Ten Dollar Wines
Ten dollah. Can't be done.
Sure it can.
Like wot?
Like these...
I can't pay ten dollah. I'll pay ten dollah.
(Apologies if they're a bit over $10. Hard to keep track exactly).
Anakena - Rapel Valley, Chile. They make everything.
Beynat, Cuvee Leonard - from Cotes de Castillon, which is next to Bordeaux. This is one of Sherry-Lehman's unsung heroes of Bordeaux, and it's worth a song or two. (See "
Lesser Known French Regions" post).
Blair Estate - Napa. Merlot. Good.
Borsao - Spain. Mostly granache. Cherry red, deep and sweet. We like Tres Picos Borsao. Robert Parker gave the 2004 a rave and 91 points. This if full-throttle, big bodied stuff, not for the faint of pallette. Try
Wine Legend.Canyon Road - California. Born as Four Seasons and Ritz-Carlton restaurants' private label, then the winery decided to take it public. The sauvignon blanc is especially good for the price.
Cetena - Argentina. Fresh, minimally oaked, citrusy chardonnay that's hard to beat for the price. See
"Don't Cry for Argentina" post).
Conde de Valdemar - Crianza, Spain. A smooth Rioja that balances balance ripe Tempranillo fruit with just enough oak.
Domaine de la Solitude - Rhone red and white. The white is mostly viognier, delicious, crisp with surprising finesse. The red, says Astor Wines, is "full of sweet black fruit, silky smooth with a touch of smoky oak."
Echeverria - Chile. Both the blackberry Cab and the flinty unoaked Chardonnay are well made, balanced bargains. The Carmenere took two trophies in the 2005 Annual Wines of Chile Awards.
Fontanafredda Barbera "Briccotondo" - Piemonte, Italia. 90 points Wine Spectator and one of their Top 100 Wines of 2007: "Very plummy and grapey on the nose, with hints of chocolate..." At
K & L Wines.
Gouguenheim - Argentina. Valle Escondido, made near Mendoza. Not as good as Cetena, but another Argentine winner.
Grüner Veltliner - Austria. Put some umlaut in your cellar. Minty, mineraly. Think summer afternoons.
Guigal - Rhone. Côtes-du-Rhône is great, dependable. His expensive wines are pretty great too.
Ludovicus - Terra Alta, Spain. Vinos Piñol is organically farmed, bottled unfiltered. A blend of Grenache, Tempranillo, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon. Opulent flavors of kirsch liqueur, licorice, and pepper. WA 90 points.
Mano a Mano - La Mancha (no kidding), Spain. Suspect label. Good wine. 100% Tempranillo. NoMerlot.com has this to say: "Medium to full-bodied, rich, well-rounded and full of dark fruit flavors, backed by firm tannins. The wine is made in a modern style with lots of fruit flavors up front, yet maintains a distinctively Spanish style."
Manta Sauvignon Blanc - Central Valley, Chile. A zesty, citrussy, possibly too bright white for hot summers day. Serve chilled. Kick soccer ball. Nap.
Chateau Picau Perna - St. Émilion, France. Astor Wines says, "This merlot-based Red offers all the elegance and plummy fruit that you want in a Bordeaux. You'll also find a touch of a touch of fresh herbs, soft tannins and an elegant finish." Try
PJ Wines.
Pichon - Herault, France. A bargain viognier. Astor Wines says, "rich and round white wine with its aromas of peaches and pears." Not exactly a single vineyard, and not as good as Domaine de la Solitude, but a worthy wine for the price.
Pillar Box Red - Barossa, Australia. A rich blend of shiraz, cab and merlot. Parker gave the 2004 a glowing 90 points. Available at
Wine Legend and
K & L Wines.
Raymond R Collection - Napa. Big, fruit-forward, well-structured Merlot.
Rioja - R for reliable. Better in the $12 to $15 range.
Reds:
Don Roman is the Otto Zappatore favorite (available at Morrell. yes, more than $10).
See "
Spanish Reds"
Whites:
Try Muga, Basa Bianco, Cune Monopole.
Greene Grape recommends Senorial. (We haven't tried it yet).
See "
White Riojas"
Santa Rita Chardonnay - Another Chilean darling. It's so not buttery, it's almost green. "On the palate, it is fresh and sweet; medium bodied, juicy and refreshing," says 67 Wine in NYC.
South African sauvignon blancs - Yes, the less expensive ones are still great. Like Steenberg and Sincerely are both good values. (See "
South African Sauvignon Blanc" post).
Chateau Thebot - Bordeaux. The 2001 is another Sherry-Lehman unsung hero. They say, "A great value in good, solid, everyday Bordeaux. This unfiltered blend dominated by Merlot is a fine Bordeaux that exhibits intelligent winemaking and loads of fruit in an accessible style."
Tres Picos - Spain. Deep and sweet, this Borsao is made from old vine Grenache vineyards that cling to rugged terrain on the slopes of the famous Moncayo mountain. Available at
PJ Wine.
Tuttobene, Angelini - San Leonino, Tuscany, Italy. A "Forbes Favorite" that Wine Spectator calls "an outstanding new wine." A low cost winner from Tuscany, the birthplace of Leonardo da Vinci. Think juicy, blackberry, chocolate and soft tannins. Bad name; cool label.
Vega Sindoa - Navarra, Spain. Another Spanish winner from Bodegas Nekeas. Cabernet Sauvignon and Tempranillo blend. Tanzer opines: "Deep red. Fresh, mineral-tinged cherry and blackcurrant aromas complicated by flowers and spices."
Try
NJ WineStore.Venta Mazzaron - Toro, Spain. Tempranillo, Spain’s quintessential, indigenous grape. Parker is bullish on this one.
Verdejo - Never mind vendetta, V is for Verdejo. Light, crisp, citusy, a dash of sauvignon blanc.
Vermentino - Italy. Light, fresh, lemony whites from Italy. Argiolas, La Cala and other Sardinian producers are a good bet.
Viogner - Mostly France, now all over the place. Anything with "viognier" on the label. Okay, not anything, but a lot.
Yalumba - Australian for wine. Chardonnay and Grenache both worthy. (See "
Good Down Under" post).
Zolo - Argy bargain.
A few rules to bear in mind:
- Don't trust the nice man in the store.
- Don't buy the bottle with the nice label.
- Vintage means just about bugger all when it comes to $10 bottles of wine.
- Being from Bordeaux or Napa or Italy makes it less, not more, likely that the $10 wine will be a winner. You'll do better with a Rhone, Cahors, Rioja.
- Discounts push the price down... buy a case, or shop when your local store has a sale.
