A couple affordable wines for the weekend
Mosen Cleto 2010 Crianza
We’ve enjoyed a couple affordable bottles of wine lately that’d make a nice addition to the weekend. Mosen Cleto is a 2010 Crianza from the Campo de Borja region of Spain. This 75% Grenache and 25% Tempranillo blend is a bargain at $11 a bottle and is one of the least expensive wines in the line up at Emanar Cellars right now. Made predominantly from grapes of 30+ year old vines, it is certainly a medium-bodied wine with medium acid so I’d pair it with a meal or appetizers. It’s a wine that can be sipped but might come off a bit unappreciated without food to balance it out. It’d be great with a stew or even something more tomatoey like spaghetti or pizza, if you’re a fan (which I am not). It’s made for the region it represents so think hearty Spanish food. To top it off, the wine comes in this terrific sand-blasted bottle.
2010 Massimo Rioja
The 2010 Massimo Rioja (wine from the Rioja region of Spain) is Tempranillo-dominant (93% Tempranillo and 7% Grenache) so we found it to be a bit smoother and with a richer mouth-feel sans food. It pairs well with a hummus platter, rosemary nuts and a tangy goat cheese or, in the spirit of Spain, Manchego. I could smell the vanilla on the nose and enjoyed a bit of baking spice in the taste. This precious find can be had for $13 at Battle Ground Produce.
Viki
I am a Clark County native. I am Level 2 WSET (wine and spirit education trust)-certified and enjoy pairing wine with my passion for travel and fondness of food. My most prized possessions are the memories of places I've been with my husband, the chance encounters we've been blessed to have along the way and my carry-on bag. I can often be seen around town and in tasting rooms with our two beautiful, double-Merle Australian shepherds, Challenge and Baby Girl.