There is More To Spain Than Rioja
Just south of Madrid, in the Central part of Spain we find great value wines from La Mancha and also Valdepenas. Most consumers when asking for Spanish Wine it’s Rioja, Ribera del Duero or Toro and those wines are not for every consumer’s palate. There’s lots of well crafted affordable wines from this region and they are very user friendly.
Meet Felix Solis Avantis
The family started in the wine business in 1952.
Félix Solís Avantis is a leading producer in the international wine industry that can be found in more than 120 countries.
The company is owned by the third generation Solís brothers, who still combine tradition and modernization. Its plant in Valdepeñas has evolved to become one of the largest and most innovative wine-producing facilities in the world. Their presence in six key wine-producing regions in Spain enables them to offer the widest range of products in the Spanish industry. Thanks to this and to their constant research, we are able to create internationally credited wines at very good quality to price ratios.
2017 F.Y.I Red Blend Valdepeñas
FYI … this wine is from Old World but tastes 100% New World in style… FYI this wine is crafted by a family that still owns the 345 plus year old home & birthplace of the Solís wine making traditions located south of Madrid in Valdepeñas. Felix Solis was Fast Young and Intense while establishing the family’s commitment to extend wine culture to the world not just Spain. By creating Flavorful, Crowd Pleasing and Interesting wines the Solis wine portfolio is among the world’s most prestigious and awarded. Fast forward to today and the Solis brands are sold across the globe. I WILL BE CHALLENGING My Somm Friends and All the California Wine Fans to A Blind Tasting of this Wine. If one of them guesses Spain, I would be super amazed. I taste a lot and a lot of Wines weekly. I have done blind samplings from California in particular especially Napa Valley and Sonoma and Central Coast and they all are in flavor profile similar to this Spanish Red Blend and I think this is equal, if not better and at 1/3 the price. The wine is 60% Tempranillo, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Garnacha. Grapes are macerated at cool temperatures to allow for the gentle extraction of sweet tannins and complex compounds, which encourages the production of a wine with an expressive character to compliment the red berry flavors typical of Tempranillo, Cabernet and Garnacha.
My Review
Dark pretty violet in the glass and crystal clear with a dark center. After 1 hour of aeration and 25 minutes in the fridge, I picked up vibrant aromas of bursting fruits (Got a little nervous and concerned this would be a sugar bomb), such as blueberry, boysenberries, cherries, crushed raspberries, chocolate covered hazelnuts, toasty, vanilla and French Toast. (I was craving French Toast the Next Day). The vibrancy of the fruit hides any bitter tannins and on this crowd pleasing palate, it is rich, silky very ripe fruit but not in an over the top way, and the finale ends with slight herbal notes and yes a DRY finish. Normally wines with this profile it is One Sip and give me a beer to kill the taste. It’s almost when you order Pancakes or Waffles on a Sunday Morning Breakfast. It usually sounds so good and after you get your first fix or two, you wind up being nauseated at the thought of another bite. That is not the case with this quaffable , fleshy and silky red with 14% Alcohol. No burning Spice and no syrupy consistency. I would never guess Tempranillo or anything for that matter in Spain. I think any trained palate would never go in that direction either. This was not A Mollydooker experience where one sip and you don’t want another. This is NOT MY normal palate but boy can I think of at least 100 people to recommend this wine to right now who will hug me for life and thank me for saving them a fortune. I will score this wine a solid 90 out of 100 points for it’s handcrafted all estate grown and produced quality and for it price range.
The Summary
As I have said, I can’t tell you how many wines in the $20-$80 price range coming out of California and commercially produced in high volume I have tasted and this has a similar but more refined palate and way less money. This may be your holiday gift or on your Thanksgiving or Holiday Meal Table. I can’t think of anyone who likes red wine who would not enjoy this with almost every food. I even sampled it with a Blue Cheese from Oregon and a Pungent Aged Cheddar from Canada and this wine has enough Vibrant fruit to make it a perfect match. How much?? $25??? $50??? That $70 Napa Cab you have been buying for years??? One of those boutique Zins from Cali for $100 per bottle?? FYI–This is $12.99.. FYI—It is From Spain…. FYI…. You should Buy a Case…. FYI …It is a perfect Holiday Gift and at the right Price…FYI… Don’t Tell anyone what you paid for it as they will think More. FYI…. I might buy a couple of more for myself. FYI…I drank the whole bottle in one sitting.
Grape-fully yours, Larry
The Felix Solis Family
Larry The Wine Guy 
Loved it at a wine tasting but can’t find a Quebec, Canada importer
Glad you loved it. As you know there it’s not up to importers it’s all up to the Province of Quebec and what they decide to bring in.