Spanish red wine Javier Asencio Tinto 2006 is one of those great table wines that goes great with just about any meal. Produced with 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot and 10% Tempranillo, it is smooth and flavorful, in addition to having a bargain closeout price. This Spanish red wine has an intense cherry color. Its strong aroma has ripe notes with undertones of snuff, pipe, clove and pepper, and hints of black currant jam. In the mouth it is meaty, warm and its sweet tannins brings out the wood tones. Aged for at least 5 months in American oak barrels, this red wine pairs well with red meats, veal and strong cheese. Drink now through 2011.

The ancient kingdom of Navarra, partly Basque, is nestled in the shadow of the Pyrenees to the north and east, and La Rioja to the west, with the main area around the `bull run town` of Pamplona. The region has made huge leaps in quality over recent years, producing exciting wines from a range of local and international grape varietals. Asensio Viñedos y Bodegas is run by the Sanz Asensio brothers. They founded this winery in 1994 with one goal: to develop quality wines. Settled in the subzone of the Ribera Alta, the owners grow around 70 hectares of vineyards. The plants are based on limestone and alluvial loams in the wilderness of Tierra Estella, Sesma. It is an arid zone where ripening grapes produce very low yields. Theirs is one of the wineries that produces the new wines from Navarra. From Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Tempranillo is harvest and aged in American oak. Their wines are known as dense and meaty, almost black in the glass with a fresh crisp fruit, heady nose, and a long reverberation. Javier Asensio has succeeded to make some of Navarra's top rated wines. The Guía Peñín has rewarded their wines in every single issue since 1999.

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Alcohol: 13.1%