Accornero’s 2013 Barbera del Monferrato ‘Giulin’ ($16)
I defy you to not like this wine. I opened it along with a bottle of 2000 Smith Haut Laffite, 1998 Beaucastel, 1994/1999 Grand Puy Lacoste, and a 1998 Chapoutier Hermitage la Sizeranne over the weekend. It held its own and then some.
The SHL was good but a bit hot. The Beaucastel was drinking great from 375ML. The 1994 GPL had a pronounced menthol note that was Aussie-like and a bit odd but otherwise good. The 1999 GPL was much more solid. The Sizeranne, which I’ve had at least a dozen times, was (shockingly) better than ever (I was never really a big fan of this).
Back to the Barbera – very high yum factor for current drinking and a smoking great value.
I have a lot of favorites, most not widely distributed. Recent ones I have liked:
Chateau Platon Bordeaux
Domaine du Cros Marcillac Lo Sang del Pais
Folk Machine Parts & Labor (or just about anything else from Folk Machine)
Chinon from Baudry, Gasnier
Domaine Filliatreau Saumur
Domaine Guion Bourgueil
Muscadet from Domaine de la Pepiere or Domaine de la Louvetrie (among others)
Raventos Cava
Pertimali Prosecco (from Livio Sassetti) and Bisson Prosecco
Lambrusco from Lini or Chiarli (among others)
Bera Moscato or Arcese
Peter Lauer Barrel X
In the Finger Lakes, pretty much anything from Ravines or Weimer that meets the price point, and selectively from others.
Cameron WV Pinot
Cameron DH Chardonnay
Goodfellow WV Chardonnay
Costco DOCG Chianti Classico
Santa Cruz Mtn Vineyards Bobcat
Sones Cellars White Hedgehog (amazing at $10)
Navarro (Table Wine) Chardonnay
Most anything from Mark LaFage
Muscadette
Clos La Chance Merlot
Tommasi Maremma Toscana Poggio al Tufo Rompicollo
Literally anything from Viano Vineyards (They dont make a single bottle over $16 and its 100% estate fruit)
Bedrock Syrah
Bedrock Zin
Bedrock SheBang!
You would be surprised. Well, maybe not that surprised, but surprised. I do like this wine. Dan Posner offered some not too long ago and I bit. We should get together sometime…
NV Two Mountain Winery Hidden Horse Red Rattlesnake Hills (WA)
This is a rock-solid NV red that is usually a Cab-dominant Bordeaux-style blend that’s around $15-$18. I like that this is a very consistent bottling from them, year-to-year. The best part: really outstanding people at the winery.