This year I sampled more than 4,000 wines in my search for the recommendable, hunting the world’s best in chilly cellars, historic chateaux, at noisy tastings and the tables of generous friends.
2010 Gaba do Xil Mencia Valdeorras ($14)
To make a wine with authentic character that costs less than 15 bucks is not easy, but Spanish wine whiz Telmo Rodriguez is noted for devoting as much passion to his cheap wines as his expensive ones. He uses native Spanish grape mencia, hand-picked from an ancient vineyard, for this lively red with floral aromas and an almost meaty character.
-Elin McCoy