help with wine ratings

[Brom]

I suggest that you never read a rating or review of a wine you already own. All you will do is color your own opinion.

You bought a $50 riserva wine to try out a Rioja? While you are holding that, look for some bottle below $10.

I seldom name brands, as you noticed with the recommendations above, there is never any telling whether you will ever see the wines someone suggests. I would concur on Muga wines, but as you found out, they can be hard to locate.

In this case however I'll name names too -- Bodegas Montecillo is a very well distributed, inexpensive and reliable Rioja. Other producers of tons of wine and therefore widely distributed are CUNE, Faustino, Marquis de Caceres & Marquis de Riscal.