Quality Cheap Wine

BadBoyBenny · #1 07-06-2006, 10:55 PM

Pretty much everyone I talk to agrees that there are wines under $20 that are as good as their more expensive brethren. I am hoping for ideas, as the wine section of the liqour store can be intimidating for me unless I am looking for stuff that I already know pretty well.

benfranklin · #2 07-06-2006, 11:32 PM

The best general recommendation for cheap good wine is to go with the Australians. In the under $10 range, it's hard to beat Rosemount in general, and under $20 I say Penfold. The Australian specialty red grape is called Shiraz. Good stuff. Hardy is also a good winery, especially for whites.

Exsubmariner · #3 07-06-2006, 11:37 PM

Reunite Lambrusco

MrWookie · #4 07-07-2006, 12:20 AM

There are some prety good values in WA State wine. The Columbia Crest winery puts out some pretty reasonable wines in the $7 range on their Two Vines label. Their Grand Estates label is one step up, and is pretty solid wine for usually <$9. The Two Vines Chardonnay is pretty well regarded, and I really like the Grand Estates Cabernet for the price.

HDPM · #5 07-07-2006, 10:39 AM

[ QUOTE ]
There are some prety good values in WA State wine. The Columbia Crest winery puts out some pretty reasonable wines in the $7 range on their Two Vines label. Their Grand Estates label is one step up, and is pretty solid wine for usually <$9. The Two Vines Chardonnay is pretty well regarded, and I really like the Grand Estates Cabernet for the price.

[/ QUOTE ]

yeah, the cab is good, and the 2 vines cab for like 6.99 is a very good value. For whatever reason, I think the grand estates merlot isn't good. The cab is better I think. WS gave the merlot a high score, but I hated it.

MrMon · #6 07-07-2006, 11:54 AM

Unless you really know wine, it's impossible to know what to pick at any price level. Either find a writer you can trust, and go in with a list, or find a wine store with a knowledgable staff. Even if you have to pay a bit more, this knowledge is worth it's weight in gold. My preferred wine store has a guarantee on their wines that if you don't like it, they'll buy it back, but I imagine there is a limit to that if you start bringing back too much. I did bring back one corked wine once without any trouble.

I believe New Haven has a pretty well known wine store, but the name of it escapes me. (The Wine Thief is listed via Google as pretty good.) In any case, a good wine store should be able to guide you to good wine in any price range and not try to upsell you. Talk to the staff, and they should be able to steer you to the best bargains.

MrWookie · #7 07-07-2006, 12:51 PM

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
There are some prety good values in WA State wine. The Columbia Crest winery puts out some pretty reasonable wines in the $7 range on their Two Vines label. Their Grand Estates label is one step up, and is pretty solid wine for usually <$9. The Two Vines Chardonnay is pretty well regarded, and I really like the Grand Estates Cabernet for the price.

[/ QUOTE ]

yeah, the cab is good, and the 2 vines cab for like 6.99 is a very good value. For whatever reason, I think the grand estates merlot isn't good. The cab is better I think. WS gave the merlot a high score, but I hated it.

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't care as much for merlot as a variety, so I haven't had either merlot in a long time.

HDPM · #8 07-07-2006, 03:25 PM

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't care as much for merlot as a variety, so I haven't had either merlot in a long time.

[/ QUOTE ]

Just to be clear, I am not a huge merlot fan, but I thought the wine was bad beyond any varietal preference, etc....

MrWookie · #9 07-07-2006, 03:47 PM

I figured, but I was explaining why I didn't talk about it [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

ethan · #10 07-08-2006, 02:17 AM

[ QUOTE ]
The best general recommendation for cheap good wine is to go with the Australians. In the under $10 range, it's hard to beat Rosemount in general, and under $20 I say Penfold. The Australian specialty red grape is called Shiraz. Good stuff. Hardy is also a good winery, especially for whites.

[/ QUOTE ]

The d'Arenberg McLaren Vale Footbolt (Shiraz) runs around $15 and is pretty widely available around LA; I'd pick it as my favorite (of the Australian Shiraz) in the price range. You can also do well with Spanish reds for less than $20...Cotes du Rhone would probably be the way to go among French wines.

If you have a good wine store available then just go and ask for recommendations - they're going to give you good advice and pick out the best of what they have available.