($8, Vineyard Brands): Yes, you read it correctly–a white wine from Rioja, Spain’s most recognized region for red wine.  There’s a long tradition of making white wine in Rioja, but the local preference for a heavy slightly oxidized style made them impossible to sell in the United States. … Read more

($20, Kobrand):  The script label makes deciphering the producer’s name difficult, but that should not deter consumers from reaching for the bottle.  A softer–some would say “friendlier”–style of Albariño, it still has sufficient brightness and verve to hold your interest throughout a meal. … Read more

($25, Vineyard Brands): Forget everything you might have heard about a mediocre 2002 vintage in Rioja.  This is a wonderful wine that proves vintage charts need be taken with a grain of salt.  Better to focus on the producer.  In this case, Marqués de Cáceres, one of Rioja’s best. … Read more

($21, Palm Bay International): Rioja, Spain’s most widely known wine region, continues to offer consumers wines with a fabulous combination of ripe fruit flavors and earthy elements.   Not a modern fruit bomb, this gorgeous, traditional blend of Tempranillo (90%) and Mazuelo delivers a stylish balance of bright red fruit and savory notes surrounded by polished tannins. … Read more

($20, Kobrand): Located just outside of Spain’s prestigious Ribera del Duero region, Abadia Retuerta has been producing stylish, well-price wines since 1996 when the pharmaceutical company Novartis finally–a decade after its purchase–completed replanting the vineyards and finished their a state-of-the-art gravity flow winery. … Read more

($13, Elite Wines): With summer upon us—at least by the calendar—here’s a perfect crisp refreshing white for simple seafood.  Verdejo is an indigenous Spanish grape rarely found outside of that country.  In this rendition, delicate herbal notes complement the citric tang and lend more complexity than you’d imagine given the price. … Read more

($17, Grapes of Spain): Verdejo—not to be confused with the Portuguese grape, Verdelho—is the primary grape of Rueda, one of Spain’s superb regions for white wines.  This one is lively and fresh with an ever so slightly waxy texture that adds to its overall appeal. … Read more

($10, Dreyfus, Ashby & Co.): Torres is one of Spain’s best known producers because they produce such a consistently high-quality array of wines.  Delicate red fruit notes marry with vibrant acidity in this refreshing rosé.  Dry and lively, keep a bottle chilled in the refrigerator to banish the humidity of summer.… Read more