The holiday season has passed us once again. The inevitable credit card bills are on their way. That doesn't mean we have to stop drinking good wine. If you can find a few bucks' worth of loose change underneath your car seat, I can recommend a killer bottle of Spanish tempranillo.
At $7.99, the 2016 Protocolo red is my choice for Value Wine of the Year. I've sampled this wine for the last few years now, and the 2016 is the best to date. I love the rich raspberry compote nuances, and how wonderfully it paired with marcona almonds, pecan-stuffed dates, manchego cheese and castelvetrano olives. I even tried it with my homemade red pasta sauce. Nice to know the Italians and Spanish can get along.
Pick up a bottle before you head out to check the mail for those bills. Don't forget that most retailers give a 10 percent discount when you purchase six bottles.
