Ho, ho, holiday!
Merry Christmas to all who celebrate, and happy holidays to all! Here’s an early Wine Advisor with my good wishes and notes on a pair of tasty red wines.
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There’s nothing about these wines that shouts “holidays!” other than, perhaps, they’re red, with variations in hue from Santa’s coat. But they both retail safely under the $20 mark, they’re both food-friendly; they’re not just quaffable but actually interesting; and for wine grape nerds like me, and maybe you, too, they feature, respectively, an unusual grape and an unusual combination of grapes.
From the Rioja region in Northern Spain, Rio Madre Graciano Rioja is no ordinary Rioja. Most Riojas are blends that primarily feature the Tempranillo grape, but this 2021 vintage, dark red from Bodegas y Viñedos Ilurce, contains no Tempranillo at all. It’s made entirely from Graciano, a black grape that’s typically used to contribute color to the blend. Graciano works just fine in this bottle, though, and it’s likely to add another mark to your Wine Century Club list of varieties tasted.
From Puglia in the bootheel of southern Italy, Surani Puglia Primitivo/Cab seems like a standard Pugliese red at first, but hold on! Primitivo and Cabernet Sauvignon are not two varieties that we normally see in the same bottle. Does it work? Well, I can testify that this one does. Like some children, it doesn’t particularly resemble either parent, but it’s good enough on its own.
You’ll find both tasting reports below, but before you go, a quick suggestion: It’s just about too late to buy a last-minute present for the wine lovers on your shopping list, but the miracle of technology offers a quick workaround: There’s still plenty of time to order up Kindle/ebook editions of favorite wine books for instant gift delivery.
Hugh Johnson’s Pocket Wine Book 2026 (affiliate link) is an always-reliable guide to wines and where they came from, small enough to carry along into a wine shop or restaurant. It’s updated annually and squeezes a startling amount of information into a book that will still fit in a large pocket.
If you’d like something a little more edgy, New York Times wine columnist Eric Asimov lists The Cynic’s Guide to Wine: Demystifying wine from vineyard to glass (affiliate link), by London wine bar owner Sunny Hodge, as one of his four Most Interesting Wine Books of 2025. Hodge, Asimov says, “is that person who has learned it all and asks, ‘Really?’ He contends that a lot of what we think we know about wine is not at all supported by science, and he explains why that is in lucid, occasionally witty prose.”
Thanks again to all of you who subscribe to The 30 Second Wine Advisor! May this season and the new year bring you comfort and peace.
Today’s Tasting Reports
Bodegas y Viñedos Ilurce 2021 Rio Madre Graciano Rioja
Made entirely from the Graciano grape, usually a minor player in a Tempranillo-dominant blend in Rioja, Bodegas y Viñedos Ilurce 2021 Rio Madre Graciano Rioja is one of the darkest wines I’ve seen. It’s nearly opaque, purple verging toward black. Good blackberry and black-cherry aromas with floral notes are joined in a dry, freshly acidic flavor by a delicious, remarkably spicy mix of fragrant black and white pepper. Soft tannic astringency and gentle warmth from 14.5% alcohol complete a wine that’s clearly Rioja yet distinctively different. U.S. importer: Wine Estates from Spain Inc., Dedham, Mass.; Jorge Ordoñez Selections. (Dec. 20, 2025)
FOOD MATCH: Like more standard Tempranillo-based Riojas, this would be a natural with beef or lamb or hearty bean or grain-based veggie entrees.
WHEN TO DRINK: It’s not easy to gauge aging potential for less familiar grapes, but I’d drink up this four-year-old vintage over the next two or three years.
VALUE:
Wine-Searcher.com returns a $12 average U.S. retail price, with a few merchants offering it for less than $10, an amazing value. It’s still a good value at my local $15 tab, but it’s worth shopping for price if you have the option.
WEB LINK:
Here’s a detailed fact sheet on the U.S. importer’s page.
FIND THIS WINE ONLINE:
Check prices and find vendors for Rio Madre Rioja on Wine-Searcher.com.
Read more about Spain’s Rioja wine region and its wines at this Wine-Searcher link.
Click this link for Wine-Searcher’s Graciano info page.
Masseria Surani 2019 Puglia Primitivo/Cabernet Sauvignon ($17.99)
Ruby, not too dark, with a clear light copper edge, Surani Puglia Primitivo/Cab steps up with appealing plum and berry aromas and a suggestion of pomegranate. Red fruit flavors follow the nose, structured by bright, food-friendly acidity. Tannic astringency is still present in this six-year-old wine, but it’s soft and palatable. I don’t get a lot of Cab or Primitivo character, but it’s a nicely balanced and approachable table wine. 13% alcohol. U.S. importer: Vintus LLC, NYC. (Dec. 6, 2025)
FOOD MATCH: The winery suggests a broad range of pairings covered under “hearty and earthy fare.” That sounded like a hot, hearty lentil soup on a chilly December day, and this match was indeed a delight.
WHEN TO DRINK: At nine years past the vintage, this wine was still fresh and youthful. Vintages through 2021 are currently available, and there doesn’t seem to be any rush to drink them up. With good cellaring, the 2019 should remain drinkable for another three to five years.
VALUE:
Wine-Searcher.com currently lists a $19 average U.S. retail; it’s fairly priced in the upper teens to lower $20s.
WEB LINK:
Masseria Surani offers an overview of the Puglia Primitivo/Cab blend at this winery link. For a more detailed technical data sheet, follow this link.
FIND THIS WINE ONLINE:
Check prices and find vendors for Surani Puglia Primitivo/Cab on Wine-Searcher.com.
Read about the Puglia IGT wine region at this Wine-Searcher link.
This Wine-Searcher link provides a list of Masseria Surani’s wines with links to vendors.
Find the wines you want
Explore Wine-Searcher
Wine-Searcher.com is the place to go online if you want to find where to buy a particular wine that interests you. What’s more, Wine-Searcher.com offers so much more. It’s well worth a visit just to discover its many features, including its popular list of the world’s Top 10 Best Value Wines.
Good wines we’ve tried under $10.99!
Want tips to still more good, inexpensive wines? Here are Wine-Searcher links to vendors and prices for a bunch more wines for $10.99 or less that I’ve told you about in recent years. In some cases, the prices may have risen over the $10.99 mark since I reviewed them, but they should still be excellent bargains. Please tell us about your favorites!
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