3 | Wine | Great Red Wines Under $20, Other Red

"A more sophisticated side of Montepulciano emerges from the 2008 Montepulciano d’Abruzzo Spelt. Sweet floral notes lead to dark red berries and spices in this polished, gracious Montepulciano. La Valentina did a great job with the 2008, a wine that shows the pure elegance and refinement that Montepulciano is capable of. Sweet floral notes add lift on the finish. A pretty, beautifully balanced, silky wine loaded with class, the Spelt should drink well for the better part of the decade. Best of all, the Spelt is a fabulous value."

"The 2009 Signo Bobal (a blend of 90% Bobal and 10% Syrah) may be the finest Bobal-based wine I have ever had. It was bottled without fining or filtration after spending time in mostly French and some American oak. It boasts a dense purple color along with wonderful sweet, jammy strawberry and black cherry notes intermixed with floral, licorice, graphite and spice characteristics. This dense red reveals a terrific texture as well as a full-bodied mouthfeel, yet it is light on its feet. This amazing Bobal should drink well for 3-4 years." -Robert Parker

"Layers of smoke, grilled herbs, menthol and minerals are overlayed on a core of black fruit. The Ramitello shows serious power and intensity all the way through to the palate staining finish. Floral notes add lift and freshness on the close."

"A gorgeous entry-level wine, the 2011 Etna Rosso is remarkably balanced and poised. Sweet herbs, tobacco, licorice, fennel and herbs emerge form this utterly gracious and compelling red. This is a great showing from the Rosso. The wine’s depth, balance and harmony are first-class all the way. Based on this showing, I can hardly wait to taste the other wines in the range!"

"Powerful and dense, this is full of well-structured flavors of dark plum, boysenberry and wild cherry that are accented by notes of mineral and sage. The long finish exudes white pepper and savory spice, with hints of chocolate. Pure and vibrant."

"Notions of damp earth, brier, spice box, leather, plum, and mulberry set the stage for a savory, flavorful, impeccably balanced Bonarda that over-delivers in a big way".

"Since my last note on this, in which, for whatever reason, I fear I seriously underrated this wine, it has evolved slowly, but it shows well enough to be less disjointed, with additional fruit intensity on the finish and plentiful hints that better integration of its parts will definitely be in its future. There is also the occasional whiff of game, while the oak nuances are very modest, giving this some earthy complexity. It is still a powerful and somewhat rustic wine, which is not necessarily a bad thing in my book, and indeed, this continually grew on me. Elegant in the mid-palate, it opened easy and then packed an increasingly tannic punch on the finish, adding some crisp, tart notes early on. It was not the most charming Xinomavro at that point, but it evolved slowly and relentlessly, drinking beautifully the next day, still a prime time wine with plenty of time left. If you like its somewhat rustic but appealingly earthy style, this is for you, and quite well priced in light of the quality and ageworthiness."