Wine Talk - Where is the value these days?

Wine Talk by Art of the Table
September 22, 2010

Certain wines or wine styles come along every so often that grips the wine community at their ankles and doesn't let go...until the next "WOW!" wine comes along. I don't particularly mean the uptight, expensive wine world, I mean the "hey, I can afford this'' wine world (although there are a few slightly more expensive choices I'll mention later you should truly consider). We've recently been blown away by Malbec and Carmenere from South America.

This is how it goes, and I'm certain you've seen it. New and exciting wines are generally very affordable and wonderful quality. Then many catch on, the supply becomes less than the demand. So, one of two things happen...supply goes way up, the wines end up in big box stores and quality is sacrificed to something completely undrinkable. While you are still paying $9.50 for the same bottle with the same label, it certainly isn't the same wine anymore.

Or...
The producer of the wine is a purist and doesn't increase production. He must now make the same wine for a much higher price. Instead of paying $11.50 you are now paying $20 something a bottle. Even though the wine is completely worth the new price point, and the producer is seeing the fruits of his labor and his product is being honored...we as consumers still remember when said wine was such a great value. Still a great wine, but no longer the secret we hide from our friends.

So what's next? What will shock and awe us? To be honest, no one knows. That's what's fun about it. We get to find out together. What I can tell you is we have some really fun stuff in that we stand behind and are able to pass along at a great value.

Affordable and Honest

Every wine on our "excited" rack is affordable and incredible for what it is. Prices range from $6.75 a bottle to $24.50, but it's all great stuff. Here are a few we think are great fun. You probably have had a few of them, but if not...do so as soon as possible.

Chateau Haut Pasquet Bordeaux Blanc
40% Semillon, 40% Sauvignon Blanc, 20% Muscadelle. First of all, a great Bordeaux wine for under $15? That is fairly unheard of. This is refreshing, citrusy and wonderfully herbal. A food wine all day long, even with some simple fish tacos that will take you 30 minutes tops to make on a Tuesday.

$13.75

Domaine de Pellehaut
Another French white wine that takes honors. Again, this is citrusy, dry and close-your-eyes-and-smile good. Also, it's a wine that consistently delivers goodness at a consistently amazing price. We've been a fan for years.

$9.50

Grayson Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon
Let's face it, California Cabernet Sauvignon is wildly popular, incredibly over priced and somewhat under whelming for what you pay. If you pay $100, you probably should have payed $60. If you paid $20, it's (most of the time) safe to say you should have paid $15. In rare cases do you find wines from Cali that over deliver for the price you pay...Grayson Cellars is a very rare case indeed. Classic California fruits, blackberry and cherry on the nose/palate. Herbal, coffee tones and smooth. Yes, this is good wine for good people.

$11

Reflejo de Alinde ~ Toro, Spain
Alinde's top-o-the-line retails at $42 and is one of those wines that make your eyes pop out in excitement and gives you one of those "WOW!" moments. We affectionately call this "baby" Alinde. It's great wine folks. I'm not even going to tell you more, because you just have to try if for yourself. Try wine from Toro, especially this one. It overdelivers.

$16.25

Deals that we can't even believe

Dessilani Caramino Reserva 2001
From Fara, Italy. 80% Nebbiolo, 10% Bonarda,and 10% Vespolina. Again, we got a good deal, you get a good deal. This wine is honestly a no brainer. A more than acceptable substitute for Barolo, and remember what I said about 2001 in the previous wine description? Yup. Not nearly as age-able, but it's drinking incredible right now! Dried spices and herbs with cherry and cedar on the nose. The palate is leathery with a continuation of dried spice and cedar. Slightly dried black cherry, with hints of meaty flavors.

$27.50 (normally $50!)