A Wine for the Ages

Looking for something to celebrate a special occasion? López de Heredia Rioja Viña Gravonia Crianza Blanco 2003 is one of the greatest white wines we have ever tasted. Unlike anything else we've tried, the amazing combination of orange peel, green tea, almonds with ginger notes in the background sail on and on in the lengthy finish. Hard to believe the freshness of this 11-year old beauty, but the classic winemakers from this legendary Rioja producer take barrel-aged Viura to new heights. May take some searching, but definitely worth the reward of enjoying this memorable wine.

Organic Ossium

Spain has another answer for those seeking certified organic wine. The 2010 Ossium hails from Utiel-Requena (an obscure region we're now seeing a lot more wine being imported) in the southeastern part of the country. This 100% Tempranillo has the familiar raspberry, cherry flavors, but after breathing for a couple of hours came unique notes of strawberry, rhubarb with some balsamic on the finish. Easy-drinking, food-friendly and completely affordable for less than $10.

A Fried Chicken Revelation

With our usual Fried Chicken go-to-wine (Chardonnay) in short supply, we had to explore another pairing option. A bottle of Jaume Serra Cristalino Brut Cava caught our eye and we thought "what the heck." Fried foods and sparkling wine are a natural combination, so this highly rated, wallet-friendly Spanish bubbly was more than up for the task. The traditional blend of Macabeo, Parellada and Xarel-lo grapes delivered delicious flavors of green apple, pear with light citrus notes on the clean, toasty finish. This tasted just right after a bite of crispy chicken, putting everything in balance and bringing you back for more. Hard to believe you can get something with an 88 point rating from Wine & Spirits for only $8! But for followers of Wine Armada, just another example of the great values imported from Spain.