Some of my best wine finds — and no, I didn’t try all of the hundreds of bottles available for sampling, not even close — were among the less expensive offerings, including these two under-$10 bargains from Spain:
• Tarima Blanco 2015, Bodegas Volver: This refreshing white — perfect for summer sipping — is a "3M" blend of relatively obscure grapes that even the geekiest of wine geeks would be hard-pressed to describe, let alone pronounce: Merseguera, Macabeo and Moscatel. It's intensely flavored, fruity, yet finishes dry. I found it priced at $8.99 — the current release price may be $1 more — in the bargain case stacks in the rear of Arrow Wine & Spirits' Far Hills store, although it may be available at other wine retailers as well.
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• Tarima Monastrell, Bodegas Volver: This non-vintage-dated wine is made from the grape varietal known in France and the U.S. as mourvedre, and it's a big-boy red, with a blast of fruit up front and a dry finish. I didn't get the "notes of licorice, chocolate and a hint of dark violets" that the label promised, but I'm willing to keep trying. It's a tad high in alcohol at 14.5 percent, so it benefits from a slight chill — I wouldn't serve it at "room temperature" on an 85-degree patio. I found it for $9.99 at Arrow Far Hills.
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What separates these two wines from others in the under-$10 category was their intensity of flavor. They come from high-altitude, relatively arid vineyards in the Alicante region of Spain, which I’m sure contributes to the quality. I’m not sure how they accomplish all this at an under-$10 retail price point.
These wines outshine wines that cost twice as much.
Any other stars at the Fleurs that I missed out on?
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