The Barcelona Garnacha is another $10 Spanish wine that is better than we have any reason to expect
I am now officially embarrassed by my enthusiasm for Spanish wine. I have run out of adjectives, run out of praise, run out of explanations for a wine like the Barcelona Garnacha – made by one more producer no one has ever heard in an equally anonymous region – can deliver so much value.
And when so many other wines can’t, don’t, and have no interest in doing so.
So let’s accept Spain’s brilliance on faith and take advantage of it. The Barcelona Garnacha ($10, purchased, 13.5%) is a red blend from Catalunya, part of the region better known for cava, the Spanish sparkling wine. It’s not even the best known red wine area in that part of Spain (that’s the Priorat), so how this wine is so well made and so enjoyable is part of the faith thing.
The wine is made with garnacha and tempranillo, which means the former lends its telltale cherry fruit, some berries, and a certain richness, while the latter contributes its spice and acidity – and well as the good sense tempranillo can bring to wine when it’s done correctly. Open this for pizza, spaghetti and meatballs, or just because you want a cheap, quality red wine.
Highly recommended, and a candidate for the 2018 $10 Hall of Fame. And, in one of those weird things that happens in wine, it was made by Russell Smith, once the winemaker at Texas’ Becker Vineyards (which I didn’t know when I bought the wine). Go figure.