TOP 20 UNDER $20 of 2012!!

This is it!  The post you've all been anxiously waiting for!  My annual list of amazing and AFFORDABLE wines is finally here.

I made the list actually 21 this year, since one of my faves might not yet be available in the U.S.  But we get new imports all the time, and it's reallllly good, so I had to include it.  In 2012, it seems as if Spain and Italy (and Washington State!) were the places to go for value finds.  Also I came across a lot of rosés that were outstanding values.  (If you’re not a big rosé drinker, it’s definitely time to start experimenting!  Do not unfairly judge the PINK.)  And my two TOP PICKS were both from Portugal, where I’ve long tried to steer Wineaux to find amazing wines at great values.  I tasted hundreds of different wines this year, always looking for the best bangs for the buck… and here they are.  There’s a little something for everyone, including some slightly more unusual finds.  You know I like “weird” wines, and some of these really show how enjoyable oddballs can be!  Cheers.

WHITE:

2011 Domaine de Belle Vue Sauvignon Gris, Loire, France $14 – Sauv Gris is a Sauv Blanc cousin from the Loire. Gorgeous balance of round mouthfeel and high citrusy acidity.   Pear and lemongrass on nose, minerally with white peach/tangerine in mouth and a grassy finish.  Clean but warm.  Sounds schitzo but isn't!

It sure LOOKS like a European label, doesn't it?
These guys are a little whimsical.
And cheeky.

2011 Independent Producers Dionysus Vineyard Chardonnay, Washington State $14 - Rich & viscous US Chard with no oak but lots of oomph.  Loads of spice and minerality balance the pear and stone fruit flavors.  Very long finish. >>

2010 La Miranda de Secastilla Garnacha Blanca, Viñas del Vero, DO Somontano, Spain $15 - Heady nose of florals and peachy nectar.  Perfectly balanced acidity.  Rich but clean and food friendly.  Loads of fruit and florals.  Yum.

2010 Jed Steele Shooting Star Aligoté, Washington State $16 - Aligoté is the oft-overshadowed second white grape of Burgundy – this one hails from Washington state and is appley/citrusy with a smooooth finish, unusual and verrrry yummy.

ROSÉ:

2011 Viñaluz Rosado, Bodegas Real, Spain $3 - Yes, three dollars.  Granted, I got it on sale (down from a whopping $7,) but either way, this wine is a stupid-crazy value. Bright, rich, great berry/cherry notes, lip-smacking.

NV Dürnberg Brut Sparkling Rosé, Austria $10 - You know I love sparklers. This is made from the red Zwigelt Austrian grape, and is floral and lightly fruity but dry dry dry.  Great for a party! 

2011 Ontañón Vetiver Rosado DOCa Rioja, Spain $12 - Bright pink.  Earth, minerals and strawberry on the nose.  Chewy fruit, not "too sweet" seeming.  Balanced with herby elements and good acidity.  Very nice.

<< 2011 Heredade do Esporão, Defesa Rosé, Portugal $13 – A lot of depth of flavor.  Minerality, berries, a bit of meatiness…  Just fantastic!  It quenches your thirst and yet you race back to the bottle - so satisfying, I could drink it all day.  TOP PICK.

 

2011 Wolffer Rosé $15 from Long Island, NY  Pale salmon pink, with underripe strawberry, minerality, salinity.  Very scrumptious for such a light wine.  Good acidity with florals, bitter herbs, minerals, tart cherries.  Dependable and food-friendly. >>

RED:

2010 Bodegas Real "Nazares" Tempranillo, Spain $6 – The quality of entry level Tempranillos can be tough to navigate; this one is absolutely yummy – especially at this price!  Crafted in a more youthful style for drinking now, it has soft and round berry salad flavors.

2011 Cantina Vallebelbo Sparkling Brachetto d'Acqui DOCG, Italy $12 - light rose and berries with a SLIGHT sweetness, gorgeous balance of herbs and fruit and freshness.  Party wine, easy quaffer, fun and flirty.  Might not yet be available in the US.  (I’m working on it!)

<< 2011 Edgebaston The Pepper Pot, South Africa $13 – A blend of Syrah, Mourvedre, Cinsault, Grenache, Tannat, AND Viognier, this inky red is rich and spicy with loads of pepper and dark fruits.  Structured, but smooooth – and, dare I say, sexy?!  Pretty heavy-duty but not overpowering, and a bit unusual.

2009 Cortes de Cima Red, Portugal $15 – Dark fruits, good integrated tannins, rich and full but velvety.  Very nice - this is so huge, it cries out for food!  This blend of Syrah, Aragonez (Tempranillo), Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Touriga Nacional and Alicante Bouschet is a great value.  TOP PICK.

2007 Martínez Lacuesta Crianza DOCa Rioja, Spain $16 - Spicy!  Smoky, good fruit, meaty with lush ripe cherry.  Good balance of fruit and earthier elements, and a nice finish.  

Sorry about the candle wax - I had this on hand
when the lights went out during Hurricane Sandy.

2010 Montalbera Grignolino d'Asti, Italy $17 - Unusual color, pale orangey/brick-y.  Cherry cola nose, wonderfully strange!  Light but complex flavors of black cherry, some herbs and a bit peppery.  Good acid and yet smooth.  So interesting and unusual - Pinot Noir fans must try! >>

<< 2008 Weinhof Scheu Pinot Noir, Germany $17 – Riesling is the star in Germany, but this Pinot is a lovely find.  Incredibly light seeming but with a strong presence of cherry, earth, pepper and tea rose floral notes.

2011 Conti di Buscareto Lacrima di Morro D'Alba, Italy $18 - Not the Alba in Piedmont, but in Marche.  Dark bright magenta.  Florals - lavender, roses!  Very smooth, super light acidity, hint of supple tannins.  Violets and dark cherries in mouth.  Kind of like a Beaujolais Gamay... but not at all like it too!

2010 Mas des Chimères Oeillade Languedoc, France $19 - A meaty earthiness with dusty spice on the nose, this 100% Grenache has dark berries, minerals, a hint of charcoal, rose, smoked meat and herbs.  Medium-bodied, but spicy richness and long length in the mouth.  Bring on the funk.

The Barbera on this list is on the left.
Alas the Barbera on the right is NOT under $20. 

2010 Qupé Syrah Central Coast, California $19 - Very herbalicious!  Lots of rosemary, light, yet very well-structured.  It's hard to find a “Rhône Ranger” Syrah with this much personality at this price point.

2009 Vietti Barbera d'Asti Tre Vigne, Italy $19 - CHERRY! Black cherry liqueur, herbs and cola.  Very perfumey in mouth, bright crunchy forward fruit.  Good tart acidity but smooth finish.  Somewhat of a masculine style from vineyards abutting legendary Barolo. >>

Well, Wineaux, there you have it.  Please let me know if you try any of these amazing finds!  And always let me know if you come across some superb under-$20 values yourself... everyone's wallet will thank you.

Cheers!

TOP 20 UNDER $20!

It’s time!  The long-awaited compilation for those with thirsty palates and savvy wallets has arrived.

Now that I’ve wrapped up the list, the theme of 2011 was generally out-of-the box ideas.  Not surprisingly, there were strong showings from France, Italy and Spain.  But South Africa provided three of the top 20, and Portugal, Argentina, Australia, Greece and Germany were also represented.  (I was shocked to realize no US wines made the list this year but 'that's the way the grape juice ferments'.)   Grape varieties were also all over the place, with some indigenous varieties, classic red blends, and TWO Rieslings!

The point of all this is to share with you some of my favorite wines that I have tasted over the past year that were incredible values.  Out of hundreds (if not thousands) of wines, I have culled these memorable standouts.

Read, take notes, get inspired, and most importantly – get out there and TASTE FOR YOURSELF!

#20) 2008 Vietti Moscato d'Asti Cascinetto, Italy ~$18

Very light and lightly sweet, with refreshing notes of peach & pear, this is a slightly sparkling wine perfect to get things started or wind things up. Charming and appealing.

#19) 2008 Azul Portugal Ribatejo, Portugal ~$12

A white blend of the Portugese indigenous grapes Trincadeira, Arinto and Fernão Pires. Lemony nose, with light acidity and notes of herbs, yellow apple, white flowers, and peach. Interesting and different. 

#18) 2009 Georges Duboeuf Morgon Jean Descombes, Beaujolais France ~$15

Notes of crunchy red fruit and violets. Good acidity, light in style but balanced with a lot going on.  Great example of Beaujolais.

 

#17) 2010 Pazo Señorans Albarino, Rias Baixas Spain ~$19

Perfumey and warm floral nose, with melon and a bit of spice. Round peachy fruit and jasmine florals.  Balanced acidity, rich but not heavy. 

#16) 2009 Bodegas Caro Amancaya, Mendoza Argentina ~$17

70% Malbec/ 30% Cabernet Sauvignon. Velvety plumminess, very smooth, with dense, dark fruits and herbs. Perfumey acidity lifts out blackberry and blueberry fruit.  Yum.

#15) 2008 Blason d'Aussieres Corbieres, Languedoc France ~$19

Great values continue to come from Southern France. This shows sage, cassis and cranberry couched in herbs. Looong finish, well-balanced, spicy and tart, notes of pepper, licorice, hint of barnyard. Great all-around.

#14) 2006 Annie Lane Cellars Clare Valley Riesling, Australia ~$12

Nose of round stone fruit and florals, with grass and white flowers. Bracing acidity. Light grassy aromatics, and a long, tart finish. Additional notes of honey and petrol show the few years of age.

#13) 2010 Nikiforou Cellars Moschofilero, Greece ~$12

Vibrant floral nose, with grapefruit, pear, florals and a some herb and mineral notes. Good balance and finish.  Wonderful example of the quality of Greek table wines of late.  Thirst-quenching!

#12) 2009 Protos Tinto Fino, Ribera del Duero Spain ~$15

Fantastic affordable Tempranillo.  Velvety plum and herby nose, behind-the-teeth sweetly tannic, good acidity but light in style, notes of bright plum and dark fruits – an all-around fun, ready to drink wine.

#11) 2010 Ken Forrester Estate Chenin Blanc Reserve, Stellenbosch South Africa ~$14

Light but well-balanced, with floral aromatics, rich and round notes of taffy, mountain flowers, and minerality.  Even with zippy acid, this is creamy and has a nice weight and long length with a bit o’ shpritz.  Perfect for food!

#10) NV Nino Franco Prosecco di Valdobiaddene Rustico, Italy ~$13

Sensuous nose of lime, florals and grass. Those notes also on the palate with a hint of lemon curd and underripe melon.  Rich mousse and sprightly acidity give a long finish with a nice weight.  Extremely worthy substitute for celebratory Champagne.

#9) 2010 Cercius Côtes du Rhône VV, France ~$14

Complex nose of red berries, earth, cola and floral perfume.  Great fruit expression with fresh herbs, licorice, lavender and a peppery finish.  Lightish in style but sumptuous with balanced acidity and soft tannins.

#8) 2010 Castello Banfi San Angelo Pinot Grigio, Italy ~$16

A pear explosion on the nose, with notes of florals, honeysuckle, melon and a bit of spice on the palate, with light citrus and good acid.  Tuscany’s first Pinot Grigio is a winner, a bit more evolved than many typical PG’s from Northern Italy.

#7) Clos de la Briderie Cremant de Loire, France ~$18

A sparkling blend of Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay and Cabernet Franc in the brut (dry) style. Clean citrus and grass with a roundness of peach and wax. Nice weight and mousse.  Interesting and different from the “usual suspects.”  Good fruit expression, well-balanced, and a bit of a flirt.

#6) 2009 St. Urbans-Hof Riesling Kabinett Goldtröpfchen, Mosel Germany ~$19

Pepper and honeysuckle florals.  Candied orange peel, wonderful fruit expression of passion fruit and mandarin, with minerality, white florals, hint o’herbs, perfectly balanced acidity, bright and rich.  Very slightly, barely sweet, but oh so balanced.

#5) 2009 Domaine Grand Nicolet Côtes du Rhône-Villages VV Rasteau, France ~$16

Very spicy, black bramble fruits and pepper nose.  Outrageously heavy-duty but still refined.  Layers upon layers of herbs, licorice, warm spice, blackberry liqueur, smoked meats, black cherry syrup and mocha with good acidity and silky tannins.

#4) 2009 Aviva Vino Bula Montsant, Spain ~$12

50% Carinena, 30% Garnacha, 20% Syrah. Wowowowowow. Dense, earthy, spicy and warm.  Great fruit expression of dark cherries, cocoa powder, mesquite and blackberry liqueur.  Rich and integrated, really incredible value and an across-the-board favorite at its tasting.  And for only twelve bucks!?!

#3) 2010 Boekenhoutskloof Wolftrap Rosé, South Africa ~$12

This rosé is a blend of 66% Syrah, 20% Cinsault and 14% Grenache.  Nose of green pepper and mint, bold and spicy on the palate with strawberries and watermelon. A true crowd-pleaser, versatile and scrumptious.  My mouth is watering just typing this...

#2) 2009 Ch. Peyraud Premieres Côtes de Blaye, France ~$12

Blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon with no oak influence.  Huge ripe crunchy red fruit, cranberry, cassis, nice acidity, silky tannins, lush & ripe & lovely.  What a surprise!  Incredible values coming out of this relatively new “Côtes” region abutting Bordeaux.  Do yourself a favor and dig some up!

#1) 2008 Spice Route Pinotage, Swartland South Africa ~$20

Deep fruit on the nose of torched berries. Sexy! Smooth & rich, blackberry and spice flavors inundate, so velvety and caressing, with a bit of tar mid-finish.  Drinking this is an experience! Pinotage is a South African grape variety that often passionately divides Wineaux.  But this wine is gorgeously tailored and was hands-down my favorite wine I tasted this past year.  (And did I mention SEXY?!)

As always, any errors or opinions are all mine.  Comments and questions heartily welcomed. 

SWE SUPERLATIVES...

Fellow Wineaux, I have just returned from a week in Rhode Island at the Society of Wine Educators' annual conference.  A whirlwind of wines, to be sure.  I estimate I sampled around 200 wines, and will be reporting on much of what I encountered.  Know that I will gladly suffer daily purple tongue and teeth on your behalf, Wineaux, and keep your eyes peeled for the fruits of my labor.

But I have to give you a little tease, now, don't I?  (The answer is: Yes, I do.)

I've awarded my version of "Most Likely to Succeed" and "Best Smile" to some of the wines and regions that truly leapt to the forefront.  Read on...

Sexiest Wine: 2009 Spice Route Pinotage
Forget about traditional descriptors, this wine basically takes you over in the corner and bites your earlobe.  Drinking it is a visceral experience that is sensuous, pulse-quickening, and maybe a little naughty. It certainly cast a spell on me and may cause me to make rash decisions in the name of lust.

Best Bang-for-the Buck: 2009 Ch. Peyraud Premieres Côtes de Blaye 
The Right Bank of Bordeaux's relatively new "Côtes" region is producing some absolute stunners, at a true fraction of typical Bordeaux pricing.  And this little gem in particular is a must-buy at only $11.99.

Best RI Wine: 2005 Sakonnet "Blanc de Blanc"
Fresh, clean, relatively inexpensive, a lovely aperitif and a bit of a shocker as I was expecting next to nothing from RI vineyards.  (No offense.)


Consistent Performer: TIE - Champagne & Alexander Valley
I may have never met a Champagne I didn't like, but my experience over two different seminars on Champagne was a lovely reminder that the quality control going on over there is pretty darn good these days.  And I have never sampled so many gorgeous reds from Alexander Valley (Sonoma) in a row - the winemakers seem to be engaging in a friendly game of one-upmanship and they are somehow all succeeding.


Change-Your-Mind Winner: NV Piper Heidsieck Cuvee Sublime Demi-Sec
I - and many Wineaux - tend to favor the Brut, or dry, style of Champagne, but this Demi-Sec (nearly the sweetest style in the canon) was perfectly balanced and absolutely gorgeous.  Really.  Give it a try, trust me. 


Favorite Champagne: 2004 Louis Roederer Blanc de Blancs
Wow, wow, wow, wowie wow.


Favorite "Secret" Region: Chile's Central Valley
Chile's meteoric rise in quality over the past decade or so will soon make it a favorite wine shop destination for Wineaux if it isn't already.  Keep your eyes peeled for an upcoming and very thorough entry on Chilean wine, coupled from an earlier Wines of Chile event as well as a few seminars this past week.


Chilean Champion: 2008 Casa Lapostalle Clos Apalta Red Blend
Another wine to garner a lot of "wow"s, this is an absolute stunner.

Nummiest Napa: 2006 Heitz Wine Cellar Martha's Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon
One session on the possible effects of climate change showcased a number of wines from Heitz Wine Cellars and Cain Cellars.  Every single one scored highly with me, but this little lady was the belle of the ball.


Best Wine I'll Probably Never Taste Again: TIE- 1981 Banfi Brunello di Montalcino & 1968 Blandy's Bual Madeira
Although the Banfi was from an iffy vintage, it was just gorgeous, and poured from magnums liberated from their cellar.  (Apparently there are still a few bottles left available for sale at the winery, priced in the 400-600 Euro range, but alas, I don't have a trip to Tuscany pencilled in my calendar anytime soon.) And the Madeira was nectar from the gods, turning this previously Madeira-averse Minx into a convert.  I see on wine-searcher.com that a store in NYC carries it, but it costs $250 and I just don't have that kind of change lying around.  (But maybe the Minx will receive a nice gift for Christmas if she's a good Minx, right Santa?)


I can't wait to share with you more in-depth reporting from the SWE conference.  But I must dash, a scrumptious bottle of vino is calling my name.  Cheers!

Rosé Around the World, or, Not Yo' Momma's White Zin

The heat of summer is most certainly upon us.  And as people everywhere scramble to choose the perfect wine for this time of year, suggesting Grüner Veltliner or Sauvignon Blanc, I scream "Rosé, rosé, rosé!"

Sadly, many people scream back "No way, no way, no way," fearful of revisiting the experience of a youthful sip of Momma's White Zin at a family cookout.  While one-dimensional sicky-sweet blush wines do remain out there on the market, fellow Wineaux have long embraced the wonderful variety and loveliness of well-crafted rosés from all over the globe.

At a recent tasting of six different worldly rosés, even burgeoning Wineaux admitted an early reluctance to embracing the pink.  Afterwards, however, each one had become tantalized by the aromas, flavors and freshness of these wines.  Lest the Minx say, "I told you so," go out there with an open mind and an excited palate and give rosé wines a chance.

We began with a 2010 Château de Pourcieux Rosé from Provence in France, a blend of syrah, grenache and cinsault - grapes that grow beautifully in the Mediterranean climate and chalky, gravelly clay soil of the south of France.  This had a very pale salmon/rose color with a nose of red berries and evident minerality.  In the mouth it showed raspberry, strawberry, rose petals and minerals, well-balanced but not overly acidic.  [WM 89]  A big hit early on, the Ch. de Pourcieux remained a favorite of the tasting.

Next stop was Greece, for a 2010 Kir-Yianni Akakies Rosé.  The only Greek AOC rosé, it is made of 100% Xinomavro.  With a bright raspberry color and a very unusual nose of green tomato, it had flavors of Fuji apple, cranberry and mint, with earthy elements.  I wished I had thought to pick up some feta cheese and stuffed grape leaves; it might have been the perfect accompaniment!  [WM: 87]  A few tasters were put off by the unusual notes exhibited, but I kept returning to its interesting complexity.

Heading east to Italy, we tried the 2010 Cantina del Taburno Albarosa Rosé, made from 100% Aglianico.  Red wines from this grape can be incredibly powerful, so the winemakers take care not to let the wine stay in contact with the grape skins too long.  It was indeed fairly light in color with a pinky-red hue.  This rosé had a wonderful perfumey nose of honeysuckle and rose petals, with a little soapy scent.  Nicely floral and with great strawberry and herb notes, I wished it was a little more acidic.  But it was one of my favorites of the tasting, and didn't last long after everyone had left!  [WM:89]

From Italy, we ventured to the Basque region of NW Spain for the 2010 Ameztoi Txakolina Rubentis Rosé.  The important word is Txakolina, or Txakoli - pronounced "Chac-o-lee-na/Chac-o-lee," which is the name of the type of wine, not the grape variety.  Those are Hondarribi Zuri and Hondarribi Belta.  White Txakolis are a little more common, and have become a favorite in-the-know wine for many Wineaux.  With nice CO2 "shpritz" and a super-light palate cleansing essence, they are ideal for the hottest of summer days.  (I say just stick a straw in the bottle and you're good!)  I had never personally tasted a rosé Txakoli, and at first had thought it would be so light and a great start to the tasting, but pushed it down in the order after popping the cork.  Definitely not "so light!"  With a pale red berry color, it had a nose of tangerine peel and 'dirty sock,' great CO2, bright acidity and a refreshing cranberry note at the finish, with definite earthiness.  [WM: 86]  While the "ginger ale"y feel (one taster's opinion) did not appeal to all, many agreed it was indeed the most refreshing of the group by far.

Long Island wineries have had a great deal of success with rosé wines, so I chose the 2010 Shinn Estate Rosé as our bottle from the U.S.  Made from Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, it was raspberry red in color.  Some of the tasters were fearful of that brightness translating into sweetness, and were pleasantly surprised at the spicy, grassy, earthy nose with a fresh note of watermelon.  It had a wonderful acidity, clear, strong cherry in the mouth, and a pleasant creaminess.  [WM:88]  One taster (who is a musician) pronounced it "B-flat," which, unlike the letter grade of B-minus, is actually a compliment - meaning that it felt like the most middle-ground of the wines.  (B-flat is concert pitch, to which the entire orchestra tunes.)

Finally, we tasted the 2010 Boekenhoutskloof Wolftrap Rosé from South Africa.  A blend of 66% Syrah, 20% Cinsault and 14% Grenache, it was another favorite of the group, although stylistically very different than the similarly-blended rosé from Provence.  With a deep red/pink color, it had a nose of green pepper and mint, and was bold and spicy on the palate, with strawberries and a little watermelon.  I felt the heat of alcohol, spurning me into a frenzied search for all of the wines' alcohol percentages, and sure enough, I was correct; with 13.5%, it had the highest amount of all we'd tasted.  (Most were in the 12-13% range.)  What can I say?  The Minx likes to be right.  [WM: 89]

At the end of the day, notes were put aside, and the tasters revisited their favorites - leaving behind a number of empty bottles for the recycling bin.  One taster remarked that she was no longer going to be intimidated to try rosés, another commented on the surprising variety even in such a relatively small sample of wines.  It's all true - rosés are refreshing, interesting, quaffable, and complex.  Be sure to give one a try - like I said, these are absolutely not Yo Momma's White Zin.