Faustino Rivero Ulecia: Crianza Navarra 2019
I can't remember exactly, but I believe I got this in one of those Costco variety boxes. "Wines of Spain" or something similar with 4 wines for $30, so the price is an estimate.
Nose was cherry (muted) and vanilla. Taste was a burst of fruit (tart rasberry) which quickly faded into a slightly bitter oaky aftertaste. Some tannin. I wonder if it would have had a little more life if it hadn't sat there since 2019.
Its... fine. Especially for $6. Its easy to drink alongside food (or alone) but doesn't really stand out, and doesn't pack enough punch to pair with anything too rich. I had it with some mushroom pizza (I was going to have italian wine but couldn't find a good candidate) and it did alright. I recommend pairing it with red meat, but nothing fancy, maybe a hamburger or a cheap steak.
NatScore: 3/5 Competent