Writing Monday’s post for the Catavino Wine Education Scholarship to attend the Wine Academy of Spain’s 3-day Spanish wine course in DC left me thinking about the Spanish wines in my wine rack—a white Rioja and a red Rioja. Unfortunately, things have still been a bit busy at work and I’m still coming down from the test craziness, so Hubby and I aren’t getting as many home-cooked, sit-down dinners as we would like, but we’re trying. All of that combined with the humidity hitting the DC area with full force and the white Rioja—a 2007 Marqués de Cáceres White Rioja—was calling to me as I put together dinner the other night.

The 2007 Marqués de Cáceres White Rioja (vineyard, snooth) was made with 100% Viura grapes. The wine had a light gold color with legs. On the nose, all of the aromas were fairly light, but I found grapefruit, green apple, and floral scents, with the smallest hint of peaches. In the mouth, the wine was more flavorful than the aromas let on. I found white blossoms, grapefruit, lime, and apple mixed with some mineraliness. The wine was light bodied and neutral tasting with a medium acidity, so it was pleasant and refreshing without being overpowering.

Is this worth a glass after work? Sure…you won’t be drinking anything out of the ordinary, but you’ll definitely have a decent, reliable glass of wine. For $9, a bottle of the 2007 Marqués de Cáceres White Rioja provides a good quality-price-ratio. The wine won’t knock your socks off, but if you’re looking to save a little money without sacrificing quality, this is definitely a wine worth considering. The Rioja is a nice sipping wine while sitting around outside on a hot summer day, as well as a good wine to have with food. I paired the wine with Chicken Curry, and while both the food and the wine were good, they didn’t go well together. However, because of the high acidity and neutral flavors, if you paired the 2007 Marqués de Cáceres White Rioja with seared scallops, grilled fish, or shrimp cocktail, I think you’ll have a nice match.

Overall: 3 corks