Montebuena Rioja Crianza 2007, $6.95, Spain: This wine is 100% Tempranillo and is dark red in color. Spicy red berries and cherry come out on the nose, with hints of cracked pepper and dried rose. Crisp and dry on the palate, with spicy redcurrant and cherry flavors, light tannins and a fresh, energetic finish. An excellent value, and surprisingly elegant for this price point. While previous Tempranillo's I have tasted I have not really liked, this one surprised me! On the nose it was spicy and I could smell some pepper coming through. On the palate, it was dry, but it did not bother me as much as I expected it to. It did taste spicy, but not peppery to me. I could taste a little fruitiness but could not distinguish if it was more redcurrant or cherry tasting. (This bottle is a different year than 2007, but the 2007 picture was too large to place as a picture!)