I have read from many sources that Spanish wine offers excellent value, so I picked up a bottle of Castillo de Almansa Reserva for New Years Eve. The wine is produced by Bodegas Piqueras in the Almansa region of Spain. It is a blend of Tempranillo, Monastrell, and Garnacha grapes, giving it a nice complexity. It is aged 12 months in oak barrels.
I couldn't detect much on the nose, however the flavour opened up and was long on the finish. There were notes of blueberries and vanilla. The oak was detectable but was balanced enough to let the fruit flavours come through. A great wine at a great price (about $14).
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