Vina Borgia

Name: Vina Borgia
Color: Red
Varietal: Grenache
Vintage: 2008
Country/State: Spain
Region: Campo de Borja
Price: $6
Stars: 4 (out of 5)


We enjoyed this insanely low priced 100% Grenache from the Bodegas Borsao last night with dinner (pasta) and finished the bottle after the kids were bed, while we watched the Amazing Race! Bodegas Borsao is the same producer in Spain that makes the Borsao red blend we enjoyed last May.

Just like the wine we had last year, this wine was a deliciously great value, with big, dark fruits dominating the nose and taste. It was smoky, too, but the blackberry and black cherry flavors really shined through. The finish was fairly long and I picked up on a little bit of spice on the back end. Spanish reds continue to be among our favorites.

Bodegas Atteca Old Vines

Name: Bodegas Atteca Old Vines
Color: Red
Varietal: Garnacha
Vintage: 2007
Country/State: Spain
Region: Calatayud
Price: $16
Stars: 4 (out of 5)


We had the Atteca Old Vines Garnacha tonight with dinner (steaks on the grill, with mushrooms and onions). It was very good. I had this wine previously at a restaurant in St. Augustine, and I was anxious to try it again.

The wine features big red and black berry aromas and flavors. It's juicy and round and was excellent with the steaks and on its own. It had a bit of a smoky quality, too, which I really liked. I am a big fan of Garnacha from Spain, and this wine does not disappoint. It's terrific, although at $16, probably not a great value. There are several Spanish reds, either Garnacha or Garnacha/Tempranillo blends, that are excellent but a few dollars cheaper.

Tres Ojos Old Vine Garnacha Tinto

Name: Tres Ojos Old Vine Garnacha Tinto
Color: Red
Varietal: Garnacha
Vintage: 2007
Country/State: Spain
Region: Calatayud
Price: $10
Stars: 4.5 (out of 5)


I really loved this wine. For the price, you can't do much better than a good Spanish wine. Spain is full of great values and this was one of my favorites. The Tres Ojos Garnacha (Grenache) is a ruby colored, medium/full-bodied wine. The nose was nice, but a bit lighter than the taste. It had blackberry, dark cherry, and plum flavors, with some earthiness. It was very smooth and well-balanced.

We drank this bottle last night with a big bowl of paella. It went really well with the meal and was easily finished later that night. I would highly recommend the Tres Ojos Garnacha and will look forward to drinking more in the future.

La Vieille Ferme Red AOC Côtes du Ventoux (night 2)

Name: La Vieille Ferme Red AOC Côtes du Ventoux
Color: Red
Varietal: Blend (Grenache/Syrah/Carignane/Cinsault)
Vintage: 2005
Country/State: France
Region: Southern Rhone
Price: $7

Stars: 3.5 (out of 5)

Tonight we polished off this wine with some steaks (bacon-wrapped filets) that I threw on the grill. The wine held up pretty well on the second night. The nose and taste were a little softer than the night before, but again, for the money, I have no complaints.

La Vieille Ferme Red AOC Côtes du Ventoux

Name: La Vieille Ferme Red AOC Côtes du Ventoux
Color: Red
Varietal: Blend (Grenache/Syrah/Carignane/Cinsault)
Vintage: 2005
Country/State: France
Region: Southern Rhone
Price: $7

Stars: 3.5 (out of 5)



I had a couple of glasses by myself as Krista was passed out with a bad cold. We've both had this wine before (the 2006 vintage) and found it to be a really good value for the money. Nothing fancy, pretty straight forward. It has a nice, medium body, with a grapey, purple fruit, and blackberry nose and taste. I found it to be juicy, with some pepper and spice from the syrah. The finish is not very long but still nice overall. There are several red blends that I like better, but for less than $10, it's hard to beat. I bought this wine at Total Wines. If I were to compare this wine to a Kentucky basketball player, the first person that comes to mind is Mark Pope - a solid contributor, doesn't try to do anything flashy, knows who he is, and plays an important role on the team.