It’s become increasingly hard for me to find wines under $10 that I enjoy…even as "summer sippers" on a hot day. With that in mind, I was thrilled when Michelle suggested that her edition of Wine Blogging Wednesday focus on Spanish wines that cost less than $10.
But where to begin? Should I look for a cheap Rioja or some other Tempranillo-based wine? Maybe a Cava? Nah. Given the heatwave we’ve been having here on Long Island, something white and refreshing seemed the way to go (not that Cava isn’t refreshing mind you).
I wanted to explore Albarino a bit more. I’ve had a few decent ones for around $13 and I’ve also come across a few clunkers at the same price point. What would I find under $10?
Do Zoe 2006 Albarino is what I found…and it was on sale for $8. When we’re talking bargains, it’s always fun to push the price limit a bit, no?
Made 100% from Albarino, this wine has a nice, light lemony yellow look to it (not that I really care what wines look like most of the time) and is quite aromatic, offering ripe peach and pear aromas with hints of lime and a little salty-minerality. (Nena noted a buttered popcorn note on the nose, but I couldn’t pick it out.)
On the palate, it has a nice burst of fruit up front–mostly stone fruit. And the finish was nice and clean with some wet stone and lime flavors and plenty of acidity. But the mid-palate was a bit of a downer, making the wine just a little hollow. The slight hollowness aside, I really like this wine at this price point. It’s just a little juicy but balanced from start to finish, with medium body, nice acidity and fresh flavors. And, if that mid-palate were a little more flavorful–it’s a little watery actually–this would be a stunner for $8.
Thanks once again to Michelle for suggesting the theme and to everyone who participated in this month’s WBW. I’ve heard rumors that some regulars bailed because they didn’t want to drink cheap wines like these. I hope that is just a rumor and nothing more. That’s just silly and you’re missing out.
Keep an eye out for my post announcing Wine Blogging Wednesday #36. I’m taking the hosting reins for the third anniversary event…and we’ve got a couple fun things up our sleeves.