8 Spanish Values for $25 or Less
New reviews of Tempranillo, Garnacha and Albariño from Ribera del Duero, Rias Baixas and more
By Thomas Matthews
Mar 5, 2020
Tasting Highlights’ wine reviews are fresh out of the tasting room, offering a sneak peek of our editors’ most recent scores and notes to WineSpectator.com members.
With its growing list of classified regions and numerous grape varieties, Spain offers an intriguing range of wines for many tastes. This week’s selection provides a tour of this diversity, from the bold reds of Spain’s warm southeast to the crisp whites of its cool northwest. Best of all, at 88 points or higher and $25 or less, these wines deliver great value.
The whites on today’s list include three wines produced from the Godello grape. This indigenous variety was revived from obscurity in the 1980s by Bodegas Godeval, whose rich 2018 Godello is featured below. You’ll also find a plush Albariño from Adega dos Eidos in the Rias Baixas appellation, on the Atlantic coast. Among the showcased reds are Tempranillos from Ribera del Duero in north-central Spain, where the region’s continental climate yields structured, rich wines. For fans of a lighter style, there is a fresh Garnacha from the high-elevation Calatayud region, where Garnacha is the primary red grape. And Volver shows the strength of Monastrell (also known as Mourvèdre) in the coastal Alicante region, with a robust bottling at just $9.
Ribera del Duero Valdehermoso 2018
Score: 88 | $13
WS review: This fresh red offers bright flavors of cherry and red plum, with herbal and smoky notes adding interest. Light tannins and brisk acidity keep this focused. Balanced and lively. Drink now through 2024. 3,700 cases made, 255 cases imported.—T.M.
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