It’s been a while since we posted a daily drinker, but we’re off to the Seattle Opera this evening to see Rigoletto, and going to the Opera reminds me of a new wine we recently discovered that has turned out to be a great daily drinker.

Usually, we start off the evening at one of our favorite restaurants, Toulouse Petit, with a few quick bites and a glass or two of wine.  Their foie gras is some of the best in town, as is their duck confit – and oh, just about everything else on their amazing menu.  (If you’re in Seattle and you want to check them out, make a reservation – they can be impossible to get into!)

Over time, we’ve gotten to know Joe, the restaurant manager and wine buyer.  We’ve complimented him in the past on his great, affordable wine selections, and in particular, there’s been one wine that we thought was a great little gem for the money.  I actually managed to track it down, and we’ve been enjoying it on non-Opera nights now too.  It’s a Tempranillo, which is one of Christina’s new favorites for the spicy, yet full-bodied flavor.  She refers to it as great “pizza wine,” though it’s good enough to open for friends, for sure – we highly recommend it.  And at roughly $13 a bottle, you can open plenty of them!

2009 Lo Nuevo, Tanto Monta – Old Vine Tempranillo – Spicy black fruit nose.  In the mouth crushed black berries and black currants, with some spice and a little bit of earthiness (in a good way).  Medium-full bodied with very good acidity and a nice long sweet black fruit finish.  Tasting this blind, you would never guess you were drinking a $13 bottle of wine.

Looks like we’ll have to open a bottle tonight at home before we go.  We’re especially looking forward to this Opera – we met a few members of the cast at a Christmas party in December.  They had just arrived in town from New York and Florida the day before the party, and were getting settled in.  The show is getting great reviews – I’m sure they’ll be spectacular.

Cheers to a good night and a good show!