Favorite wines

[schindlerpiste]

IMO, the Germans make some great whites in the $10 range. I especially like Frankenwein. It is produced in northern Bavaria, between Wurzburg and Bamberg. You know it by the special bottle, a bocksbeutel. Also good are some of the dry wines from Rheinhessen and Mosel

[Tippster]

I hereby invite myself over to Schindlersmom's house in Feb. How's the 2nd weekend for you?

Ever have any Aar wines? My Mom's from the Rheinland...

[gravitylover]

I've been enjoying Renwood Old Vine Zin for a few years, that Barbera that was mentioned is also really good. I think some of the Russian River Valley stuff I've had in the last year has been exceptional too. I wish I could hold onto some of the bottles I've really enjoyed but I have a similar problem to Tipp, a little short on the budget. Everything gets consumed, not saved. I've also had a few Wa. New Gewurz's that were easy to appreciate.

[gravitylover]

Oh yeah, Cline Ancient Vine Zin rocks!

[schindlerpiste]

I hereby invite myself over to Schindlersmom's house in Feb. How's the 2nd weekend for you?

Ever have any Aar wines? My Mom's from the Rheinland...

My place is tiny, but the location is tough to beat, and I always have good eats, drinks and smokes. Give me a shout out, you're always welcome.

I don't know Aar wines, but I will look into them. My in-laws live in Fulda.

[divegirl]

7 Deadly Zins Lodi,California.

Totally hot right now! Had it at a Christmas party, and I was impressed. For Zins, Irul's list is good. I'll add Renwood to that.

Shenandoah Valley Vineyards has a killer Sangiovese and Barbera that I love - the Rezerve variety.

Benessere (Napa) has a wonderful Sangiovese as well. Buy it, then keep it for 3 years, then drink. Excellent.

My favorite red wine, however is still a good petite syrah. Herringer Estates from Clarksburg, CA makes an excellent one. I had the 2002 variety, it was awesome. They've outted the 2004, and I have to get some - I hope it's just as good.

And, as always, there's the 1999 Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon. Legoskier's dad busts one out at every holiday dinner and then carries it around the entire night (as if it's gold) and offers it to you. But the next thing you know, it's gone. Well, so he busts out another one. Crazy Lego dad!

We need to have a wine party soon. (and a nacho party. Wine and nacho party - cool).

Oh! I nearly forgot whites! They're easy to forget, but my favorite has always been a Sauvignon Blanc. I'm not much for Chardonnay, mainly because most have a tendancy for entirely too much oakiness.

I could go on forever. I will scan in my winetaster notebook and give y'all a good look.

[4matic]

hands down. Two-buck Chuck (Charles Shaw) is our table wine of choice. it is three bucks a bottle and is comparable to $20 bottles

That might be a bit of a stretch..

[The Dad]

I agree with everything Tippster said, except:

If you're willing to buy the Rancho Zabaco Zinfandels spend the extra buck or two and get the Rosenblum Cuvee (currently XXVIII, I think.) Much tastier, IMHO, and still under $10.

True up until the current incarnation, which reportedly sucks ass. The reviews are bad enough that I didn't even bother, and I'm a major Rosenblum fan.

Chalone Estate Pinot Noir is my absolute favorite. MUST try it.

And to be clear, folks: That's the Chalone appellation pinot, not the new Chalone Monterey County pinot, which is risking their brand rep for no good reason.


Today, I received my order form for the inaugural 2004 vintage of Levy & McClellan, which has been anointed the Next California Cult Cab by Those Who Know. For a wine with great buzz but no track record, they want $350/bottle now for delivery in 2008. They will, however, throw in free shipping. It's sad, because at that price, it's really a bet on it either tripling or crashing within two years -- i.e., it's an investment, not a drink. But if anyone wants my place in line, let me know and we might be able to work something out.

[Alioops]

And to be clear, folks: That's the Chalone appellation pinot, not the new Chalone Monterey County pinot, which is risking their brand rep for no good reason.

I am guessing it has something to do with the difference of $15.

Although I prefer the Estate, I certainly would not spit out the new one.

[The Dad]

I am guessing it has something to do with the difference of $15.

Although I prefer the Estate, I certainly would not spit out the new one.

I would.

Chalone had a good low priced pinot. It was called Gavilan, and it was from estate vineyards. IIRC, it started in the late 80s or early 90s, and I think the last vintage was 1996. According to the Chalone rep I cornered after I could no longer get my favorite under-$10 bottle of pinot at Trader Joe's, they killed it because it was cannibalizing sales of the Estate, and the vines they used for it had matured to the point where they could include those grapes in the Estate bottling.

The Monterey County swill doesn't hold a candle.

[Tippster]

Totally hot right now! Had it at a Christmas party, and I was impressed. For Zins, Irul's list is good. I'll add Renwood to that.

I'd also add Edmeades, but they can get expensive.

My favorite red wine, however is still a good petite syrah. Herringer Estates from Clarksburg, CA makes an excellent one. I had the 2002 variety, it was awesome. They've outted the 2004, and I have to get some - I hope it's just as good.

You ever have the PETS by Vinum Cellars? Also a Clarksburg Petite Syrah and relatively inexpensive. It has the vintner's Yellow Lab on the label. Yummy. Had it with EPSkis on Absinthe Night 1.5 years ago....

[The Dad]

I'd also add Edmeades, but they can get expensive.

I picked up a couple bottles of the 2005 Mendocino a month ago, when they were on sale at BevMo.com for $14. Good stuff.

[P_McPoser]

Vodka.
789

[Alioops]

I would.

Chalone had a good low priced pinot. It was called Gavilan, and it was from estate vineyards. IIRC, it started in the late 80s or early 90s, and I think the last vintage was 1996. According to the Chalone rep I cornered after I could no longer get my favorite under-$10 bottle of pinot at Trader Joe's, they killed it because it was cannibalizing sales of the Estate, and the vines they used for it had matured to the point where they could include those grapes in the Estate bottling.

The Monterey County swill doesn't hold a candle.

Yeah, I was raised to be a wine snob too, but on my budget the only thing I am spitting out is Linganore.

[The Dad]

Yeah, I was raised to be a wine snob too, but on my budget the only thing I am spitting out is Linganore.

There's good cheap wine and there's bad cheap wine. The Chalone Monterey pinot is neither. Given that it's priced in the low teens, I can think of a large number of wines that are as cheap or cheaper that I'd rather drink. In fact, I can think of a fair number that are less than half the price.

In the last year, Wine Spectator has given 94 red wines that have an official retail price of $10 or less and that were imported or produced in quantities of at least 10,000 cases (so you can probably find a decent number of them, unless you're Utarded) a rating of 85 points or higher:

Wine Vintage Score Price
2 Brothers Big Tattoo Red Colchagua 2004 86 $9
Caves Aliança Douro Foral Reserva 2005 87 $6
Altos Las Hormigas Bonarda Mendoza Colonia Las Liebres 2005 87 $8
Angove's Cabernet-Merlot South Australia Bear Crossing 2003 86 $7
Banrock Station Merlot South Eastern Australia 2005 85 $5
Banrock Station Shiraz South Eastern Australia 2004 86 $5
Hijos de Antonio Barceló Shiraz Viño de la Tierra de Castilla y León Peñascal 2004 87 $7
Fattoria di Basciano Chianti Rufina 2004 88 $10
Valentín Bianchi Cabernet Sauvignon Mendoza Elsa 2005 86 $9
Bodegas Ramón Bilbao Tempranillo Rioja Crianza 2003 88 $10
Bodegas Bleda Monastrell Jumilla Castillo de Jumilla 2005 86 $9
Bon Vivant Vineyards Pinot Noir Vin de Pays d'Oc Gala Rouge Collection 2004 85 $10
Adega Cooperativa de Borba Alentejo Montes Claros Reserva 2002 86 $10
Quinta de Cabriz Dão 2004 85 $7
Cave de Cairanne Côtes du Rhône Le Pas de la Beaume 2005 86 $9
Cave de Cairanne Côtes du Rhône-Villages Le Chêne Noir 2004 86 $10
Château Candastre Gaillac 2004 85 $10
Casa de Santa Vitoria Alentejo Versátil 2004 86 $9
Familia Cassone Malbec Luján de Cuyo Finca La Florencia 2004 87 $10
Bodega Catena Zapata Cabernet Sauvignon Mendoza Alamos 2005 86 $10
Bodega Catena Zapata Malbec Mendoza Alamos 2005 87 $10
Cline Syrah California 2003 85 $10
Coltibuono Chianti Cetamura 2005 85 $10
Columbia Crest Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley Two Vines 2003 85 $8
Columbia Crest Merlot Columbia Valley Two Vines 2002 88 $8
Columbia Crest Merlot-Cabernet Columbia Valley Two Vines 2002 89 $8
Concha y Toro Carmenère Central Valley Casillero del Diablo 2005 85 $9
Viña Cono Sur Merlot Central Valley 2005 85 $10
Viña Cono Sur Syrah Rapel Valley 2005 85 $10
Quinta da Cortezia Estremadura Vinha Conchas Red 2004 85 $8
Les Coteaux à Cairanne Côtes du Rhône-Villages Val Bruyère 2004 88 $10
Domaine de Couron Côtes du Rhône 2005 85 $9
Domaine Dohin Le Roy Corbières 2003 88 $9
Viña Doña Paula Malbec Luján de Cuyo Los Cardos 2005 87 $10
Georges Duboeuf Beaujolais-Villages 2005 85 $10
Bodegas Eguren Viño de la Tierra de Castilla Codice 2004 86 $9
Dominio de Eguren Viño de la Tierra de Castilla Protocolo Red 2004 86 $6
Farnese Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Farneto Valley 2004 85 $8
Four Emus Cabernet Sauvignon-Shiraz-Merlot Western Australia 2004 87 $10
Four Emus Shiraz Western Australia 2004 86 $10
French Rabbit Cabernet Sauvignon Vin de Pays d'Oc 2004 85 $10
Goats do Roam Wine Company Goats do Roam Red Western Cape 2005 86 $10
Herdade Grande Alentejo 2002 87 $10
Herdade Grande Alentejo Condado das Vinhas Red 2003 87 $8
Hardys Shiraz South Eastern Australia Nottage Hill 2004 86 $9
Jacob's Creek Grenache-Shiraz South Eastern Australia 2005 86 $8
Les Jamelles Merlot Vin de Pays d'Oc 2004 85 $8
D. Kourtakis Nemea Kouros Red 2003 85 $9
Lindemans Cabernet Sauvignon South Australia Reserve 2003 85 $10
Lindemans Cabernet Sauvignon South Eastern Australia Bin 45 2005 86 $8
Domaines Listel Côtes du Rhône Lucas Carton 2004 85 $10
The Little Penguin Cabernet Sauvignon South Eastern Australia 2005 88 $8
The Little Penguin Merlot South Eastern Australia 2005 85 $8
The Little Penguin Pinot Noir South Eastern Australia 2005 87 $8
J. & F. Lurton Malbec Uco Valley 2005 85 $9
Mähler-Besse Monastrell Jumilla Taja 2004 85 $7
Mandrarossa Cabernet Sauvignon-Shiraz Sicilia 2004 85 $9
Mandrarossa Shiraz Sicilia 2004 88 $9
Pedro Luis Martinez Jumilla Alceño 2005 85 $10
McGuigan Cabernet Sauvignon Limestone Coast Bin 4000 2005 86 $10
McGuigan Merlot Limestone Coast Bin 3000 2005 85 $10
McGuigan Shiraz Limestone Coast Bin 2000 2005 87 $10
Gabriel Meffre Côtes du Rhône La Châsse du Pape Prestige 2004 88 $10
Milton Park Shiraz South Eastern Australia 2004 85 $10
Herdade Monte da Cal Alentejo 2003 85 $9
Monterra Shiraz Monterey County 2004 85 $9
Bodegas y Viñedos de Murcia Shiraz-Cabernet-Monastrell Jumilla Mad Dogs & Englishmen 2004 86 $10
Oxford Landing Cabernet Sauvignon-Shiraz South Australia 2004 87 $9
Oxford Landing Merlot South Australia 2004 86 $9
Caves des Papes Côtes du Rhône Héritage 2004 86 $10
Château de Paraza Minervois Cuvée Spéciale 2004 88 $9
Château La Patache Médoc 2003 85 $10
Pepperwood Grove Syrah California 2003 85 $8
Pillar Box Padthaway 2004 85 $10
Promessa Salento 2005 85 $9
Quinta da Romeira de Cima Palmela Tradição 2003 87 $10
San Gregorio Garnacha Calatayud Tres Ojos Old Vines 2004 86 $10
Bodegas Nieto Senetiner Malbec Mendoza Reserva 2004 88 $9
Skouras Saint George-Cabernet Sauvignon Vin de Pays de Péloponnèse 2004 85 $8
St. Francis Red Sonoma County 2002 86 $10
Symington Family Estates Tinta Roriz-Touriga Franca Douro Altano 2003 89 $7
Bodegas Terrazas de los Andes Malbec Mendoza 2005 88 $10
Pascual Toso Cabernet Sauvignon Maipú 2004 87 $10
Pascual Toso Malbec Maipú 2004 87 $10
Trapiche Cabernet Sauvignon Mendoza Oak Cask 2004 86 $10
Tyrrell's Shiraz South Eastern Australia Moore's Creek 2004 85 $10
Veramonte Merlot Casablanca Valley Reserva 2004 87 $10
Villa Puccini Toscana 2003 86 $10
Bodega Virgen de la Sierra Garnacha Calatayud Yasa 2004 85 $10
Alice White Cabernet Sauvignon South Eastern Australia 2005 87 $7
Alice White Cabernet-Shiraz South Eastern Australia 2005 85 $7
Alice White Merlot South Eastern Australia 2005 85 $7
Alice White Shiraz South Eastern Australia 2005 85 $7
Wyndham Estate Pinot Noir South Eastern Australia Bin 333 2004 87 $10

[Tippster]

Heh - Nice Alpinedad. I have had probably 1/2 of those wines in my rack in the last 2 years... The current crop, especially the Milton Park, is even better. Had a bottle of the Pillar Box Red last night. Tonight - a Whole Foods special by Stephen Vincent called "Crimson" - tasty.

[The Dad]

I finished off a bottle of 2005 Two Hands Gnarly Dudes that we opened a few days ago and topped with Private Preserve. Yum.

To clarify the above, though, it's not that Spectator is the World's Foremost Authority or anything, just that there's plenty of good cheap wine out there if you're willing to research and look a little.

[soylent green]

In the screwtop with a jug handled bottle category you can't beat Three Theives Zinfandel. Makes a great everyday table wine.
My other favorite cheapo is Killer Juice Zin in the box. Best of the premium box wines I have found.

[Shorey]

White: Le Soula - 2001/02 - Gerard Gauby. This stuff tastes like bacon, seriously. It is awesome stuff.

Red: The Berrio - Cabernet Sauvignon. Tastes like blackcurrant, vanilla and cream. Goes well with ripe brie.

Let me guess, the person who recommended these works for Moet?

[irul&ublo]

There's good cheap wine and there's bad cheap wine. The Chalone Monterey pinot is neither. Given that it's priced in the low teens, I can think of a large number of wines that are as cheap or cheaper that I'd rather drink. In fact, I can think of a fair number that are less than half the price.

In the last year, Wine Spectator has given 94 red wines that have an official retail price of $10 or less and that were imported or produced in quantities of at least 10,000 cases (so you can probably find a decent number of them, unless you're Utarded) a rating of 85 points or higher:

Wine Vintage Score Price
2 Brothers Big Tattoo Red Colchagua 2004 86 $9
Caves Aliança Douro Foral Reserva 2005 87 $6
...

Not enough Cali wines (common sale prices):

Bogle Petite Sirah....< 10
Kenwood Zin...<10
Smoking Loon Cab<8
Gallo Sonoma Cab<8
Pepperwood Pinot<10
Ravenswood VB Zin, Cab & Merlot<9
Mia's Playground Zin<10
Laurel Glen "Reds"<9
"Prosperity Red"<9
Fess Parker "Frontier Red"<9
Bogle Old Vines Zin<10

In 1.5l bottles, the BV Century Cellars wines are pretty damn good. <10 for a 1.5.

[Chinaski]

Pinot Noir in PDX for sure.

[Chinaski]

Anyone new to oregon wines should check out theses producers: Evesham Wood, Beaux Fr&#232;res, Patricia Green Cellars, Brick House, J. Christopher and Thomas, Cameron.

[AbsolutStoli]

i wouldnt say theres any sort of "trend" in my area, i think people just drink what they like. but then again, im not really surveying the wine store and logging peoples purchases. lol

as far as my favorites, i prefer reds, although there are some german whites that i think are awesome! black tower is cheap and tasty. they can also make a killer gewurztraminer. my sister has been living in wurzburg for the past 6+ years, so i got a chance to sample some of the local stuff. very nice! anything from that town (beer, wine) is good if you can find it in the US.

i like a bunch of different reds. chianti and boujolais are my favorites from the mainstream types. cant think of any chianti brands, but georges duboeuf is the king of boujolais.

i also like a bunch of east european and asian wines. theres a romanian wine called tohaner - feteasca neagra 2004. its awesome! and a bunch of georgian wines: khvanchkara and kindzmarauli are good. much sweeter than the italian and french wines, but i like them.

there was an AWESOME red italian wine called chaos, by le terrazze. 2001 was killer, but impossible to find. i havent been able to find the wine anywhere, so i dont know how 2002 tastes.

[ill-advised strategy]

Anasazi Fields American Cranberry

[TurxSki]

Man, some knowledgeable folks here
Got to split a bottle with you AlpineDad

We end up getting our plonk from Safeway or Albertsons usually. Spend up to $15. So only from Cali really, and one nice Pinot from Oregon. Some Organics from S.America.

We're Really loving the 2004's right now.
Some 2005's I've tried are ok, but the 04's seem "bigger".

KJ Pinot absolutely rules. Recently we were impressed with an 04 J.Lohr Merlot, too.

I'm not down with aging wines. Ignorant I guess
I heard that aging began with WW1. Anyone else heard similar ?