Bodegas Hermanos Peciña Rioja Blanco Señorío de P. Peciña 2018 $19
I remember the first time I tried a traditionally made white Rioja, from the producer R. López de Heredia. It was thrilling. I had never had a wine like it before, made with the viura grape and aged in barrels of American oak. Demand for López de Heredia has gone up, as have prices. Nonetheless, few Rioja producers make old-school whites. Hermanos Peciña is one of them. This lovely wine is made of organically grown viura, and offers rich, spicy, coconut-inflected, earthy apple flavors. It’s a lovely entry-level wine, not aged nearly as long as a López de Heredia. It will be delicious with fish or poultry in creamy sauces. (Polaner Selections, Mount Kisco, N.Y.)
Bodegas Yuste Aurora Manzanilla NV 500 milliliters $19.99
All seasons are sherry seasons. That goes especially for manzanilla, which by reputation is the lightest, most delicate form of fino sherry. But this example, from Bodegas Yuste, does not fit the stereotype of manzanilla as fragile. It’s amber-colored, scented with sea brine, almonds and chamomile, and richer and more robust than the typical manzanilla. It’s more fino weight, which makes it particularly appropriate for colder weather. It’s wonderful, just right for typical Spanish bar treats like ham or Marcona almonds, and would make an excellent aperitif. (Classical Wines, Seattle)
Keller Rheinhessen Riesling Trocken 2019 $19.99
Julia and Klaus Peter Keller make sublime rieslings. Their high-end bottles are difficult to find, but this entry-level bottle offers a fine introduction to the precision and minerality that characterize their wines. It’s floral, complex, surprisingly rich for a wine of 11 percent alcohol, bone dry and a great value. (Petit Pois/Sussex Wine Merchant)
Aslina by Ntsiki Biyela South Africa Cabernet Sauvignon 2017 $19.99
Ntsiki Biyela is South Africa’s first Black female winemaker. She established her own label, Aslina, named for her grandmother, in 2016. The 2017 cabernet sauvignon is superb, full-bodied, fresh, balanced and complex, with lingering flavors that are more herbal than fruity. Take a moment to savor this wine and to toast a pioneer. By the way, Aslina also makes an excellent chardonnay. (Wines for the World, Dover, Del.)