Hit me with Spanish Red values

[lleichtman]

@M.Kaplan

@Ron Erickson

Permanently ruined. I can not even glance after the days of Sierra Carche dog show.

Sierra Carche is great wine. As I recall, one of the fat guys at the Wine Advocate drank some while taking an all expenses paid hot air balloon trip with Pancho Campo, 3 hookers, an entire Cinco Jotas jamon iberico de bellota, and an ounce of blow, or stumbling haphazardly with the bulls in Pamplona with Pancho Campo and a suitcase full of Euros he found abandoned after the bulls ran by. I forget which. Anyway, he loved the wine and gave it 103 points. I think they bottle it as El Nido now.

We need a plus button.
ROTFLMAO

[M_McCombs]

I will agree with black slate and Juan Gil.
Bodegas Atalaya La Atalaya Is another one I like. I would say black slate is more “refined” than the others. Gil and Atalaya are big wines with just enough acid for me. They aren’t overly complex but for $10-$17 I view them as good buys.

[Pat_Martin]

I’d add Mas Doix’s Salanques, quite excellent for ~$25 in a minerally/fruit-bomb style that Priorat does so well.

[Drew_Goin]

Mestizaje is a blend with Bobal, right? I remember enjoying that one.

[Drew_Goin]

I still have to press the Monastrell + Petit Verdot = Yum element

[M_A_T_T_H_A_R_T_L_E_Y]

+1,000,000 on Juan Gil and mas doix salanques

[I_van_de_Laar]

Bodegas Luis Cañas Rioja Reserva Selección de Familia - modern and fresher style Rioja. Prices around here in the Netherlands are about 13/14 euro’s. Tasted the 2009 last week and it is great!

[jnbrown]

So I went to one of my LWS intending to buy a cheap rioja.
The salesperson, a nice young woman, told me I should consider this amazing wine that was $29.95.
I think she said amazing about six times. She said if I wanted a cheap Rioja to get Hazana which was good for $12.
She seemed to know her stuff so I walked out with this:

Since I didn’t want to drink it that night I also got a bottle of Mas Oller (Syrah, Grenache, Cab) on her recommendation for $12.
Had it last night and tonight and was pretty nice for $12, took an hour or so to open up.

[Claus_Jeppesen]

@Chuck Anderson

For around the price of your cheap garnachas, I’ve enjoyed Riojas from Lopez de Haro (not Heredia, ah if only Tondonia were under fifteen bucks), crianzas and reserves. Pretty traditionally styled and great value. Hell, traditional Rioja at higher price points are also tremendous values for that matter, but that’s not what you’re asking.

Then again our palates may be polar opposites: I don’t enjoy either those cheap high-point garnachas nor the pricey Priorats.

But Cubillo is well under 20$ and delicious

[Drew_Goin]

@jnbrown

So I went to one of my LWS intending to buy a cheap rioja.
The salesperson, a nice young woman, told me I should consider this amazing wine that was $29.95.
I think she said amazing about six times. She said if I wanted a cheap Rioja to get Hazana which was good for $12.
She seemed to know her stuff so I walked out with this:
Since I didn’t want to drink it that night I also got a bottle of Mas Oller (Syrah, Grenache, Cab) on her recommendation for $12.
Had it last night and tonight and was pretty nice for $12, took an hour or so to open up.

+1 on the Faustino

[bob_parsons_alberta]

Another +1 for the Faustino.

[Jeff_Rosenberg]

2009 Bodegas Tobia ‘Oscar Tobia’ Reserva, Rioja. This stuff is an absolutely killer modern Rioja for <$20.

[Lee_Short]

Pardas Negra Franc
Abadia de Gomariz Ribiero Tinto
Frontan de Oro Gran Canaria
Joven de Cilos Ribera del Duero
Pecina Rioja Crianza

Seconding the LdH Cubillo – and most of the other Riojas mentioned here, for that matter.

[Drew_Goin]

The Carchelo Agapito Monastrell/Syrah Jumilla was THE first market gatecrasher for Spanish bargains in the International style. Oliveras, Gil, Solomon’s Cooperative efforts, and the other Yecla/Jumilla reds ($8-$20) all followed. It might not be the best, but it was the first.

[Drew_Goin]

Alicante region has some emerging talent…

[mattbillet]

A lot of good recommendations here. I think across the board in the under $100 a bottle universe that Spain is a terrific place for value. This is whether you are referring to Rioja, Priorat, Ribera Del Duero, Jumilla, or the white wine regions of Spain. Psi is good, Ramirez de la Piscina, and you can’t discount R Lopez Heredia Tondonia (whether we are talking Rose, White, or multiple levels of red). Monasterio is really good as well. I have seen Alto Moncayo do remarkably well in blind tastings. If you get an opportunity also check out any of the wines made by Raul Perez: they are absolutely fascinating. He makes some very unique Mencia varietal based wines! Yes, there are incredible wines from Spain in the $7-15 price range… but the QPR value ratio applies to many of their wines up to the $100 per bottle range.

[Mark_Sage]

I’m really high on Bodegas Atalaya Laya at $8/bottle right now. This really has no business being so good.

[RichardFlack]

For around the price of your cheap garnachas, I’ve enjoyed Riojas from Lopez de Haro (not Heredia, ah if only Tondonia were under fifteen bucks), crianzas and reserves. Pretty traditionally styled and great value. Hell, traditional Rioja at higher price points are also tremendous values for that matter, but that’s not what you’re asking.

Then again our palates may be polar opposites: I don’t enjoy either those cheap high-point garnachas nor the pricey Priorats.

Agree LdHaro is value at the low end.
But really most Rioja is good value as long as you match your style preference(s). And a goto for off the retail shelf for dinner tonight with the extra age on release.

And… there’s more to (bargain) Spain than Rioja, eg Yecla, eg Castano Hecula.

And Don’t forget white Rioja too!

[Scott_Brunson]

Necrothread!

So I’ll make sure Veleta is mentioned in 2021.
That reminds me that I need to PM Nola.

[David_Moore]

Lots of great suggestions! I’m always impressed with Alvaro Palacios “Petalos” Bierzo. Roughly $20.