There are several good suggestions listed already, but ultimately, it's a matter of personal taste. I've tried the Yellow Tail and Charles Shaw and found them seriously lacking. They're OK if you have a large party and don't want to blow a lot of money on better wines.
I will concur strongly with the above recommendations regarding:
1. Seghesio zinfandels. They produce several, of which I prefer the Old Vine, but it is pricier than their others. They are all excellent values. The "lower end" is less than $15.
2. Falesco Vitiano Umbria. 2001 Under $10.
3. Amano Primitivo. The primitivo grape is the same as the zinfandel. Outstanding Italian pressing. Well under $10 (or should be).
4. Paringa Shiraz 2001 from Australia. This is one hefty shiraz.
Others worth considering:
5. When the Foppiano Petit Syrah 2001 (Paso Robles) comes out, I suggest jumping all over it. It should be under $15 (maybe even closer to $10). Barrel tastings have been excellent.
6. Benziger (not to be confused with Beringer) Chardonnay.
7. Kestrel (the Washington winery, not the California one of the same name).
8. Peter Lehman's wines are all outstanding. His Riesling is excellent and is not the sweet German/Johanisberg style, but is semi-dry and crisp.
9. Nautilus. A great New Zealand (Marlborough) savignon blanc. Maybe close to $20, but well worth it.
10. Nobilo is another Marlborough worth looking into.
OK, I'll leave it there. It's only 10am and I'm suddenly getting a little thirsty! |
Shubertmaniac,
You are absolutely right about the 2000 Bordeaux. I have bought several cases myself (add Ch. Martinens to the list) and they are indeed many affordable ones. With the 2000 vintage being so good, and with many available for under $20, there are some obscenely good deals to be had. |
...only "problem" is, the 2000's need to cellar for a few years... The others I listed earlier are drinkable now. |
Ahhh!!!.... so much wine, so little time! |
Yeah, Rowe, I can't get my tongue around that Yellow Tail, either...but do have it on hand for parties. |
I guess I wasn't clear, Jhos... I know Hogue is the winery! I should have said, what style of Reisling does Hogut make? I've had some of their reds in the past. I'll look out for the late harvest. Thanks for the tip. |
The 1996 Ch. Musar is made from Obaideh and Merwah. |
Dekay.. my error... not the first, and not the last! |
Yes, Ch. Musar is a little pricey. I've tried it and found it OK, but not outstanding. Usually goes in this area (Chicago) for $25-30 per bottle. On a scale of 0-100, I'd give most of it 83-85. For that price/score, I can find other wines. But that's the great thing about wine (and audio gear, music, etc)... there's something out there that delights everyone! Cheers. |
Yes, Summerhill's Pinot Blanc is quite good. |
Here's an incredible deal on a 2000 Bordeaux (one of the best vintages in a long time):
Château La Grange Clinet (Premières Côtes de Bordeaux) 2000
This is a spectacular wine and will cellar nicely for 5-10 years. I bought it after tasting it at my wine shop for.... only $8 a bottle! Bought two cases, naturally. After I got home, I checked Wine Spectator. Not that I go by their thinking or ratings, but James Suckling gave it a score of 88. |
....bump....
How many use inexpensive glasses for inexpensive wine, or have you made the plunge for Riedel?! Amazon just had a great 2-for-1 deal on Spiegelau (I got 6 Magnum Bordeaux and 6 Magnum Burgundy glasses for $45!).
Here's another great cheapo wine:
Artazuri Navarre 2001 (Grenache). I don't give a damn about Robt. Parker, but I agree with him that this is a "grenache whore!" 92pts from him, and under $10!
If you like Chateauneuf-du-Pape, you will like this. |
Galeriehughie--- wish I could afford those Riedel sommeliers! They are damn nice, but the Spiegelau are not too shabby, either.
Theduke: hey, what's the name of those knock-offs? Not Spiegelau? Amazing what a fine combination of wine, glassware, and audio can do! Sounds like a great evening... :-) |
Galeriehughie..... yes, Riedels can do that, can't they?! I mean, "expose" a poor wine. I don't pretend that my Spiegelaus are as good, but they come close. It's amazing how much better a good wine is with the right glasses. After all, a lot of "taste" is actually sense of smell.
I'd like to talk about 1st growths with you Galeriehughie, but this is an "inexpensive wine" thread. So, yesterday I picked up a couple of bottles of a Spanish red: 2001 Las Rocas de San Alejandro(Vinas Viejas Garnacha). This cost me $8.99 each and is amazing! If you're a grenache fan (or if you like Chateauneuf-du-Pape), this one's for you. It got better by the hour. I agree with Robert Parker (finally!) on this one... he gave it 93 pts. I don't know what the 2002 is like, but the 2001 is great, and will improve over the next 5-10yrs. |
Thanks, Theduke! I'll see if I can find them in the Chicago area. |
Jh2os.... what style of Reisling is Hogue? I can't abide the sweeter stuff, but do like a drier one (Peter Lehman in Australia makes one I like). |
Douglikesaudio: I've had the Incognito. Not bad, but not my style. I thought the 7 Deadly Zins was very fruity, overly oaked, but to each his own. It's great, though, that there are so many quality choices for so many tastes! It's been a while since I tried Hahn...I liked it.. thanks for the reminder...
Niravp: I like some viognier.. will look out for the one you mention. |
Doug... been inactive for a while. Lost my job. Ummm... meritage... well, interesting that you ask, as that's a varietal that I've long been meaning to explore! I'll turn your question around, and ask you for suggestions! Found some good Portuguese values recently. |
Thanks for the tip, Schubertmaniac. I have a cellar full of "B2K", but nothing that can be drank now, so I'll pick up some of the Mouiex.. have seen it, but not tried it.
Doug: Besides Port, I've developed a taste for Duoros. Two that I've had recently and REALLY like are:
2000 Quinta do Vallado Duoro
2000 Quinta do Crasto Duoro Reserva
[being out of work, at least for a few months, ain't such a bad thing...getting caught up on wines, audio, friends, etc.!] |
I'd don't know if "meritage" refers specifically to Bordeaux style blends from California, or if it can refer also to Aussie ones... but Peter Lehmann makes a very nice Barossa Valley one called "Clancy's." Am drinking it now and it is really a winner. Needs an hour in the decanter to open up. |
Anything by Newton. Their 2000 unfiltered "Claret" is a fabulous deal! |
Hmmm...sorry, but Woodbridge gives me heartburn. For under $12 or so, I'd go for Greg Norman Shiraz/Cab ($10-11) or the 2003 Las Rocas old vine for $12 (their regular bottling is a mere $7 or so!). |
Thanks for the pointers, 55dok and Zinfan2. I'll be on the lookout for those rec's.
Zinfan: i'm getting over my screwcap bias. With Penfolds now releasing half their bottlings in screwcap (including their Grange!!) and many kiwi wines now coming that way, I'm having to "get over it!" |
