The wine suggestion thread

[Vange]

So, as mentioned it in a previous thread started by Tim we need a place to discuss wine suggestions. Let's see if we can keep this one alive.

No real criteria to follow, but let's try and keep it in the bargain region to start.

I can start with a few.

$12

Juan Gil 2005 or 2006

(A really nice red from Spain. I have a case and serve to guests. Most love it as do I for the price)

$18

Markham Petite Sirah 2002

(the grape with a small name and HUGE taste)

[Sijan]

Here are a few that come to mind:

Borsao ($6-8ish) - the basic red Grenache from Bodegas Borsao, very drinkable, 2006 vintage has scores averaging 84.7 pts on CellarTracker (which tends to score low)

Roncier Rouge NV ($6-8ish) - very pleasant and drinkable everyday Pinot Noir that is declassified Burgundy stock, averaging 86.8 pts in CellarTracker. I have probably bought a half case to a case over the past few years. Cheap enough that you don't even have to think about opening it with a meal.

Penfolds Koonunga Hill Shiraz Cabernet ($8-10ish) - excellent Aussie red, the 2006 just got 91 pts from Wine Advocate. Discovered this a few years ago and liked it then. Still like it.

Montebuena Rioja 2004 ($8-10) - this was a great little food-friendly red. Not really very typical of a rioja, but a very light-bodied drinkable red for the money. 86 pt avg on CellarTracker. I bought about a half case of this and had planned to get another case before my store sold out of it. It is getting marked up to the $12-15 range at Total Wine, which takes away from the bargain aspect.

Freixenet or Cristalino Brut ($6-8) - good cheap Cava (Spanish sparkling wine). We've gone through many bottles of regular Freixenet Brut, but I was able to find a great deal on the 2000 vintage of the Freixenet Brut Nature and bought almost a case of it so we've been drinking them instead.

Dr. Loosen Dr. L ($10-12) - very good German QBA riesling from a very good producer, generally scores in the 88-90 range when rated by wine critics. A default, go-to riesling for us. We've purchased a half case to a case over the past year. There are quite a few other German QBA riesling values, but this is the first one that comes to mind. Reichsgraff von Kesselstat's RK is another good value QBA riesling in the same price range.

Avalon Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon ($12ish?) - very good value Napa Cab, medium bodied and very drinkable now

Chateau d'Or Et Gueles 2003 ($10-15) - this French red Rhone-style wine from the Costieries De Nimes (just Southwest of Rhone Valley) is a fantastic value - was one of the best wines we tasted last year at a wine tasting at the French Embassy, and most were far more expensive. Nice dark cherry notes. Averaging 88.9 pts on CellarTracker. We got two cases of this to drink and to give to friends.

Moscato d'Asti (many brands, prices vary from $10-15ish) - have never had one I don't like and they all seem pretty similar. A delicious semi-sweet, semi-sparkling white wine with lots of harvest fruit notes. We drink a lot of this.

Rabbit Ridge Cabernet Paso Robles 2005 ($15ish) - outstanding Cabernet for the money. full-bodied, rich, oaky, intense. tastes like it costs at least twice as much. Picked up a half case of this.

Can Blau Montsant 2006 ($15ish) - great Spanish red, with lots of tart cherry/berry flavors, smooth tannins, very drinkable. benefits from aeration. CellarTracker averages 89.1 pts. WA gave this 92 pts. Picked up a half case of this.

Anything by Concha y Toro bottled under the Marques de Casa Concha label ($15-20ish) - take advantage of underpriced Chilean wines!

Roederer Estate Brut ($15-20ish) - a great California sparkling wine that blows away everything in its price range and is better than many NV champagnes that cost $15-20 more. We've had quite a few of these over the past few years.

[pepcycle]

My most recent compulsion is for a Sicilian wine called Nero D'Avola.

It reminds me of Shiraz.

Judicious use of wood, fruity nose and dry finish.

Several brands available in the $8 to $12 range that are very approachable and stand up amazingly well to hearty foods, like stews, braised meats and roasted game.

Try one.

[Sijan]

I'm not sure if it's available to those who aren't subscribers, but Wine Spectator has a Value Wine Finder feature on their website that pulls up the highest rated wines from the past 6 months, sorted by price range and/or type of wine. Here's the link: http://www.winespectator.com/Wine/Free/Value_Wines/Value_Finder/0,3793,,00.html

Their top value among the under $15 wines is a 92 pt SuperTuscan blend for $12 :VILLA PILLO Toscana borgoforte 2006

Another notable value that we recently purchased a case of because we found it at an even better than advertised price (and we go through a lot of riesling) is the LEASINGHAM Riesling clare valley magnus 2007

[Vange]

Great stuff so far! After a few months we can compile a nice list by grape varietal of all these suggestions to make it easier to see in one post rather than a long thread.

Some comments:

I 2nd the opinion on the following wines:

Dr. Loosen Dr. L ($10-12)

Can Blau Montsant 2006 ($15ish)

Nero D'Avola based wines

The one I really liked and is $14 or so is Morgante Nero D'avola. Great value Italian red.

Concha y Toro - As we are seeing they are making WS top 100, prices will rise.

[swampguy]

I have several that I am drinking now as my weeknight wines:

Lindemans Bin 99 Pinot Noir $6.99

Night Harvest Cabernet NV $3.99 don't let the price scare you. It is so popular that I am on a email list to alert me when it is in

Alamos Malbec 2007 $9.99

Trevor Jones "Jonesy" Port $8.99

Keep drinking, Smitty

[Vange]

A really nice Argentinian wine is 'Amancaya' its a blend of malbec and cabernet sauvignon for about $15. One of my favorites at that price range.

[TomH]

With the holidays coming up, I just stocked up on some more my "house" sparkling...Gruet. I like both the Brut and the Rose and at $15/bottle it is a real value IMHO.

Tom

[Sijan]

With the holidays coming up, I just stocked up on some more my "house" sparkling...Gruet. I like both the Brut and the Rose and at $15/bottle it is a real value IMHO.

Tom

I also like Gruet quite a bit. When they are the same price, I'll take the Roederer Estate, but sometimes Gruet is $5 or so cheaper and that makes it a tougher choice.

[Sijan]

Found another cheap red wine I really like over the weekend.

Poesia Pasodoble 2005 from Argentina. Wine Advocate gave it 90 pts. Here's the basic info from WA: "The 2005 Pasodoble is a blend of 34% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Malbec, and 33% Syrah sourced from a 20 year old vineyard and aged for 12 months in French oak."

I would also give it 90 pts. It has as a lovely fruity/oaky nose, that follows through with cherry and dark berries on the palate. It will appeal to hedonists and those who sometimes enjoy a good Australian shiraz, but think Aussie vintners sometimes veer too far over the top in creating fruit/oak bombs. This one gets the balance just right.

It most commonly sells for around $12-15, although Wine Searcher reveals that JJ Buckley Fine Wines has it on sale for $9/bottle. We ordered a case last night.

[Vange]

Dan,

This is funny, I was about to suggest another great site for checking out wine ratings by the public rather than critics. That site is www.cellartracker.com

So, I proceed to do search for your latest recommendation and the 05 gets a 87.2. Pretty good as CT tends to be a few pts lower than most critics. There are so many cynics and purists out there. What else do I find is your rating for it right at the top as being the last person to rate this wine.

Very cool! Glad to see there are other using CT.

[Sijan]

My most recent compulsion is for a Sicilian wine called Nero D'Avola.

It reminds me of Shiraz.

Judicious use of wood, fruity nose and dry finish.

Several brands available in the $8 to $12 range that are very approachable and stand up amazingly well to hearty foods, like stews, braised meats and roasted game.

Try one.

I just got an email offer from Wine Exchange, www.winex.com, a great wine merchant that I order from frequently. (I have no affiliation other than as a satisfied customer.) The subject of this email was a pair of Nero d'Avola wines. To wit:

Dueling Nero d'Avola value plays from Sicily...

Another day, another indigenous Sicilian grape variety starting to show its full potential. We've been closely monitoring Sicily's native Nero d'Avola movement for quite some time and nowadays feel really comfortable recommending Sicilian wines, in particular these two recent, stellar performances.

Morgante, established as a winemaking operation in 1994, has finally come into its own with their 2006 Nero d'Avola, crafted by Riccardo Cotarella. Colosi, on the other hand, has quickly established itself as one of the got-to's in Sicilian wine with their back-to-back 90 point Wine Advocate performances, culminating in this delightful, juicy 2007 Nero. These are drinkin' wines people, so if you drink wine (like we do), you may want to consider grabbing a case or two. At these prices it's almost like stealing...

Here are the two wines they are featuring:

COLOSI 2007 NERO D'AVOLA

score: WA 90

add to cart $11.99add a case $143.88

MORGANTE 2006 NERO D'AVOLA

score: WS 90

add to cart $13.99add a case $167.88

[Vange]

With my excitement about CT, I forgot to mention www.wine-searcher.com as another great site you mentioned in your post.

[Sijan]

Dan,

This is funny, I was about to suggest another great site for checking out wine ratings by the public rather than critics. That site is www.cellartracker.com

So, I proceed to do search for your latest recommendation and the 05 gets a 87.2. Pretty good as CT tends to be a few pts lower than most critics. There are so many cynics and purists out there. What else do I find is your rating for it right at the top as being the last person to rate this wine.

Very cool! Glad to see there are other using CT.

Yes, I love CellarTracker. Don't know how I managed my cellar without it. Just wish there was something similar for whiskey...

[Sijan]

With my excitement about CT, I forgot to mention www.wine-searcher.com as another great site you mentioned in your post.

I agree, and I think it is well worth it to upgrade to the Pro version, where you get to view all of the merchants (and get improved search tools) and sometime find either lower prices or places nearby that are carrying.

Something that most probably don't realize about WineSearcher (even the free version) is that it generally indexes ALL of the wine & spirits stock at a participating store, including whiskey.

[pepcycle]

Thanks Sijan

The Colosi is the one I've been drinking most recently.

I tasted it at a store tasting and bought one.

Went back and bought two.

I then found it in Albany for $12.99 and bought a half case.

I hope I get over this soon.

Primitivo is also calling my name.

[Skunk]

Penfolds Koonunga Hill Shiraz Cabernet ($8-10ish) - excellent Aussie red, the 2006 just got 91 pts from Wine Advocate. Discovered this a few years ago and liked it then. Still like it.

I remembered your post on T-giving day when I saw someone buying Penfolds, so I grabbed a bottle of this instead of our 'usual'. Not sure of the vintage but we got it from the grocery so I assume 06 or later. To make a long story short- we didn't like it much. Maybe it was the time of day, or a particular bottle, but I'd rate it in the low 80's.

Our usual grocery store wine is a $5 Chilean Cab by Walnut Crest, which isn't a 91 either but is at least priced accordingly. In the Koonunga Hill price range ($8-9), one that pushes the 90's IMO, is the latest vintage (2006?) Coppola Rosso Shiraz (the one with stars on the cork foil).

[Vange]

I remembered your post on T-giving day when I saw someone buying Penfolds, so I grabbed a bottle of this instead of our 'usual'. Not sure of the vintage but we got it from the grocery so I assume 06 or later. To make a long story short- we didn't like it much. Maybe it was the time of day, or a particular bottle, but I'd rate it in the low 80's.

Was it that exact Penfolds (Penfolds Koonunga Hill Shiraz Cabernet)? There are lots of Penfolds wines out there and it gets confusing. Honestly, I am not a huge fan of the less expensive Penfolds. Too many green pepper flavors in the wine for me.

[Skunk]

Yeah it was definately the PKH Shiraz/Cab, but not positive of vintage. We may have to try it again under different circumstances to be sure. It reminded me a little of the Lindemanns Bin 50 Shiraz, also highly rated IIRC, which I don't care much for either.

[Vange]

I guess one of the areas I have been greatly disappointed in is the inexpensive shirazes from Australia. The Henrys Drive was one I also recently tried and was not happy with, but gets great reviews. On the other hand, I really like Mollydooker reds (The ones that are sub $30) which is sinful in some people's eyes.

Wine is very subjective. The styles are all over the place: New world, Old world, fruit bomb, over oaked, unoaked, overaged, high tannins, high acidity, etc. It really does depend on your tastes.

To stay true to the thread, I cracked open my 3rd 2005 Bordeaux this weekend. It was a Château Roc de Pourret. About $18. I absolutely LOVED it. I had it with 3 great hard cheeses. So far the 2005 Boredeaux are really living up to the hype in their flavors.

Here is what CT members said about it also.

http://www.cellartracker.com/list.asp?Table=Notes&szSearch=roc+de+pourret

[Sijan]

I remembered your post on T-giving day when I saw someone buying Penfolds, so I grabbed a bottle of this instead of our 'usual'. Not sure of the vintage but we got it from the grocery so I assume 06 or later. To make a long story short- we didn't like it much. Maybe it was the time of day, or a particular bottle, but I'd rate it in the low 80's.

Our usual grocery store wine is a $5 Chilean Cab by Walnut Crest, which isn't a 91 either but is at least priced accordingly. In the Koonunga Hill price range ($8-9), one that pushes the 90's IMO, is the latest vintage (2006?) Coppola Rosso Shiraz (the one with stars on the cork foil).

Sorry you didn't like it. I wouldn't worry too much about how critics (or I) rate the wine if you aren't partial to it. Tastes vary greatly.

[Skunk]

Sorry you didn't like it. I wouldn't worry too much about how critics (or I) rate the wine if you aren't partial to it. Tastes vary greatly.

That's ok. Sorry I forgot to mention thanks for the list. I will look for the Rhone-style you recommended next time, but have a feeling I might not find an o3. And the Poesia Pasodoble looks good. I'd try anything on your list that's red though, if I see it, so thanks again.

Also might have to splurge on the Château Roc de Pourret, but I haven't been lucky enough to buy a <$20 Bordeaux that bowled me over (not that I've tried many). Maybe they're just more 'challenging' than e.g. a $20 Napa Cab.

[Sijan]

That's ok. Sorry I forgot to mention thanks for the list.

You're welcome. The Penfolds Koonunga Hills Shiraz-Cabernet is a good cheap wine, but I wouldn't stake my reputation on it. It may be subject to a fair amount of bottle-to-bottle variation, for one thing.

I will look for the Rhone-style you recommended next time, but have a feeling I might not find an o3. And the Poesia Pasodoble looks good. I'd try anything on your list that's red though, if I see it, so thanks again.

Now this is a wine I would stake my reputation on.

I have recently seen the 2003 Chateau d'Or et de Gueules still sitting on a few store shelves around here, although not too many places still carry it. It is a Robert Kacher selection, so no surprise that there is more of it floating around here (he is a DC-area importer).

Here is more info on it: http://www.pjwine.com/html/wow_07_08_13.html

And here is an article in the April 2008 Decanter on the Costieres de Nimes region that mentions the winery and gives 4 stars to one of its prestige cuvees:

http://www.robertkacherselections.com/clients/wine/in_the_news-1211224795-DecanterApril08.pdf

I wasn't aware of this 'til today, but Wine Advocate gave it 91 pts:

Wine Advocate Diane de Puymorin purchased (and renamed) this property in 1998 and is generating wines of amazing richness and complexity for a relative pittance. Her phenomenally fine value 2003 Costieres de Nimes (tank-raised, half Syrah and rest evenly split between Carignan and Grenache) rushes from the rim of the glass in sweetly-fruited, smoky, gamey, pungently-herbal aromatic profusion. Lapsang tea, iodine, cherry pits and crushed stone all add complexity to an intensely ripe base of plum and cherry preserves. Silken in texture, this finishes with formidable length and a freshness and fluidity that utterly belie its roughly 15% alcohol. Score: 91. —David Schildknecht, October 2007.

Also just found that Wine & Spirits apparently also gave it a 90.

Produced by an enthusiastic farmer with different ideas on leaf pulling and pruning, this wine is picked earlier and has tremendous power and fruit. Jammy black berry fruit on the nose with some spice really hits the mark here. The palate is full of spice and intense flavor. Let it breathe and you will overwhelmed with the flavor, power and delight of this wine. Super stuff to really sink your teeth into. 90 Wines & Spirits

Food & Wine also chose it as one of their "Best Wines of 2007"

http://www.robertkacherselections.com/clients/wine/in_the_news-1196702438-11-30-7%20Food%20and%20Wine%20-%20Best%20Wines%20of%202007%20-%20Or%20et%20Gueules.pdf

Their original review is here:

http://www.robertkacherselections.com/clients/wine/in_the_news-1188399890-Food%20and%20Wine%20com%205%2011.pdf

This site says the 2005 vintage is very good and even better than the 2003.

This is the label you're looking for:

[Vange]

I had this wine recently from the Ventoux region of France and really loved it for $10

Chateau Pesquie La Paradou

a blend of syrah and grenache

Having a tough time finding more though..

[Sijan]

I had this wine recently from the Ventoux region of France and really loved it for $10

Chateau Pesquie La Paradou

a blend of syrah and grenache

Having a tough time finding more though..

How is this wine listed on CellarTracker? I see plenty of Chateau Pesquie, but I'm not finding a "La Paradou" bottling.

Is it this?

2007 Château Pesquié Côtes du Ventoux Grenache/Syrah

Or their Cotes du Rhone?