So I pulled this dusty little number off the shelf—2017 Agramont Reserva from Murchante, Spain—gave it a suspicious side-eye and thought, “Hmm, 2017… is this still wine or the beginnings of balsamic?” But curiosity (and a healthy 20% discount) won, and I popped it open, fully expecting disappointment with a raisin finish. Instead? Surprise! This old fella is aging better than half the people I went to high school with.
Right away, it had a mellow vibe, like a red that’s just done explaining itself to anyone. 14% ABV, so it still packed a little heat, but the flavor was smooth—medium dry, medium body, and blessedly free of that “grandma’s dried raisin bowl” taste that can haunt older reds. There was fruit, sure, but not sweet or jammy. Just enough to say, “Yes, I’m technically from a grape, thank you.”
Day 2 rolled around (because yes, I’m that person who stretches wine across multiple nights like it’s an emotional support beverage), and it had dried out a bit—like my patience for adulting—but it still held up beautifully. Paired it with Quesibirria tacos (my new favorite taco), which were delicious and not at all part of any traditional Spanish pairing guide, but whatever. It worked. The Agramont didn’t whimper or fade next to all the spicy, cheesy meatiness. It stood its ground like a proud, seasoned red who’s seen things.
Price? $7.99 with 20% off, which basically means I stole it. This is the kind of red you serve when you want to impress people into thinking you understand Spanish wine and didn’t just choose the bottle because it looked fancy. For less than the cost of a footlong sub sandwich, I got two nights of decent wine and one solid food pairing win. I’ll absolutely buy this again—assuming I can find it and it hasn’t ascended to wine heaven for being too good for this cruel, under-$10 world.
As the wise prophet once said in Life of Brian:
Wise Man #1: “We were led by a star.”
Brian’s Mother: “Led by a bottle, more like.”
Indeed.
Types of Grapes: Spanish ones….Tempranillo and ??
ABV % / Fun Juice Level: 14%
Origin: Murchante, Spain
Grocery Outlet Price: $7.99 and a 20% discount
