Whats your favourite Spanish Red wine and where was the memorable place you drank it ?

Sangria while watching a spectacular flamenco show in Madrid.

<BR>You can´t go wrong with the red wine from the Rioja region. You just order it like that, a glass of Rioja. <BR><BR>More specifically, I like the Marqu&eacute;s de C&aacute;ceres and the Marqu&eacute;s de Riscal.<BR>I think they are a very good value and a great taste, although some restaurants charge a little too much for those.<BR><BR>You can buy them to bring home with you at most supermarkets or the department stores El Corte Ingles -all over Spain-. A bottle of good Rioja can turn a picnic into a gourmet dinner!

If you buy the Riscal, spend a few more bucks for the Riserva. <BR><BR>In answer to your question, the Riscal Riserva at Flor De Sol restuarant on the first date with the woman is who is now my wife. Flor De Sol is in New York City, by the way.<BR><BR><BR><BR>

After spending a lot of time in Spain I am amazed at how underrated Spanish wine is in the States. Everyone talks about French and California. But Spanish Reds are fantastic. There was not one wine that I drank in Spain that wasn't excellent with much complexity and nuance to it. I can't say that about the other two places. You can buy the Marqu&eacute;s de Caceres wines almost anywhere in the States, so possibly the same would true in Australia. Unfortunately I can't find much else that is reasonably priced here. In Spain, wine is very inexpensive, so to pay $30.00 or more for a bottle here, is annoying. <BR><BR>On this next trip I will be getting more specific names and vintages but it is true that you can't go wrong with a Rioja. Drinking it in a courtyard scented with orange blossoms and jasmine in an Andulusian village is my best memory.

Abbadia del Retuerta is a spectacular winery outside the Rioja area. They make several wines at varying prices from about $10.00 to over $100.00. If you can find them, try them!

Our favorite Rioja was Faustino I. I am able to get it here in the states, but that "free boat ride" adds a lot of $$. The prices of really good wine in Spain was fantastic!

Most wines from Torres winery (Penedes) are quite drinkable and unexpensive. The Gran Sangre de Toro is very good, and should be less than $20

Kent, the question was about wine, not about a kind of ... <BR><BR>The best red wine? It depends on your budget.<BR><BR>As economic wines: <BR>Somontano - Enate, Vi&ntilde;as del Vero (specially the white 'Gew&uuml;rstraminer')...<BR>Catalonia: Any Priorat, or Costers del Segre (Raimat)...<BR>Rioja - Marqu&eacute;s de C&aacute;ceres, Muga, Marqu&eacute;s de Arienzo...<BR>Ribera del Duero - Protos joven, Condado de Haza...<BR><BR>In the more expensive zone... what can I tell you? Of course, the Vega Sicila &Uacute;nico (much better than the Valbuena one), some of the Pesquera's reserves, both of them from Ribera del Duero. From La Rioja you can try some Prado Enea (Bodegas Muga)...<BR><BR>In fact, you can order any reserve from 1995, and specially from 1994: Excellent years for Riojas, perhaps one two of the five best years in a century.<BR><BR>But the final decision won't be easy because in Spain there are thousands of diferent wines. If you are going to drink in a restaurant, you can ask the 'sumiller' (sorry, don't know how to say in English the 'waiter of the wines').<BR><BR>Sure you'll enjoy

We discovered Spanish reds on our trip to Spain in Fall of 2000. Had read a bit before taking off. Were in Toledo at a cute little restaurant called Aurelia and got excited when we saw one of the wines we'd read about on the menu--a Vega Sicillia (sp?) Unico reserva. Since it was only $15 we ordered it. All four in our party found it absolutely terrific even remarking that it was the best red wine we'd ever had. Turns out it should have been. We'd incorrectly translated pesetas into dollars and it was really $150. On the other hand, we've seen it since on US menus at $250, 300 and even more. Turns out we got a bargain--but not quite as good a bargain as we'd thought. We did feel kind of proud that we thought it a great wine even when we thought it was pretty cheap. Our mistake caused us to sample a truly great wine that we'd probably never have drunk without the mistake. Glad we blundered into it.

Red wine is always at the top !

What Jose told you about the '94 Riojas-an incredible year (and '95 comes in second)! These '94's are fantastic:<BR><BR>Prado Enea (Muga)<BR>Baron de Chirel (Marques de Riscal)<BR>Marques de Vargas Reserva Privada<BR>Remelluri Reserva<BR>Remirez de Ganuza<BR>Roda Reserva<BR><BR>Also besides the outstanding red Prioratos (like Clos Martinet '94) and those from Ribera del Duero (like the Alion '94, the Abadia Retuerta that Dean suggests and that wildly expensive Vega Sicilia Unico), don't forget the great tintos and rosados from Navarra. Most are still very reasonably priced and underrated.<BR>

tippling