Spanish red wines benefit from new technology

For those people looking for inexpensive red wines to drink, new technology has made Spanish wines a good option.

Before New World technology invaded Spain, Spanish wines tended to taste like old barrels, a turn-off for most folks.

But new technology at some wineries has made many wines tastier, and the price has not shot out of sight.

The principal grape of Spain is tempranillo, producing wines of lower alcohol and acid and flavors of strawberry, spice and tobacco.

I asked the wine-tasting group to search out the best Spanish reds they could find on the shelves for under $10. Here is how they compared:

- 1998 Montecillo Crianza at $9.99. This wine tasted more of the Old World style, offering cedar, other wood and spice in the aroma. The acetone feel (a wine's sharpness but with fruity, spicy characteristics) gave this wine some volatility in the aroma. The fruit tasted slightly burned on the palate.

- 2002 Canforrales La Mancha Joven Roble at $9.99. This wine was much like a gamay Beaujolais, which a lot of consumers would like for its bubble-gum strawberries, but with some tannins (tannins give wine backbone but can make your mouth pucker).

- 2002 Nobul Red at $8.99. This wine had an aroma of brown sugar, grapes, clove and pepper. It was very dry with a good bit of tannins. It was round and soft in the mouth. It needs meat to taste its best. The Nobul finished second in our tasting.

- 2001 Eguren Protocolo at $6.99. The least expensive wine was a clear favorite among tasters. The aroma was full of white pepper, raspberries and the smell of Grenache grape spiciness. It had a creamy finish. My experts thought this would be the perfect pairing with Spanish food, particularly tacos and chips with salsa.

Surfing the wine shelves for values:

- Argyle Brut at $19.99. Both chardonnay and pinot noir were used to make this Oregon sparkling. We tasted peach, apples and vanilla flavors.

- 2001 Chateau du Chamirey Antonin Rodet at $22.99. We discovered tropical fruit with a buttery texture, along with some pear and light wood.

- 1999 Melini Chianti Classico Riserva "La Selvanella" at $24. This was a full-bodied sangiovese with jammy fruit, spice and a note of tar.

- 2001 Murphy-Goode Snake Eyes Ellis Ranch Zinfandel at $35. Dark jammy fruit, currants and lots of spice pervaded this intense wine. It had a smooth texture.

- 2002 Chateau St. Jean Fume Blanc at $13. Grassy aromas mixed with melon, lemon and hints of spice highlighted this crisp wine.

- 1999 Wolf Blass Black Label Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz at $62. Dense and dark and powerful, this wine showed lots of black fruit, currants, chocolate and spice. The texture was lush. Drink now or cellar for a few years.

- 2003 Jacobs Creek Chardonnay at $7.99. The aroma offered citrus fruit, peach and melon. It had a soft, creamy texture and a good finish.

- 1999 Freemark Abbey Boche Vineyard Cabernet Sauvingon at $67.99. Black jammy fruit, currants, chocolate and a long luscious finish characterize this wine.

- 2001 Napa Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon at $10. We tasted predominantly black cherries, covered by smoke.

Questions can be sent to Frank Sutherland, editor, The Tennessean, 1100 Broadway, Nashville, TN 37203 or e-mailed to editor