Christmas is here and we want to surprise our guests with a special wine that livens up the party and pleases everyone. But which wine should we choose without spending too much money?
Writer and wine specialist Alicia Estrada has spent more than five years writing a guide that features the best wines available in Spain for under ten euros. Last year she published an essential guide compiling the best wines from previous editions, The 100 Best Wines Under 10 Euros, but although the book is still fully relevant, in 2018 she has left us orphaned, without a new edition.
Despite this, Estrada has compiled for Directo al Paladar the wines she herself would buy this Christmas: reds, whites, rosés, sweet wines, and cavas (even though these do not appear in her guides). She also gives us tips for pairing them and enjoying them under the best conditions. So take note:
Rayos Uva (Rioja)
"When it comes to wine tastes, there are classic consumers who strictly stick to what they know, and there are adventurous ones," Estrada points out. "Sometimes it's a good idea to bring to the table a wine that hints at classicism, for example a Rioja, but that also serves to awaken in conservative people the pleasure of something new."
For this purpose, Estrada selects this wine, made by the Olivier Rivière winery, with a 50% blend of Graciano and Tempranillo grapes harvested in vineyards in Aldeanueva de Ebro (Rioja Baja). "A personal and unconstrained Rioja," she notes.
The Rioja brand, the expert explains, "brings reassurance to classic consumers who will come across a very fruity, very fresh red, without the weight of oak. A very well-defined red, however, after a few months of maturation in tanks and old wooden vats."
Merayo Mencía (Bierzo)
This is, according to Estrada, a "wild card wine", suitable both "for the Christmas dinner appetizer and for making a good impression with an unexpected visit or a relaxing dinner between so many gatherings."
This wine from the Merayo wineries in Bierzo, of 100% Mencía variety, is an economical wine, a cellar staple; "simple, but not simplistic," warns Estrada. "A fresh and fruity wine, without makeup, one of those that speak transparently, but speak very beautifully, with a luscious and rich mouthfeel, ripe tannins, and a long finish."
You can order it on Amazon, directly from the winery, for 7.73 euros.
Rudeles 23 (Ribera del Duero)
"When a wine has quality, I like it. When a wine adds story to quality, I like it even more. When you know the landscape of a wine, when you know about the dreams of the people who make it, the emotion of the story fills your glass and you're not just drinking wine, you're drinking many more things," Estrada asserts.
And this wine has history, the story of the harshness of the most arid landscapes of the Soria Ribera, of those 23 old vines that give it its name, exposed to the icy wind that blows down from Somosierra. "The struggle of the vineyard at almost 1000 meters reduces production, but it gives the wine elegance, freshness, and aromatic breadth," the expert assures.
We're talking about a wine made with 95% Tempranillo grapes (70% from vines between 15 and 20 years old and 25% from old vines over 100 years old) and 5% Garnacha from vines over 100 years old, aged for 5 months in French oak barrels and a minimum of 10 months in the bottle.
"When you listen to the wine speak, you hear a family committed to preserving old vines, traditions, history, and territorial pride. They speak modestly, but in the mouth the wine tastes like heaven. These are stories that should be brought to the table," Estrada concludes.
It can be purchased on the winery's own website at
Finca La Colina (Rueda)
Now we move on to whites with this wine from Rueda, a DO for which Estrada spares no criticism: "Surely there have never been such good Rueda wines and Rueda wines so far from what a good Verdejo should be, simultaneously on the market, as is happening now. There are too many Verdejos and the consumer often wanders around confused. It's worth paying a little more, but allowing yourself the luxury of authenticity from time to time."
And authentic is this 100% Verdejo Rueda from Finca La Colina: a single plot, with old, low-yielding vines, which transfers to the wine the essence and minerality of the high, poor, and stony lands of La Seca.
"On the nose, there are no exotic fruits, no," explains Estrada. "You can sense fruity aromas, fennel, herbaceous hints... and on the palate, the wine comes across serious, structured, with a bitter finish that refreshes. At Christmas, you have to look for good whites, gastronomic Ruedas that don't shy away at the table."
Blanc Bàrbara Forés (Terra Alta)
This wine from Tarragona brings out, according to Estrada, the best of white Grenache, a grape for which the expert spares no praise: "It's one of the most interesting varieties in the current wine scene. Mediterranean, powerful, with body and personality, its wines move away from the classic pattern of the light and fruity little white."
This particular wine, from the veteran Bárbara Forés winery, is a perfect wine for food. "Its alcohol level doesn't detract from its freshness and emphasizes its personality, a clear picture of the rustic and somewhat rugged landscape of Terra Alta," explains Estrada. "It's a wine for lovers of dry whites, for those seeking fleshiness on the palate even in young wines."
One tip: it's best served cool, never ice-cold, a habit that can ruin the complexity of a white like this one.
Izadi Larrosa (Rioja)
A rosé couldn't be missing from the list, a variety always in the shadow of reds and whites, but which can be a great wild card for the Christmas holidays.
This wine, from the Izadi winery, is a pale and elegant rosé in the style of Provençal rosés, perfect according to Estrada as an appetizer to open Christmas lunches and dinners: "It's a Grenache rosé but very far from the sweet and cloying character of many other rosés made with this variety. A rosé from old, high-altitude vines, fresh and without stridency, a hint of summer seasons, perfume of white fruit, apple and pear. On the palate it's light, delicate, with good acidity..."
"With starters, it accompanies without imposing itself, adding that touch of charm, essential in the art of seduction, even if we're seducing the family," Estrada concludes.
It can be purchased on Amazon, directly from the winery, for 9.77 euros.
Agustí Torelló Mata Reserva Brut (Cava)
In the interior of the peninsula, we're not very accustomed to drinking cava, and it's only at Christmas that we buy it, but to toast with desserts is a major mistake.
As Estrada explains, a young brut cava is actually ideal for appetizers, and a nature reserva or gran reserva is perfect for accompanying red meats or roasts. This wine she proposes, however, is a versatile cava that can accompany us throughout an entire meal, from starter to dessert, and can even extend into a comfortable chat.
"I would choose a brut reserva cava, like this Torelló Mata, very dry, with more than 24 months in the bottle, with a classic profile, made with the characteristic cava varieties: Macabeo, Parellada, and Xarel·lo," explains the specialist. "It's a balanced cava, fresh, with a fine and elegant bubble, with a fruitiness that brings back memories of baked apple and citrus notes very well fused with the aging notes."
"If cava brings the party even to everyday days, on a Christmas table, it should never be missing," she assures.
It can be ordered on Amazon for 9.91 euros.
Bonus track: Itsasmendi Urezti Vendimia Tardía (Txakoli de Bizkaia)
This is the only wine in the selection that exceeds 10 euros, but its inclusion, explains Estrada, is justified, as this sweet txakoli has risen more in quality than in price.
"It's a sweet wine, from my land, a painting of autumn landscapes in Bizkaia, when the south wind blows and the last grapes raisin on the vine, losing water and concentrating sugar and poetry," explains the expert. "The morning mists bring out the noble rot from the vineyard, as in the landscapes of Sauternes, and this wonderful wine is born, sweet and intensely fresh, a companion for foie gras, pure luxury with chocolate."
It's sold out at most suppliers, but still
Best Products We’ve Tested and Rated
Our testing team has hands-on reviews of bra post breast augmentation, pacifier oral development, norwegian wood pillows, remote start alarm car, and inexpensive metal detector. Every option below was compared across price, build quality, and real-world performance, with honest pros and cons. We update these guides regularly as new models arrive, so the recommendations stay current.
Our testing team has hands-on reviews of gifts adulting, teacher backpack, truck bed covers, mouse bait, and sublimation printer. Every option below was compared across price, build quality, and real-world performance, with honest pros and cons. We update these guides regularly as new models arrive, so the recommendations stay current.
Product Reviews
Best Toys for Dogs With High Prey Drive |
Best Outdoor Toys for 3-4 Year Olds |
Best Outdoor Toys for 6 Year Olds |
Best Harness for Poodle |
Best LEGO Sets for Adults |
Best Travel Toys for 4 Year Olds on Airplane |
Best Toy Stores in Washington DC |
Best Potty Training Toys |
Best Toys for Tripod Dogs |
Maillot equipe de france
