When you ask yourself what country devotes the most land to vineyards, which comes to mind? France, certainly, possibly the United States, but the fact is the country with the most land devoted to vineyards is Spain, and it’s really not even close. Spain has over 10,000 square miles of vineyards, nearly 3 million acres! China recently moved up to #2 in vineyard acreage at 1.9 million, ahead of France, but still far short of Spain. With that much lush land devoted to vineyards, it’s no wonder there are such good wines coming out of Spain.

Case in point: the very affordable Breca, a wine that I have enjoyed for several years, and which continues to be a solid choice year after year. As you can see (left), it got a 91 Point rating from the IWC, and one vintage (the 2010, sadly no longer available) got a 94 rating from Robert Parker.

But regardless of vintage, Breca is a phenomenal wine that I have consistently found for less than $20. It’s made from 100% old vine Garnacha, one of the most widely planted grapes in Spain (also known as Grenache in France). Garnacha is found in many French Rhone blends, but in Spain it often stands alone.

The 2015 Breca is wine that I encourage you to decant first. Whether that means you pour it through an aerator of just let it sit for 30 minutes to an hour, please do it – this is not a pop and pour wine. Pull the cork, give it some time, and you’ll be rewarded with big, bold blackberry and black cherry flavors, nice aromas of vanilla and cinnamon, and a long spicy finish that goes on and on. This is a nicely balanced wine with pepper, earth and a dark chocolate finish which balances the fuirt. Year after year, this is a consistently delicious wine.

On my five-cork scale based on taste and value, I give the 2015 Breca 4 corks! I honestly don’t know how a wine this good sells for as little as $15 locally, and on Wine.com. You’re not going to find a better QPR (Quality to Price Ratio) than this.

If you’d like to try interesting wines like this, please join me at our next private wine party! Every month I host a three course wine dinner, featuring delicious wines expertly paired with small plate meals prepared by a master chef. There are always cool prizes to win, too. The next date will be announced soon, so check back here for updates, and listen Wednesdays at 4:15 for more reviews and details!