Even after years of spending time in the wine country of northern Spain, I continue to visit Ribera del Duero and fall in love with it every time. This spring was a bit different as I took an unexpected road trip to Ribera del Duero with some very special wine experts. The wine universe put one of Spain’s top leading wine critics in my path: Mr. Andres Proesnsa. I consider him to be the Robert Parker of the Spanish wine world, and although some may argue this, he is no doubt an expert on Spanish wines.

My divine experience with Mr. Proesna was unforgettable… we broke bread together, enjoyed wine, and talked shop. Oh, did I mention the 50+ wines we tasted during an intense 2 hour period? I couldn’t have dreamt up anything better than this experience. Honestly speaking, I found it funny how, in the middle of our conversation, we both smiled at each other and saw nothing but purple…. You know life is good when you share purple lips and teeth.

I invite all Spanish wine lovers to read the electronic version of Mr. Proensa’s wine guide.

I just can’t contain myself when I find great “Every Day” wines for a bargain!

1. Category:  Vibrant
2. Wine Type:  Blend Tempranillo (80%), Granacha (5%), Mazuelo (5%) and Graciano
3. Country: Rioja, Spain
4. Price: $6.99
5. Notes:  Yet another find that has Rioja written all over it.  This blend called Antaño has plenty of character without the attitude.  You’ll find vibrant rich black cherry flavors finished with vanilla notes with every sip.   Can be enjoyed with pasta or chicken dish.  At $6.99 a bottle, I’m keeping a few in my stash.

Cheers to you Antonio Banderas!  Anta a10 is wonderful.

From the moment I could sniff the wine glass, I was impressed and my only thought was, “please don’t disappoint on the delivery”. Oh what a surprise! The wine delivered and had a long French oak finish. Full of character and flavor. I highly recommend the Anta a10 blend! I still need to try the others.

1. Category: Toasty
2. Wine Type:  Tempranillo
3. Country: Spain – Jumilla
4. Price: $15
5. Notes:  On a cold day in the Midwest, this particular bottle of Tempranillo is just comforting.  It has plenty of dark rip fruit flavors along with some hints of vanilla, but the comforting part comes with the nice touch of nutmeg and clove somewhere in between.  This 2004 vintage 2004 Crianza can keep me warm anytime!

January 4, 2010 Weekly Wine Pick –  Lagranja 2008

Lagranja 2008 -Tempranillo

1. Category:  Juicy
2. Wine Type:  Tempranillo
3. Country: Spain
4. Price: $3.99
5. Notes:  Don’t pay attention to the label!  This Tempranillo is going to impress you for the price – seriously a RECESSION proof wine.  This juicy wine goes down smoothly, has character, and ends even better than when it started …all for just $3.99 (Trader Joe’s) .  Does it get any better than this?