Apparently rioja is not the only wine-producing region of Spain. La Mancha, slap bang in the middle of the country, is the largest wine producing area in the world. And because it's not rioja, it's cheaper. I have Marks and Spencer to thank for this bottle of Palacio Del Marques 2008, a blend of tempranillo and syrah grapes that I picked up for less than a fiver. The first thing I noticed was just how boozy this wine is, at 14% (just look at the legs on that, etc). It practically smells of alcohol, in a nice way, and while it isn't very sweet - in fact it's fairly dry - it's extremely drinkable. Never mind the truncated finish, just take another sip! I doubt it will win many prizes, and it does suffer from a rather unrefined quality, at least by the standards of a more rarefied rioja, but I bet a few bottles would make for a terrific 'dinner party'. Chin chin!
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