Okay, José

I'm a big fan of grenache/garnacha. An old friend introduced me to the grenache-based wines of the southern Rhone Valley many years ago, and it's been a love affair ever since.

Unfortunately, some of the newer style wines are overripe, flabby and missing some of the nuances that I find so endearing. So, I was stunned to find an exceptional garnacha that was also a real steal.

Cinco Josés "Old Vine" Garnacha 2008, ($6.99, Green's)

This is a lovely example of garnacha with flavors of dried cherry and raspberry with some nice herbal notes and a hint of white pepper.

Cinco Josés comes from Spanish Vines, which is an importer based right here in Columbia, S.C. E and I have been drinking their wines for several years now, and they are an importer to watch. If you find some of their wines in your local shop, be sure to pick some up. You'll be glad you did.

Salud.