Game Changing wines under $50

WINE TALK
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Its easy to think of high end wines that change your ideas, ones ive had include Krug, Shafer HSS, Saxum, etc

But game changers at a sensible price that reveal something new and great, at least to your tastes. Wines I would include

2008 Chateau Ste Michelle Cab, a $10 wine that showed me that this price point has great reds
Any Bedrock, revelation that well made zin at $20-$40 can challenge anything
2009 Carneros Method Champanoise, the first ever non champagne that had the yeasty creamy smoothness that I thought was only available in the real stuff
Four Vines Naked Chard, a mast produced chard that gives me great pleasure even at $9.99 a bottle

Your choices ?

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Pine Ridge Chenin Blanc/Viognier - $12.99 under screwcap and a winner every time.

not sure what qualifies as “game changer” however.

3

Absolute game changer: Dehlinger Claret

4

Trimbach Cuvée Frédéric Emile riesling , though recently over $50.

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Jean Foillard Cote du Py
Marcel Lapierre Morgon
Andre Beaufort NV Ambronnay Rose
Weiser Kunstler Enkircher Ellengrub Spatlese
Dominique Belluar Le Feu
Philippe Bornard Trousseau Le Ginglet

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6

I can’t think of a better qpr game changer than Marc Olivier’s wines. Baudry in Chinon and Foillard & Lapierre in Morgon also qualifies imho.

7

For me it’s the


CASSIS BLANC from Clos Ste Magdeleine in Provence -

8

Kabinetts from Prum, Dönnhoff, SchÀfer-Frölich, Haag, and so many others. SpÀtlese too

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What is this? $35? One of the world’s great under $40 clarets, IMO. Ridge Estate and Mount Eden “Domain Eden” are right there as well.

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N/V Roederer Brut Mendocino - In the sparkler category, I could almost drink this exclusively at $17. I have a couple $30-$40 French I like a lot too and a couple high end French like Comte & Cristal. That said, I could easily drink Roederer Mendocino Brut exclusively and never look back.

12

TNTC
Probably 80% of my cellar.
Right off the top of my head:

Loire Valley
Huet
Chidaine
Foreau
Pinon
Pepiere
Luneau-Papin
Baudry
Raffault

northern Rhone
Gonon
Faury


Burgundy-Beaujolais
Metras
Roilette
Folliard
Lapierre

Burgundy
Chandon de Briailles
Pavelot

Burgundy: Chablis
Gilbert Picq
Louis Michel

Champagne
Philipponnat
Jose Michel
Many others


USA
Bedrock
Liquid Farm
Ceritas
Ridge

Rioja
Lopez de Herredia
CVNE
La Rioja Alta

Piedmont
Produttori
Vajra

Tuscany
Felsina CCR & Rancia

Sicily
Passopisciaro
Calabretta

Gotta go to dinner. I could easily quadruple this list given a few more minutes.

Cheers,
Warren

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13

This. The sheer number of great German Rieslings under $50 is beyond imaginable. Also Austrian Rieslings and Gruner Veltliner. Producers such as Hirsch, Hiedler, Schloss Gobelsburg, etc.

As for red, Edmunds St. John. Enough said.

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2005 Capcanes Cabrida

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Domestic game changer for the category? Rivers Marie Paneck. Can’t wait to try the new vineyards. Here we have proof that cult quality Napa cab can be done for less tha a 100 bucks


*edit: never mind - this is beyond your 50 line

16

2007 Michel sarrazin champs lalot givry
haunts me
$24

'99 faustino gran reserva Rioja
even better than the '01 that was rated '97 pts by Decanter magazine

17

Gotta throw another vote out for German Rieslings and the 2012’s in particular. Huet, Chidaine, Foreau, Baudry and Gonon. On this side of the pond: Ridge, Bedrock, Carlisle, Arcadian and ESJ quickly come to mind.

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2010 Domaine Pierre Guillemot Savigny-lĂšs-Beaune 1er Cru Les SerpentiĂšres. At least it was a game changer for me, being the first stellar red Burgundy I thought was priced correctly.

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Every effin’ Lopez de Heredia that ain’t got the words “Gran Reserva” on it. Tondonia red/white/rose, Bosconia, Cubillo, and Gravonia.

Michael

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+many on the world of the sub $50 german riesling. John Thomas (I think I recall right @ 50) and on a timely note, Kevin White’s 2011 La Fraternite. Had it last night - red fruits, a blanket of spices and a nice touch of acidity to keep it lively. Game changer is a tough bar, but certainly the quality of the KW was well in excess of its mid-20’s price point. Grenache/Mouvedre/touch of Syrah.