Costa Cruz Tempranillo Syrah 2018 La Mancha, Spain 75cl

Costa Cruz is made by Bodegas Lozano, a long-established family winery in Villarrobledo on the wide plains of La Mancha, the vast central plateau that is the engine room of Spanish wine. It is a region built for generous, sun-ripened fruit at a friendly price.

This is a straightforward blend of Tempranillo and Syrah. Tempranillo gives the soft red-berry fruit and easy structure, while Syrah adds a little colour, spice and a peppery lift. It is made unoaked, so nothing distracts from the fresh, ripe fruit at its heart.

The 2018 season brought welcome rain to central Spain after several dry years, giving a larger, fresher crop and reds with lively fruit and lighter alcohol than the hotter vintages on either side.

In the glass it is bright and vibrant, a lively purple-red. Red berries lead, raspberry and red cherry, with a touch of black pepper and spice from the Syrah, gentle tannins and a clean, juicy finish. There is no oak weight here, just uncomplicated, thirst-quenching fruit that keeps you coming back. The wine is best drunk within a year or two of release, while that vivid fruit is at its peak.

This is a cheerful everyday red that does not stand on ceremony. Serve it lightly chilled, straight from a cool cupboard, with pizza, tapas, grilled sausages, burgers off the barbecue or a Tuesday-night bowl of pasta. If you like an easy, fruit-driven Spanish red for casual meals, it is a friendly and affordable choice that punches above its modest price.