Eric's case (New York Times); Dan's case; your case

In today’s New York Times Eric Asimov describes his ideal everyday, go-to, at-home case of wine. I like and respect Asimov and think he’s done a terrific job in engaging his readership. I probably agree with him barely more than I disagree. Our tastes are slightly more different than similar. He writes well, he is fairly knowledgeable (but see one of his suggestions), he’s geekier than I am, he’s too adamant about avoiding large production wines, but overall I find him a great asset to the world of wine.

I thought this was an outstanding article for provoking thought and comment. He rolls a little higher than I would, but this is for NYT readers. I live in a lower rent district (but Harpswell is not impoverished).

I guesstimate that his case is ~$275 – 300. Mine is ~$225.

Eric’s case:
St Veran
Cru Beaujolais
German Riesling Spatlese
German Riesling Trocken (or dry Riesling from Austria or NY)
Chenin Blanc (Loire only, including “good dry Vouvray, Montlouis?!? and Savennieres)
Chianti Classico
Northern Rhone Syrah
Oregon Pinot
Champagne
Italian Nebbiolo (Nebbiolo, not Barolo or Barbaresco, or apparently Gattinara et al, or Grumello et al)
Fino Sherry
dry Lambrusco (?!?.. where is the ‘hurl’ icon when I need it?)

Dan’s case:
Cotes du Rhone
St Veran (or Macon Vire, Clesse, etc, or Bourgogne Blanc)
Cali Cab, preferably with a few years of bottle age (not Napa, think Sonoma Appellations, or Paso Robles)
Alsace or German Riesling (Trocken if German)
red Savigny
either Carneros or Oregon PN
Chenin Blanc
California North Coast or Chilean Sauvignon Blanc (not New Zealand, because I hate grapefruit juice)
Argentine Malbec
Rioja Crianza or Riserva
Rose
bubbly


Your case?:



Dan Kravitz

Dan,

I enjoyed the article and appreciate you posting this. For what it’s worth, my tastes are somewhat close to yours:

• Chablis (premier cru, probably montmains, something from J.P Droin)
• Bourgogne blanc in the puligny style (Pernot, Sauzet)
• White Northern Rhone (Chave’s ‘Celeste’)
• Assyrtiko, or perhaps a dry rose (Aa, or les domanieres)
• Something from Alsace, probably a Pinot Gris or Gewurz (Zind-H, Weinbach)
• Cru Beaujolais (some Morgon)
• Rioja
• Barbaresco
• Merlot based bordeaux
• Savigny/Marsannay
• Old-world styled Cali Cab (think Philip Togni, Cardinale, even older Dominus)
• Tokaji

Realistically, I could put together that case for ~$375-400. That number comes down to $300-325 if the Bordeaux and cab are $35-40 each.

Loire cab franc
Bourgogne rouge or Savigny
Briords
Monsanto CCR
Droin Montmains
Beaujolais cru - Roilette or ?
Gonon VdP
Bdx, maybe Fronsac
Huet
Donnhoff or Selbach or Muller
Oregon PN
Champagne

Fun exercise. Here’s a stab at an awesome, reasonably available case where everything should be $30 or less – obviously you could go a lot of directions with this:

Thivin Cote de Brouilly
Produttori Barbaresco (or insert other Bojo option)
Drouhin Cote de Nuits Villages
Felsina CC
Baudry Les Granges
Ridge Geyserville Zin

Pepiere Briords (or insert other Muscadet option)
Billaud Simon Chablis
Peter Lauer Fass 6 Senior
R. Haart Piesporter Goldtropfchen Spatlese
Huet Sec or Petillant
Dom. Belluard

This is my mixed case based not on what I might ponder to be the best, but on the last 12 cases of wine I bought primarily for drinking, not to cellar. One bottle of each adds up to $217 + tax
2013 Ferrando La Torrazza Canavese Rosso
2012 Bouvier Bourgogne
2010 Drouhin Cotes de Beaune
2012 Pfefferer Moscato Giallo
2012 Donnafugata Lighea Zibibbo
2010 Nino Negri Quadrio
2013 Domaine Haut Marin Cuvee Marine, IGP Cotes de Gascogne
2014 Commanderie de la Bargemone Rose
2012 Grossot Chablis
2013 Fattoria Moretto Lambrusco Grasparossa di Castelvetro Secco
2009 Jadot Santenay Clos de Malte
2014 Ameztoi Rubentis Rosado, Getariako Txakolina

Here is my $250 case of recommended everyday stuff that I truly enjoy and never feel that I have made a sacrifice on price (could do multiples of this with different wines):

Badry Les Granges, Chinon (2014 outstanding)
Raffault Les Picasses, Chinon
Ch. Lanessan, Bordeaux
Ch. Cambon la Pelouse, Bordeaux
Thivin Cotes de Brouilly, Beaujolais
Clos de la Roilette, Beaujolais
Clape Les Amis, Northern Rhone syrah
Gonon Iles Feray, Northern Rhone syrah
Donhoff Kabinett, Riesling
Clos de la Pepiere, Loire
Domaine Guion Cuvee Prestige
Ridge Zin

A case of everyday wine and one person (thank you Robert) mentions Zin?

You know me, Mike, that’s my guilty pleasure! Notice, too, that’s it’s my most expensive bottle. Had to toss in the Guion to bring down the average bottle cost! Simply put, there are some basic dinner choices that are complemented best with a great Zin. Prolly shoulda tossed in a basis bottle of Bedrock Zin, and for those that like the sweeter style, the Shebang. The Shebang does not work for me, but I note that it does for many others.

A lot of good Zin can be had for about $20 Robert, but you’re right, the Ridge lineup is typically somewhat higher.

Off the top of my head though, we have Scherrer OMV (futures), Turley Juvie, Bedrock and Carlisle appellation and Dry Creek. Bedrock and Carlisle also make excellent appellation Syrah for around $20. I’d need some Pinot in my case and Rivers Marie makes a nice appellation for $25. ESJ makes some nice Gamay Noir in that price range. For whites, I’d look north to Navarro. For Chenin, I’d go Sandlands.

Arrowood Reserve or Monte Rosso Cabernet
JJ Prum G-H Riesling Spatlese
Felsener Spatlese
Bedrock Old Vine Zinfandel
Sebastiani Alexander Valley Cabernet
Chappellet Signature Cabernet
Huet Le Haut Lieu Vouvray Moelleux
Huet Clos du Bourg Vouvray Premiere Trie

and currently looking for relatively less expensive Burgundy to round out the dozen.

This would be mine and I honestly do not think it can be beat for quality and versatility:

German Riesling - Dry
German Riesling - Feinherb
German Riesling - Kabinett
German Riesling - Spatlese
German Sylvaner
German Scheurebe
German Weissburgunder
German Grauburgunder
German Sauvignon Blanc (all the rage in Germany)
German Elbing Sekt (from Hild)
German Riesling Sekt
Enderle & Moll Spatburgunder (from Germany)

Edited to add recent years where I bought 6-12+. Most of these wines drink well early and mature very well, except for the Raffault, which admittedly takes some time to come around.

I can tell from the above suggestions that I’ve been reading this forum for long enough that my tastes have converged with most everybody else. I still think I’m better off for it. Here’s my proposed case of widely available picks (with example producer):

1. California Zin (Bedrock)
2. Austrian GV (Schloss Gobelsburg)
3. German Spatlese Riesling (Selbach-Oster)
4. German Kabinett Riesling (J.J. Prum)
5. Chinon (Baudry)
6. Red Bordeaux (Lanessan)
7. Furmint Sec (Királyudvar)
8. Barbaresco (Produttori)
9. Chianti (Fontodi)
10. Muscadet (Pepiere)
11. Pinot Rose (Cep)
12. Blanc de Blanc Sparkling (Roederer Estate)

I have purchased all of these wines in 2015. Total cost before tax and shipping: ~$275

cheap Sauv. Blanc from just about anywhere
LdH – “Gravonia”
Arcadian – Chardonnay
German Riesling off-dry
Alsatian Riesling dry
Chenin Blanc dry

Palo Cortado or Fino sherry

N. Rhone Syrah
Foillard – Cote du Py Morgon
Arcadian – Pinot Noir
red Chinon
red CdP


I could get this done for $300, give or take $50.

A case of 40 year old DRC bought on release.

Should come in below that $250 mark right?

For wines in the $20 range, mine at the moment would be:

Picq Chablis Dessus La Carriere ($21)
Pepiere Briords ($17)
Felsina Chianti Classico ($26)
Fontodi Chianti Classico ($33)
Produttori Barbaresco ($27)
Lannesan Bordeaux ($20)
Montenidoli Rose of Cannaiolo ($20)
Wagner-Stempel Riesling Trocken ($17)
Beaucastel Coudoulet CdR ($27)
Cambon La Pelouse Bordeaux ($19)
Chidain Chenin Bournais ($26)
Carlisle Sonoma County Syrah ($20)

Edited to add pricing. To get closer to $250 (see Jay’s Post below) I would substitute Monsanto CCR ($20) for Fontodi and Collestefano Verdicchio ($14) for Chidaine.

Muscadet
Alto Adige white
Cremant du Loire
Cremant du Jura
Txakoli
Riesling spatlese
Barbera d’Alba
Oregon Pinot Noir
Chinon
Savigny (red)
Rioja (red)
Beaujolais cru

This was an easier exercise 10-15 years ago when you could buy Cotes-du-Rhone for around 10 bucks along with an entire slew of other goodies. At least decent riesling is still a relative value at around $20. Some candidates would be Lopez de Heredia’s Cubillo, Edmunds St John cuvees, many Finger Lakes wines, probably many Spanish wines.

Aiming for general categories with specific wines that I like most, all for ~$30 or less with a little hunting…

Left Bank Bordeaux - Cantemerle
Right Bank Bordeaux - Pipeau
Bordeaux Cru Bourgeois - many options, usually Lanessan/Tour St Bonnet or Charmail if I want something richer
Bordeaux Blanc - Carbonnieux blanc
NV Champagne - Moutard Grande Cuvee, lots of others when on sale
Ridge Zinfandel field-blend - Ridge Geyserville (Ridge gets its own category in my world)
Cali Syrah - Edmunds St. John Wylie-Fenaughty
Loire Sauvignon Blanc - Thomas-Labaille Sancerre Monts Damnés
Cali Chardonnay - Wind Gap
Chianti - Monsanto CCR or Selvapiana Bucerchiale Riserva
Nebbiolo - Produttori del Barbaresco Normale
Tempranillo - Pesquera Tinto

The exercise makes little sense. If I could only drink the wines Eric lists, it would be so boring that I’d probably stop drinking wine. Lots of acidity, nice when you’re in the mood (and I love N. Rhone Syrah, Nebbiolo, Barbera, and of course Beaujolais). But I could put together a case like Eric’s and then another that wouldn’t have a single wine that was in the first case, and then another and so on.

About half of what I drink is from Spain, and I could do a case just limiting it to that country. Then France, then Italy. Each of those places has enough wine, of varied character, at good prices to keep things interesting.

And then there’s Austria and Hungary and I’ve had more of those wines than Eric has and then there’s Greece, which is rapidly becoming a fave source of good wines, as well as all the surrounding countries.

Then there’s the US. One of the last things I’d include is Oregon Pinot Noir. OTOH, I’d be happy with a case of anything Harrington Wines is putting out.

There are just so many producers in the US that need further exploration, not to mention Australia, South America, and elsewhere.

I would drink all of the wines he lists, but sometimes I want something big and burly from Priorat or the south of France or from Barossa or from California. And he has no sweet wines on his list.

And for those of you who don’t know Harrington, I don’t know him either, other than having had a few of his wines. Based on those, I’d try everything he does. My bet is that Eric doesn’t know those wines and I’m also willing to bet that he’d love them. The point of putting together a case like this, for me at least, would be to have interesting wines that don’t break the bank.

And to me, interesting means wide variety. So a Muscadet at 10.4 ABV would have a counterpart that might be Garnacha at 15.2 ABV.

Anyhow, as a PSA, if anyone is interested, here’s what Harrington is doing at his open house in SF Nov 15. I mean, he’s making Corvina (!) and Trousseau (!!) in California! And the Trousseau is damned good.

2014 Vermentino, Cedar Lane Vineyard, Arroyo Seco
2014 Riesling, Griva Vineyard, Arroyo Seco
2014 Corvina, Heirloom Ranch, Lodi
2014 Trousseau, Siletto Vineyard, San Benito County
2014 Symetrie, Trousseau & Pinot Noir, 50/50 blend, Cntr. Coast
2014 Hard Luck, Grenache & Carignane, 50/50 blend, California
2012 Terrane Carignane, Lover’s Lane Vineyard, no sulfites