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Have you ever wondered why a €15 bottle of Rioja often tastes better than a €40 Bordeaux? It’s not a mistake—it’s one of the best-kept secrets in the wine world.
In this video, I’m breaking down why Spain is the ultimate “cheat code” for wine lovers. As a sommelier and WSET Diploma graduate, I’ll show you why Spanish wines remain suspiciously affordable despite their world-class quality, and why even the prestigious French winemakers have been caught using Spanish grapes to “improve” their own blends.
By watching this video, you will:
– Get a crash course on Spain’s incredible diversity—from the volcanic soils of the Canary Islands to the salty whites of Rías Baixas.
– See a Blind Tasting in Action: Watch as I put a €15 Rioja up against a €40 Margaux (Bordeaux) to see which one actually wins on flavor and complexity.
– Get an Expert Shopping List: Grab my personal “Top 7” shortlist of Spanish bottles that are absolutely worth your attention right now.
If you’re tired of overpaying for a “famous” label and want to start drinking like a pro from your own sofa, this episode is for you.
Which do you prefer: the elegance of Bordeaux or the richness of Rioja? Let’s settle the debate in the comments!
00:00 — The €15 vs. €40 mystery
01:06 — Why Spanish wine isn’t just “cheap wine”
02:30 — The Bordeaux Scandal: What they don’t want you to know
02:58— Climate, Land, & Cooperatives: The math behind the price
06:00 — Understanding Age: Crianza, Reserva, and Gran Reserva
07:07 — Blind Tasting part: Rioja vs. Bordeaux
11:00 — My Top 7 Spanish Wine Recommendations
Villa Verganti Veronesi: https://villavergantiveronesi.com/en/
#spanishwine #rioja #bordeaux #winetips #sommelier #wineeducation #winetasting
Watch my other videos here!
Stop Trusting Wine Scores. I Found the 10 BEST Wines from the Top 100 List. https://youtu.be/sBP0pzq_MvY
STOP Overpaying for Wine: Dirty Secrets Revealed https://youtu.be/afvCX-b7KE4
Real Champagne vs. Fake Champagne. The Truth behind the Label https://youtu.be/mwEDwvucXNA
Sommelier Secrets: How to read a wine’s story by Taste & Smell https://youtu.be/7Lf4u-v-NEY
Sommelier’s RED FLAGS: What wine should you NEVER ORDER? https://youtu.be/__PNJYq1kAY
42 Comments
I tasted Martín Códax last year and was pleasantly surprised and last week I bought Ramón Bilbao but crianza 2019. Hope it will also bring that joy you described. Cheers!
Some warmth on the screen while the snow is coming down hard outside in the Netherlands. Thank you Anya for yet another gem of information. Now a quick question: Everytime you swirl the glass vigorously I fear for your outfits. Which I must admit are part of the attraction of watching your content. Please don't spill ? 😉
I love these regional exploration videos! I'd be curious to know what regions or countries not widely known for wine production surprise you the most!
You are amazing !!!
Thanks for the upload Anya, I’m completly clueless about wine so your videos are very informative for a novice like me. My usual price point for a bottle of red is around £15 so it looks like Spanish wine will be perfect for me!
I get so overwhelmed choosing a wine, but I will pick up a bottle of Spanish wine this week and hopefully find one I enjoy. Thanks again Anya,and by the way, you look so elegant and pretty in this video.
I really enjoy these comparison videos.
I saw 2007 Martin Codax Lias and not sure if I should pull the plug. Do you think it is likely past its prime?
When visited Spain the waiters always seemed pleasantly surprised we chose Riberia over Rioja. I imagine the reason is because Rioja is common in Canada and people tend to order what they know.
Another exceptional video – thank you.
Fascinating, Anya. I admire that you're apparently not seeking validation from contemporaries, and tell it exactly as you find it. Too many say what they think they should, rather than give their honest opinion.
I suspect most accredited wine experts would know, only too well, which was the Rioja (or at least Spanish), and so they'd pick the other one. I believe you almost certainly knew, and yet you still picked the Rioja. I love that.
"La Rioja Alta", the company, not the region, has a Red winw a little bit more expensive, but still very affordable (between 25 and 33 euro in Spain) than "Viña Arana", whose name is "Viña Ardanza". Is my favourite Spanish wine, becaue its regularity . In my 50 years experience, it had never failed to be very good or excellent.
Another amazing video Anya. I’m a huge fan of Rioja, Duero, and Catalonian wines. Don’t get me wrong, I love Bordeaux too, but in my market I can get that Rioja for $20, while the Margaux it’s close to 50. Actually, in premium Rioja, like Vina Tondonia 2012, it’s $40. There’s no way I would find a Bordeaux for less than $100-120 with that age.
Please, more deep dives on affordable wines. How about Nero d’Avola? Amazing value, sadly underrated… more for me then!
Haha i was hoping you would do something on Spain. Go France 🇫🇷
I noticed that prices for Burgundy wines in Total Wine in the USA went up in last few years and the best producers like Albert Bichot disappeared. But spanish wines are still there and the prices are the same as they were 5 years ago. You can by a really good spanish wine there for $12+.
I'll be in Silvi … Per febbraio … Let's have a tinto …
Great video! But priorat is very expensive due to the low yielding vines. I hope you do a video in the future on priorat and Monsant !The wines are heavenly from this region.The riojas are very predictable ,smooth but i feel lack complexity .Maybe i need to explore more riojas
2:26 Wait! So you're telling me that France cheats in the sparkling wine aisle, too?! 🧐🤔 And they wanted to put me in wine jail for my California Champagne. 😏
Castillo de Vulpi is maybe the best price/quality wine.
This is so great to compare! Great video!
I have so much difficulty picking great Spainsh reds.
Penso davvero che tu abbia dei superpoteri. Quest'anno devo bere più vino e lo farò!
Grazie mille per questo video. Credo che tu mi abbia letto nel pensiero!
Martin Codax; had it, love it
The others I will investigate
Many thanks! 🥂
I do like Pesquera & Muga
Great video. So interesting to hear someone who's not from Spain, say so many thins that we here know, but people outside not always do. Also i think you give great examples at the end, specially Paydos, since it is a great wine from a bodega that does it very well but it is still somehow small and not too known. Cheers!
Very nice video Anya.! Great information. Thank you! My favorite Spanish wine thus far is Pago de Carraovejas Cuesta de Las Liebres 2018. Big cheers to you!!🍷🍷🥂🙌🏻👍🏻
🍷 Get my free Vintage Chart – your quick guide to choosing the right year:
https://thegrandcruaffair.com/?utm_so...
All right, things are sometimed a bit more complicated as it appears.
If you go deaper in Margaux Aoc, for 18/25 euros you can find very high quality wines, they represent classic Cabernet Sauv. at its pinacle. In 2016 and 2019, wines are top.
Concerning Spain, of course you can find good value for money, but I was also very disapolnted by some regions were reds are often Brett, typical old mushroom flavors due to the gigantic amount of too old barrels and problems inherent of.
As wine lover, all the world is producing good wines.
Only a few are exceptionnal.
Tchin tchin.
Hello Anya…. Just out of curiosity were you able to discern the difference between the Rioja and the Bordeaux on the nose and you just didn't tell us😊? I favor both Bordeaux and the Southern Rhone over Rioja and Ribera in the $18 to $35 price range based on quality value and availability. Anya, you know that Bordeaux has perfected the art of winemaking 😁. I do love Spanish wine I'm just giving you a hard time today. Love the channel and all that it takes to put it together.Nothing wrong with using the Coravin it's perfect especially when creating these videos. Okay question of the day for you. If you could choose only one country to drink wine from for the next 3yrs
Which country would you choose and why? Italy? France? Spain? Portugal or USA? 🍷Salute🍷
what's the difference between opening a bottle and coravin? I mean in the end have you not 'removed' some of the contents (wine) to drink it? Is it 'simply' that if the cork is in there you don't have to finish the wine within a matter of days so it doesn''t go to waste or something else?
Thanks for the very insightful video! I have thought for quite a while that Spanish wines have improved a lot in quality and it’s good to know that their value is excellent too relative to other areas. I’d love to find out more about wines from countries in Eastern Europe like Romania and Croatia. What I’ve tried from there so far has been very good.
Thank you Anya for another informative video!❤
Just wondering if you ever done a video on inexpensive wine from Chille or Argentina? My favorite from that region is a wine called Frontera's After Midnight from Chille!❤
Also have you ever done a video on German wines? I once attended a wine festival in Rudesheim which is on the Rhine River, same place they make a brandy called Asbauch Ulalt or something like that.😊
I love Rioja!!
❤💛💛❤️🥂🍷🍾🥃
Due to lazy ignorance, Rioja is vastly overvaluated within spanish wines. Please have a go at other counties (Ribera de Duero, Campo de Borja, Valencia, Alicante, Toro….You name it.
Your videos are amazing
El España el vino francés lo usamos para hacer kalimotxo. Viví en Francia dos años, no hay forma de comprar un vino decente por menos de 30€. En España por ese precio tienes un Gran Reserva que te quita el sentido.
Descubrid el Somontano, aún mejor relación calidad precio.
I love Spanish wine ❤
Drank alot of Rioja when living in Spain ,mate moved to Aranda so was introduced to Duero wines
Stopped drinking for two years and bought a €30 Rioja and a €45 Tertre Margaux for NYE – never was into French wine but I preferred it over the Rioja , I guess the Rioja didn't really have the same wow factor as the Bordeaux
Loving the videos btw, very informative and interesting 👏❤️
Priorat is also a very good spanish wines
Nivel from Ribera del Duero !! ❤
Can't go wrong with Vega Sicilia (Ribera del Duero). Delicious.
Lady, the Haut-Breton is Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc. The Ramón Bilbao is Tempranillo, Graciano, Mazuelo.
There is a huge difference. Its like one car is a Audi and the other ist a BMW.