Looking for an affordable red wine? I’m always on the prowl for what I call ‘bargain wines,’ inexpensive (under $12 a bottle) wines that taste like wine and are not overwhelmed with oak, alcohol or sweetness.
Granted, there are a lot of bargain wines available today, but most don’t really deliver on the promise of being cheap and cheerful. Tapena, a pair of new Spanish red wines from the Ferrer family, owners of 11 wineries in Spain and California, including Freixenet, Segura Viudas, Rene Barbier and Gloria Ferrer, shows good quality and value.
Sourced from the mostly unknown region of Tierra de Castilla, southeast of Madrid, the initial release of Tapena includes Tempranillo 2005 and Garnacha 2005, two of Spain’s classic red varieties. In 1999, Tierra de Castilla took its place as vino de la tierra, one of four tiers in the Spanish DO system. But because Tierra de Castillo is not part of Spain’s regulated Denominacion de Origen (DO) system, Tapena winemaker Gabriel Suberviola is free to experiment with grapes and blends.
Tempranillo, Spain’s workhorse red, has gotten good press lately. For the 2005 Tempranillo, Suberviola draws out the lush red fruit flavors associated with the variety, while keeping the tannins in check. The wine is a lush mouthful of red cherries and spice. The 2005 Garnacha, with 5% Tempranillo, is more dense and luscious, with dark berry flavors, smoky-meaty accents and a firm tannin framework.
The name Tapena brings together two things that are indigenous in Spanish culture: tapas, small dishes of flavorful foods, and pena, close friends. The package is colorful and inviting, with a stylized little tapa fork above the name and different color neck capsules. The wines, priced at $9.99 each, are imported by Freixenet USA and should be available soon on a wine shelf near you.
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