How many times when I see someone drinking an under $10 bottle of wine do I hear the phrase “IT’S PRETTY GOOD FOR THE PRICE”? It shouldn’t be Pretty Good it should be GREAT FOR THE PRICE!! Once you get away from buying the standard grape varietals such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Malbec, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc etc that is where you will find the “GREAT FOR THE PRICE WINES”
Tempranillo has many Synonyms depending what part of Spain or Portugal the grape is grown. In the Toro region of Spain where this wine Pictured above is from it is known as Tinta De Toro Very Close to Ribera Del Duero, Toro has been growing grapes and making wine many years B.C. so you have some really OLD VINE Fruit which makes for Great Wines. It is located in the Province of Zamora in the Northwest Part of Spain. When I first tasted this 2008 Sabor Real Joven Tinta De Toro, I was WOWED!! Plush, Silky, Very Ripe Fruit Flavors with a hint of spice and hot stones, coated my palate. I am not the only one that felt this way as Dr Jay Miller reviewed the Wine for Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate and scored this affordable Gem.. 90 POINTS with the following Review: The 2008 Sabor Real was produced from 70+-year-old estate vines. Dark ruby-colored, it offers up a splendid bouquet of crushed rock, spice box, tobacco, lavender, black cherry, and blackberry. On the palate it is full-bodied, sweetly-fruited, spicy, and plush. This lengthy effort can be enjoyed now and over the next 6 years. It is an outstanding value that over-delivers big-time. Bodegas Sabor Real was created in 2003; most of its Tinta de Toro vines are 70-100+ years of age.
THE COST OF THIS WINE $8.00 WHOPPING DOLLARS!! My Job would be simple even if I guessed and just pointed out wines to people in the $50-100 Range and said this is a GREAT WINE I don’t think that is the challenge of my Passion For Wine. My Job is to go on a treasure hunt and find that GEM that SHINES for Everyday Consumption at Under $10 per bottle like the 2008 Sabor Real Joven. And That My Loyal Readers is just the TIP OF THE ICEBERG. It’s nice to Splurge every once in a while for a bottle for your collection or a special dinner but in Reality most people can’t afford these prices for POPULAR NAME BRANDS for everyday drinking. There are literally HUNDREDS of wines like this example that are under Ten Bucks and are not GOOD FOR THE PRICE but GREAT FOR THE PRICE. Find a Wine Guy like Me that you Trust at your local Retailer and Now you Can Enjoy Drinking GREAT WINES without having to call the Bank to take out a Second Mortgage!!
Larry The Wine Guy 
Reblogged this on Sassi Italy Tours and commented:
This is a great post, and one of the great things about Italian wine. While everyone’s busy paying too much for Cali and French wine, I’m finding food friendly gems for under $12 all day long thanks to the awesome wine shop across the street, and having tasted plenty of $20 and up wine from plenty of differing locales…I don’t think I’m missing that much.
Will be blogging from Venezia next week, will see what I can find–the grocery store I like on Strada Nuova has some real finds. Stay tuned. 🙂
So true! When you know what you are buying, no need to spend huge amounts. Also true in France. No need to buy Bordeaux all the time 😉