mouthfeel and a long finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Esquin Wine Merchants (Seattle, Washington), $17.99; Available elsewhere, $15 to $25

2010 Bodegas Valdemar Conde de Valdemar Rosado (Rioja, Spain): 85% Garnacha and 15% Tempranillo. Hot pink in color. Nice nose with cherry, raspberry, and strawberry aromas. Reminds me of Ocean Spray cran-raspberry on the palate. Dry and medium-bodied with lively acidity and a long finish. Gets better the longer its open.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Esquin Wine Merchants (Seattle, Washington), $9.99; Available elsewhere, $5 to $13

Challenging Wine Pairing: Hot Dogs was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

Our selection criteria include:

• A very good Quality rating of >=3.5 stars (out of 5)
• A price tag of <=$15
• Must be widely available

Bodegas San Alejandro, founded in 1962, is located in Miedes, Spain. It is a cooperative comprised of 350 associates. Their Las Rocas range of wines was first released in 2003 and was specifically produced to appeal to the American market. This Las Rocas Garnacha has been a consistent favorite of ours through the years and delivers serious bang for your buck.

“Deep ruby colored with a gorgeous nose. Attractive aromas of kirsch, raspberries, pepper and melted liquorice. Full flavored wine with a supple texture and no hard edges. Medium to full bodied, fruit driven sumptuously-textured and long aftertaste.” –Bodegas San Alejandro

2008 Las Rocas de San Alejandro Garnacha (Calatayud, Spain): Deep ruby red. Gorgeous nose with strawberry, cherry, and dusty notes. Loads of red cherry, dust, spice, and a hint of earth on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity and medium tannins. Well-balanced and smooth with good complexity and a long, lingering finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Wine World Warehouse (Seattle, Washington), $12; Available elsewhere, $9 to $14

A Wine for Tonight: 2008 Las Rocas de San Alejandro Garnacha was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

Our selection criteria include:

• A very good Quality rating of >=3.5 stars (out of 5)
• A price tag of <=$15
• Must be widely available

Bodegas Ateca, founded in 2005, is one of the wineries in the Oro Wines group. Located in the Calatayud DO in Spain, Bodegas Ateca is technically managed by the Australian enologist Sarah Morris who is assisted by winemaker Iwo Jakimowicz. The vineyard is mainly made up of small parcels of old vine Garnacha (Grenache).

“It is ripe cherry. It has an intense nose with predominance of red ripe fruits (raspberry, currant), balsamic sensations and mineral aromas. It is a fruity wine, very fresh and easy to drink that gives the pleasant sensation of savoring a fruity candy.” –Bodegas Ateca

2009 Bodegas Ateca Garnacha de Fuego Old Vines (Calatayud, Spain): Medium-deep ruby red. Aromatic with sour cherry and strawberry on the nose. More cherry and a hint of spice come through on the palate. Medium-bodied and smooth with soft tannins. Well-balanced with a long finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Fred Meyer (Seattle, Washington), $7.99; Available elsewhere, $6 to $13

A Wine for Tonight: 2009 Bodegas Ateca Garnacha de Fuego Old Vines was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

Recently, our tasting group met and explored Spanish Garnacha. Many believe that Grenache is indigenous to Spain where it is called Garnacha, but some contend that the Spanish took the vine from Sardinia during their occupation of the island. Sardinia claims the grape as its own, where it is called yet another name, Cannonau. Grenache/Garnacha is primarily a blending grape, but in recent years, more and more winemakers are producing it as a single varietal wine. Today, it is the third most widely planted red grape variety in Spain and is used to produce both varietal wines and blends. Grenache/Garnacha wines tend to be relatively high in alcohol and offer strawberry, cherry, and perfumed notes. The variety itself typically produces low tannins, low acid wines with moderate amounts of pigment. But low yields can produce dark, rich, spicy reds. We tasted eight bottles of Spanish Garnacha, and the consensus favorite was the 2009 Bodegas Zabrin Ateca Garnacha de Fuego Old Vines. Retailing for only $7.99, it delivers serious bang for your buck. In fact, you could buy a case of the Garnacha de Fuego (the consensus favorite) for the price of one bottle of the Espectacle del Montsant (which finished last in the tasting and is not recommended). A perfect example that price is not always indicative of quality.

As you’ll notice in the tasting notes below, we had duplicates of two of the wines, the Las Rocas and the Tres Picos. While the rankings were close on the Tres Picos and we found them to be very similar, the Las Rocas, while also noticeably similar, varied a bit more. Once again, just one of the many things that keeps the world of wine interesting.

From 1st to last in the group consensus rankings:

2009 Bodegas Zabrin Ateca Garnacha de Fuego Old Vines (Calatayud, Spain): Medium-deep ruby red. Aromatic with sour cherry and strawberry on the nose. More cherry and a hint of spice come through on the palate. Medium-bodied and smooth with soft tannins. Well-balanced with a long finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Fred Meyer (Seattle, Washington), $7.99; Available elsewhere, $6 to $13

2008 Las Rocas de San Alejandro Garnacha (Calatayud, Spain): Deep ruby red. Gorgeous nose with strawberry, cherry, and dusty notes. Loads of red cherry, dust, spice, and a hint of earth on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity and medium tannins. Well-balanced and smooth with good complexity and a long, lingering finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Wine World Warehouse (Seattle, Washington), $12; Available elsewhere, $9 to $14

2008 Bodegas Alto Moncayo Veraton Garnacha (Campo de Borja, Spain): Deep red in color. Aromatic with dark red fruits, earth, and a bit of funk on the nose. More red fruits as well as spice and black pepper come through on the palate. Medium to full-bodied and lively with medium to high, drying tannins. Well-balanced with a long finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Esquin Wine Merchants (Seattle, Washington), $28.99; Available elsewhere, $22 to $42

2008 Las Rocas de San Alejandro Garnacha (Calatayud, Spain): Deep ruby red. Nice nose with red fruits, earth, and floral notes. Red fruits, earth, dust, and floral notes on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity and medium to high tannins and a long finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Fred Meyer (Seattle, Washington), $11.79; Available elsewhere, $9 to $14

2006 Clos Figueras Priorat (Priorat, Spain): Deep purplish ruby red. Aromatic with Red Vines and prunes on the nose; more prunes and stewed plums on the palate. Medium-bodied and smooth with medium tannins. Very ripe and a bit hot with a medium to long finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 1 bang for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Full Pull Wines (Seattle, Washington), $50; Available elsewhere, $68 to $83

2009 Borsao Tres Picos Garnacha (Campo de Borja, Spain): Medium-deep ruby red in color. Aromatic with perfume, dust, and rubber on the nose that lead to flavors of dust, earth, and sour cherry. Medium to full-bodied and lively with medium to high tannins and a long finish.
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 1 bang for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Whole Foods (Seattle, Washington), $16; Available elsewhere, $7 to $17

2009 Borsao Tres Picos Garnacha (Campo de Borja, Spain): Medium-deep ruby red in color. Aromatic with red berries and floral notes on the nose that lead to more red berries, earth, and oak on the palate. Medium to full-bodied and lively with medium to high tannins and a long finish.
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 2 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Fred Meyer (Seattle, Washington), $13.49; Available elsewhere, $7 to $17

2007 Espectacle del Montsant Garnacha (Montsant, Spain): Medium-deep ruby red. Sour cherry Jolly Rancher, strawberry, and dust on the nose; rough, dry, and dusty on the palate. Medium-bodied with lively acidity, hard tannins, and a very bitter, unpleasant finish.
Quality: 2.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: NR (not recommended)
Where to buy: J.J. Buckley (California), $108.99; Available elsewhere, $100 to $125

Tasting Group: Spanish Garnacha was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

Our selection criteria include:

• A very good Quality rating of >=3.5 stars (out of 5)
• A price tag of <=$15
• Must be widely available

Bodegas San Alejandro, founded in 1962, is located in Miedes, Spain. It is a cooperative comprised of 350 associates. Their Las Rocas range of wines was first released in 2003 and was specifically produced to appeal to the American market. This Las Rocas Garnacha has been a consistent favorite of ours through the years and delivers serious bang for your buck.

“Deep ruby colored with a gorgeous nose. Attractive aromas of kirsch, raspberries, pepper and melted liquorice. Full flavored wine with a supple texture and no hard edges. Medium to full bodied, fruit driven sumptuously-textured and long aftertaste.” –Bodegas San Alejandro

2007 Las Rocas de San Alejandro Garnacha (D.O. Calatayud, Spain): 100% Grenache. Medium deep ruby red in color. Very aromatic with road tar, earth, and spice on the nose. Loads of red fruits and spice come through on the palate. Medium-bodied with crisp acidity, medium drying tannins, and a long finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Fred Meyer (Seattle, Washington), $11.79; Available elsewhere, $7 to $14

A Wine for Tonight: 2007 Las Rocas de San Alejandro Garnacha was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

Our selection criteria include:

• A very good Quality rating of >=3.5 stars (out of 5)
• A price tag of <=$15
• Must be widely available

Bodegas LAN, founded in 1972, is named after the initials of the three provinces in the Rioja region of Spain: Logroño (now La Rioja), Álava, and Navarra. Rioja, located in north-central Spain, is probably the most well-known wine region in Spain. Red wines from Rioja are typically Tempranillo-based. Red wines labeled Crianza have been aged a mininum of 24 months of which 6 months were spent in oak.

“Brilliant red cherry with violet hues. Elegant aging aromas with fruity notes. It develops a good balance at the palate coming from the sweet and elegant tannins.” –Bodegas LAN

2006 LAN Rioja Crianza (Rioja, Spain): 100% Tempranillo. Medium to deep, ruby red in color. Very aromatic with red fruits and earth on the nose; red fruits, particularly cranberry, dusty notes, and spice come through on the palate. Medium-bodied with crisp acidity, medium drying tannins, and a long finish. Gets better the longer it is open.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Fred Meyer (Seattle, Washington), $10.49; Available elsewhere, $9 to $15

A Wine for Tonight: 2006 LAN Rioja Crianza was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.