I enjoy the finer things in life just as much as the next guy, but lately I’ve been on a real bargain kick.  I’m really enjoying finding the greatest values, finding the most interesting wines for the cheapest price.  So far this year I’ve found quite a few.So what’s changed that’s helped me to find more of these incredible values?  I’ve made a simple change in the way I purchase wine:  I am not buying wines from the same old familiar producers and locations.  I am deliberately going outside of my comfort zone and it’s turned out to be very rewarding.

2011 Hazana “Tradicion” Rioja

85% Tempranillo, 15% Graciano

Aging: 6 months in 1 year old French and American oak

Alcohol: 12.95%

Price: Retails for $10-$15.  I purchased this wine from Costco for $9.99

I’m becoming a big fan of Tempranillo and especially the region of Rioja.  There are a ton of great values coming out of this area right now.

The Rioja region is actually quite impressive.  According to the all-knowing wikipedia the region has 14,000 vineyards covering 123,000 acres and over 150 wineries.  The region has a history of wine making dating back to the year 873.

The Taste

Ripe, fruit forward, a little jammy.  Nice complexity on the back end, featuring a graphite minerality and cigar paper finish.  Way more than I expected for a $10 wine.  Drink now.

Weekly Wine Journal rating:  90 points