The Best New Releases from Spain, Part 2

Part two of our annual Spain coverage includes some of my top red wine values of the year, as well as a number of lively albariño and verdejo-based wines that are among the most food-friendly whites in the world. Most of Spain’s white wine action now occurs in the north-central Rueda region (for verdejo and occasionally sauvignon blanc) and especially in Galicia, in Spain’s northwest. The cool coastal region of Rías Baixas is where the best wines from albariño are made, while Valdeorras, whose best whites are based on godello, lies just a bit further inland. Few of these white wines see any oak; they emphasize bright citrus fruit and tangy minerality, which makes them extremely drinkable either on their own or at the table. While a handful of the most sought-after limited-production bottlings can occasionally flirt with a $50 price point, the overwhelming majority of them run around $20, full retail. Many are often discounted down to around $15. Compared to wines of similar style and quality from the Loire Valley, or from most of the New World, these wines represent outstanding value.