Bacchus
I can sum up spanish wines in one word: value. By value I don’t mean cheap wine, I mean getting a lot for what you pay for. It’s like watching a film by Pedro Almodóvar and walking out feeling like you’ve seen three films for the price of one. Or eating one paper thin slice of Jamón Serrano and having the satisfaction of feasting on the whole pig.
Spain unlike any other wine producing country in Europe, has emerged from a troubled past of inconsistent and archaic winemaking into a diverse source of good juice. There are many pioneers to thank for this transformation, including Alvaro Palacios, Miguel Torres, and of course Jorge Ordonez. Coupled with new wine regions popping up more often then Lindsey Lohan does in the news has led to the production of quite a bit of wine. More wine equals lower prices. This is not to say that Spain’s winemaking traditions have been lost, they have simply been improved. Long standing bodegas like Muga, Emilio Moro, and Vega Sicilia are still crafting beautiful wines that will age beautifully.
One region that is now producing a multitude of wines is Castile-La Mancha. Castile-La Mancha is the center of Spain, and the center of mass wine production. More wine equals more value and one of these values is Venta Morales Tempranillo. Vinified in stainless steel, this wine is fresh, but not light or too fruity. With dark berry notes, and rich color it has surprising amount structure and complexity for under 8 bucks.
