Wine Wednesday: 2009 Viña Tobia Joven Rioja

We're all fired up for the 25 Grapes extravaganza tomorrow, October 21st, at K&L Hollywood (5:30-7 p.m.), a fantastic tasting being hosted in partnership with one of our favorite Iberian importers, Vinos Unico, and Eastern European wine powerhouse Blue Danube. To get your tastebuds-a-tingling, this week's Wine Wednesday pour is Vinos Unico's unbelievably affordable Viña Tobia Joven Rioja ($9.99).

Bodegas Tobia is located in Spain's Rioja Alta, near the town of San Asencio, and is 100% Tempranillo fruit from the winery's 42 acres of dry-farmed vineyards. The Bodegas' winemaker, Oscar Tobia, is part of the new guard in Rioja, making traditional wines with a modern twist. His "Joven" or Rioja Tinta, is a case in point. Like most classic, Joven-style Riojas, this is completely unoaked, which helps to preserve the fresh, easy-drinking and approachable character of the fruit. But Tobia takes the style up a notch, employing a cold, two-day carbonic maceration, which helps to further accentuate the wine's raspberry, currant and cherry aromas and flavors. This is not to say this wine is simply a jammy fruit-bomb. On the contrary, it's got hints of violet and licorice, a medium-bodied structure and a luscious, round mouthfeel that bounces across your palate like a Super-Ball. Nonetheless, it's fantastic with a little chill on it, and goes down so smooth that you might want to buy at least two bottles, so you can continue enjoying after the first one quickly and inevitably runs out.

Leah Greenstein