Easy drinking with bold fruit, as you'd expect from a valpolicella. Cherries, raspberries, a little plummy underneath -- and then something unexpected: Lemongrass! Pine resin! Maybe even some eucalyptus! Where'd those come from?

The lemongrass is especially interesting; it almost floats above the rest of the flavors. My wife said that when she tasted it, she thought of Thai food, which we agreed would be a good pairing. Very unexpected complexity from such an affordable wine.

This is our house red. It's very drinkable, not overly simple but also not too complex. Lots of berry flavors, maybe a touch of tar. Light on the tongue, although there is some tannin present.

Los Vascos is owned by Domaines Baron de Rothschild, and made with grapes from French vine stock planted in the 1850s.