Favorite Wines, currently Available, under$15

The best way to learn about wine in my opinion is to start drinking. I started years ago when by luck I found a half bottle of Beaujolais that was so good it got me very curious to try other wines. I became a Wine Lover, Then a Sommelier, then the Manager of the greatest wine store that ever existed. I have tasted verticals of Romanee Conti, but I still love agood $10 bottle. $10 a bottle is $50 a gallon. Thats not so cheap. So I am creating this thread not just for beginners, but old hacks like me who still want a good wine at a great price.

Fuego 2011- Full name: garnache de (thats good old Grenache)Fuego “Old Vines” 2011- Dry, medium weight red.
I found this in three stores, all for $8.99. I traveled with Jorge Ordonez, the importer in 1993. He has one of the best importers in the business and also happens to be a wonderful man. If you see his name on the back of a bottle, its usually a good pick. This wine developed nicely and was good on all three days I drank it. The last day I had it with some lamb stew. 14.5 on the alc. but not showing it. Fruit foreward, which is another way of saying it didn’t taste like someone stuck a 2x4 in your mouth. I am not 'rating" it, other than I will buy a couple of cases.

La Cartula Priorat 2011- If you like Purple monsters, this is for you. I am not sure if it is the slate soil, the romance of the area or the small amount of barrel time, but the result is something monolithic. I am on the second day with this wine, and again its up there…14.5 alc… but its not showing. Lets see if this goes 4 days. The price is fair for a wine that has good press at $14.99. It has weight,would stand up to BBQ, and I would love to see where this wine may end up. A few bottles at least!
Third Day; At this moment its sort of the Johnny Cash of Wine. It can only sing one note, but it expresses it pretty well. Glad they make it, even if it has limited use. Now I know a wine for Goulash.

A third Spanish Wine: Altos 2009, from an area called Jumilla. What a little charmer for those who don’t mind a little chocalate flavor in the wine. Pretty, mellow and an easy pick to throw into a decanter. No one would have clue where it was or what it was. Nice to see such unique flavors at such a humble (10.99) price. Oddly, by day three the wine had lost its blousy easy going quality and gained some structure. Its rare that you find wines showing “good bones” after displaying fruit first. Outdoor wine. Get six bottles at least!

You might take a look at this thread, too - http://www.wineberserkers.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=44186

It said I “wasn’t authorised to read this forum” What ever the case, as a new person here, is it possible that you recreate a thread that stays in place, like the “features” . People’s search attention is often only a few seconds. To work it has to be easy. And that means fast, simple and consistant. Can you help me, and in turn, I help you? I think that your site ( I assume it is) has a far better chance of turning into something amazing. Erics sight didn’t do that for me, the 15 seconds I took to suss it out. Off to lunch!

There was a thread recently on Wine Talk about favorite Cabs under $20 - thought that was it

It has the “you are not authorized to view” for me as well…? newhere

Mark (in Ottawa)

I think he means its just a glitch. I am starting this thread in hope of creating a entry point for people, but I am not sure this is the place.

Columbia Crest H3 Series - all four offerings are solid
Baus Family - (a private labeling for the Wine and Spirits Guild of America) but some really good juice
Gerard Bertrand Cremant de Limoux - this may be just above $15, but only just
Louis Chavy Grand Ordinaire
Cousino Macul Antiguas Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon
Leitz Dragonstone

Thats all I got off the top of my head for go-to values

Just sprang for a case of 2007 Santa Duc Côtes-du-Rhône Vieilles Vignes. Screaming deal at $14.39/btl. after case discount

2011 Vin de Savoie Apremont, Pierre Boniface. $12-14.

Greengage plums, alpine flowers, mountain streams. Light, floral, crisp, and utterly refreshing. Simple, in a positive way: full appreciation of its hedonistic charms requires no intellectual engagement.

Imported by board member Dan Kravitz. http://handpickedselections.com/product/344-2011-Apremont.htm

Mine says " you are not authorised to view " too

+1

My QPR choice of late has been the 2007 Viña Eguía Rioja Reserva which is $10 at our local Costco. From the CellarTracker notes, there seems to be some bottle variation, but I’ve enjoyed ours, especially when we’ve time to give them a little air.

Falesco Merlot (from Italy) generally runs $14-$15/bottle, and it’s great…in fact my favorite Merlot, much better than California Merlots selling for 2-3 times the price. Burgundian in character, quite charming. Excellent buy, and consistent from bottle to bottle.

Some of the Layer Cake wines are best avoided, but the Layer Cake Malbec – $11.88 where I was buying it – was really delicious, a very floral, perfumy, feminine Malbec. Screaming buy at that price. Most stores in our area (where wines generally are grossly overpriced) are selling it for around $18/bottle, but you can find it under $15 if you look.

The 2010 Chais St. Laurent Chinon is under $15 nearly everywhere (even here!) and it’s quite quaffable, a minerally Cab Franc with pleasant nutty and stony aromas and flavors. Those of you who live on the East or West coast will find it easily for $10-$12.

The 2009 Château de Ribebon is a pleasant, minerally Bordeaux Superieur that can be found for around $10. I’ve been drinking a lot of it and have been pleased with every bottle. Not fruit-forward.

Ditto for the 2009 Château Amour. $7.99 at Trader Joe’s and a great buy at that price.

The 2009 Peter Lehmann Shiraz Portrait has been selling around here for about $13 lately, and it’s definitely worth buying at that price. In fact it’s worth picking up by the case, as it’s drinking well now but is ageworthy and will improve in the bottle for several years.

WTSO had the Chapoutier Bila-Haut l’Esquerda 2008 for about $10/bottle a few months back, and I bought 4 bottles. I wish now that I had bought 4 cases. If it comes around again in that vintage (make sure it’s 2008, as later vintages are a bit bland), buy a bunch of it…one of the best $10 wines I’ve ever had. Very rustic in style, not for those of you who like west-coast fruit bombs.

And then there is Muscadet…and Vinho Verde…

2011 Michel Delhommeau Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine Sur Lie Cuvée Harmonie

$12 @ K&L

I think almost any decent Muscadet makes the list for me. Great value and significantly more interesting to drink that a Sauvignon Blanc at the same price point.

Just had a bottle of the Carmenere from the Concha Y Toro Casillero del Diablo line and was pleasantly surprised.

Also, just about anything from Bogle is a good bet at this price level.

Spanish reds - particularly stuff imported by Jorge Ordonez. This is one area where I think the Wine Advocate’s general recommendations have been pretty spot on over the past few years. Borsao Garnacha at about $6 a bottle is my ‘go to’ everyday wine.

http://www.winex.com/wine-1025613-.aspx#.UaoOoZVhkn8

This Faustino @ $6.99 can be very nice. But there is bottle variation.

Jason

Not necessarily favorite wines for me, but three purchases that fit into the under $15 category are
2011 Armand Roux Verdillac Blanc (Bordeaux Sauvignon Blanc) at $10
2011 Azienda Agricola La Giaretta Valpolicella Classico Volpare at $11
2010 Chateau Grande Cassagne Costiere de Nimes Rose’ purchased last summer for $10