You Don't Have To Break The Bank!

Usually I write about wine regions or varietals, but alas, right now, many of us are facing unanticipated tax bills. Suddenly…you feel you need to cut back on what you’re spending on wine, but then…you’re afraid this would entail sacrificing the quality you deserve. Or not – maybe you’d always like to save money on the wine you’re buying, without sacrificing the quality you deserve.

Bargains abound in the wine world, but you do have to find them, and it helps to get beyond restrictive notions like the only red you can drink is Cabernet Sauvignon. Knowing where to look is key. Ironically most of the best values come from abroad. Even after import duties, many of the very best values come from France, Italy, and Spain. Following then, are great values from those three countries that you can purchase for between $12 and $20/bottle.

France. Chateau La Nerthe 2014 Chateauneuf-du-Pape (CdP) ‘Les Granières de la Nerthe.’ An incredible value for a CdP, it is also a somewhat atypical blend comprised of 42%/24%/19%/15% Grenache/Mourvedre/Cinsault/Syrah (a more typical CdP blend is +/- 70/20/10 Grenache/Syrah/Mourvedre). It needs an hour or so open to show itself properly, and while drinking it a couple of years from now is probably a better idea, giving it the hour shows why this received a 92-point score from Wine Spectator (WS) and 91 from Wine Enthusiast (WE). Good for another 5 – 10 years, you can put some away and save money later as well as now.

Also, you should try the Domaine du Salvard 2017 Cheverny, which is comprised of Sauvignon Blanc (90%) and unoaked Chardonnay. Cheverny is 65 miles west of Sancerre in the Loire Valley. You get very much the flinty, minerally Sancerre character, but for decidedly less money, and the little bit of Chardonnay adds roundness. This is a Kermit Lynch selection.

Finally, there is the Jean Bererd Domaine de la Madone 2017 Beaujolais Villages ‘Le Perreon.’ The grape of Beaujolais is Gamay. Beaujolais Villages are NOT the Beaujolais Nouveau that appears every Thanksgiving. These are real wines of character. If you like Malbecs and Barberas, you should like Beaujolais. A good Beaujolais is a joy, and this is a good one. The Wine Advocate (WA) scored it 92.

Italy. Cantina Terlano 2017 Alto Adige Pinot Grigio. Well, “Wow!” is what I thought when I tasted this wine – apple, pear, and stone fruits, with perfect acidity. This is what Pinot Grigio should taste like, and it received a WS-90 and WA-90 – a score only infrequently reached by Italian PGs.

A truly incredible value is the Salcheto 2015 Vino Nobile di Montepulciano. Rich, and at the same time understated, it is an extraordinary example of what the Sangiovese grape can produce, having garnered scores of 94 from both WS and WE. You can pull the cork and drink it tonight, or stockpile lots of it, because it will still be drinking nicely (or even better) until 2025 and probably well after that date.

Spain. Here are two extraordinary bottles of wine, both for $15 or less. The first is Bodegas Gil Luna 2014 Toro ‘Tres Lunas.’ Tinta da Toro (which is a clone of Tempranillo indigenous to the Toro region) produces large and full-bodied wines that pair well with just about any meat dish. They tend to be larger than most Riojas and certainly equal the wines of Ribera del Duero for weight and depth. Finding a good one for under $25 is near impossible, so this one (WS-92) is an astounding value at $15.

Our last selection, the Bodegas Olarra 2010 Rioja Reserva ‘Cerro Anon,’ is nearing its peak, although another 3 - 4 years of growth are very likely. A typical Rioja comprised mostly of Tempranillo, it is another WS-92. When we first got it in, it needed a decant and an hour for the fruit to properly show itself. Now…just pull the cork and drink it. 

Cheers, and…take that Tax Man!