The Mission: Buy 4 bottles of decent wine and 1 bottle of good wine for a casual group of 8 adult drinkers (only 2 wine geeks in group). Tastes include Cabernet, Rioja, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Viognier, Super Tuscan, and I like anything well made.
The Constraints: Budget is $150-200 and must buy from this local store Wine Store - Lincoln Fine Wines and the fare is ‘Mediterranean’.
What would you suggest I buy?
My current thoughts are:
1 bttle 2014 Ridge Geyserville $40
1 bttle 2007 La Rioja Alta Vina Ardanza $35
1 bttle 2007 Rioja Alta Gran Reserva 904 $47
1 bttle 2015 Thivin Brouilly Reverdon $25
Plus something in the $50 range
What five wines would you buy for this party for $150-200?
Bouchard Pere & Fils - Beaune Du Chateau Premier Cru 2012 ($40) [Burgundy that is traditionally very good value, year in and year out from an excellent year]
Roederer Estate - Brut Anderson Valley NV ($23) [Had the rose version of this a few weeks ago and it was very nice]
Ridge Geyserville 2014 ($40)
Produttori del Barbaresco - Barbaresco 2013 ($30) [fabulous value in Nebbiolo wine - kind of to Barbaresco what Geyserville is to Zin]
Hermann Dönnhoff - Riesling Spätlese Nahe Norheimer Kirschheck 2015 ($37) [great, great producer; great, great year]
= $170
Consistent with your new love for Geyserville and otherwise gets you out of your comfort zone.
If it were me, I would do the 2010, 2011, 2013 and 2014 La Tache plus a 2014 DRC Romanee St. Vivant for $13,700- and then feign total shock when advised that there was a decimal point in the intended budget number.
In all seriousness though, I would suggest picking one region for everything- possibly two. A search on that site of Italian wine $10-25 showed 116 selections, and a search of French wine $10-25 showed 185 selections (California - just 20 selections interestingly.)
I suggest this because- especially if these are not wine geeks- it can be very disconcerting for many to have such a wide range of choices such that each glass is markedly different from the next. Some degree of continuity is desirable unless it is the express wish of the diners to have a wide variety presented to them.
For Mediterranean, would suggest adding a rose to the list and dropping the bubbly. There are some nice Roses on that list- notably Tavel.
2015 Bedrock Evangelho $33
2015 Foillard Morgon cuvee Corcellette $33
2006 Calabretta Etna Rosso $25
2014 Peay PN Sonoma Coast $39
Ployez-Jacquemart Brut Rose NV $40
Would be my less expensive picks.
If your crew hasn’t had much Madeira, would share a bottle of the Rare Wine co charleston Sercial. A great bottle. Drinks above its price tag compared to vintage Madeira.
Clape 2014 Cornas Renaissance needs a little air but would be a nice bottle at $80
Other options for a great bottle to try:
Quintarelli Primofiore
2012 Shea
I feel like prices started to get high for a lot of domestic Cab and Pinot in the $40-80 range and I was just like “meh”.
Agree with Noah on the Foillard Corcelette and Peay PN. The Calabretta can be very enjoyable when on but I’ve experienced a relatively high rate of spoilage/Brett with that wine (though I don’t think I’ve had the 06.). If the food is Mediterranean and maybe even Greek, I’d include a bottle or even two of Sigalas Assyrtiko. At $20-ish, it has plenty of cross over appeal for wine geeks as well as non experts, and is a slam dunk with that cuisine.
Good chance of some Greek food. Wife is Greek heritage and it’s her b-day dinner. Friend cooking it is surprising us with menu, though, and it may be pan-Mediterranean, not limited to Greece.
Katrina BI wrote:
If the food is Mediterranean and maybe even Greek, I’d include a bottle or even two of Sigalas Assyrtiko. At $20-ish, it has plenty of cross over appeal for wine geeks as well as non experts, and is a slam dunk with that cuisine.
Agree with this. I would also add the 2014 Franchetti Passorosso from Sicily. This is a very good red wine that is reasonably priced at $35. I would also add the Ridge Geyserville, because, it is Geyserville.
For the non wine-geek Chardonnay/Viognier lover the Orin Swift (gasp) Mannequin ($26.99) might actually fit the bill for them. It would be awesome if you could fit the Leeuwin Estate Chardonnay in at $75, but I don’t know if a non-geekish crowd would appreciate that.
Feudi Di San Gregorio - Falanghina 2010 ($12.99)would go nicely with Mediterranean appetizers.
The magnum of 2012 Bila-Haut Occultum Lapidem ($46.99) wouldn’t be bad for a large group either.
And call me crazy but I like the 2012 Olga Raffault ($21.99) with herby Mediterranean food.
I’d keep:
1 bottle 2014 Ridge Geyserville $40
1 bottle 2007 La Rioja Alta Vina Ardanza $35
(great choice but I’d drop the 904 as I think it’s still too young…)
and add:
Casal Da Coelheira - Mythos 2012 $33
Patrick Piuze - Chablis Terroir de Courgis 2015 $30
Benoit Mulin - Arbois 2011 $30
Gosset - Excellence Brut NV $33
Ok, you’re $0.94 over budget but I think that’s a pretty tasty selection (also reasonable value) that should appeal to everyone.
Barry, you now have probably about 50 wines (likely all of which or almost all of which are quite good) and my guess is that you are going to want to get and serve all of them. In fact, my guess is that you buy and cellar 2-5 times more wines from this thread than are necessary for the party.
Italy
If looking for a fun, vibrant sweet wine / aperitif, then
Michele Chiarlo - Nivole Moscato 2015 ($17 for a full bottle) is fine value
For white, not the best price, but still fair value
Anselmi Monteforte D’alpone - capitel croce 2009 ($26)
I’d be looking to grab a bottle of this myself, as I love the Rancia, but have yet to try this
Felsina - Chianti Classico Riserva Berardenga 2012 (genuine reduction down to $22)
For a natural wine, from a very good producer, this might interest:
Foradori - Teroldego Rotaliano Sgarzon 2013 (and at $45 I’ll stop there as I’m pushing the upper end). Will be approachable despite the youth.
Portugal a pass for me - an odd selection.
Spain - I have rather enjoyed the Bierzo wines I’ve tried, so this would appeal to me
Descendientes de Jose Palacios - Petalos del Bierzo 2014 ($18).
or
Bodegas y Viñedos Pittacum - Mencia Bierzo 2009 ($20)
Again I’d be (personally) keen to try this from Greece
Diamantakos - Naoussa Xinomavro 2011 ($33)
For France I’d probably want to stick to Southern France for a Mediterranean theme, and considering the less geeky nature of the group, I’ll suggest something that might be a tad provocative to us lot, but may be a great conversation piece for a less geeky group.
Chateau Miraval - Cotes De Provence Rose 2016 (Anglelina & Brad’s winery purchase) ($21)
Not sure if any of this matches established tastes of the group, so maybe use this as an idea to go off-piste for 1-2 wines.
