Building a High-Quality, Diverse, Old-World Inspired Cellar for $25-$50 per bottle

WINE TALK
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Given the recent threads on wine prices and young folks getting into the appreciation of finer wines and more activity on this wonderful forum, here is my stab at building a quality, reasonably diverse cellar with reasonable wine pricing. While I realize $50 may be a lot for some, bear in mind that some of the wines on this list are what I call world class wines that cost a fraction of what some of their peers cost, and that can and will mature and age gracefully. I regularly buy every single wine on this list, and some in very large quantities and vintages. There are also a fair number of wines on this list that are around $25. Yes, my list is more Francophile, but that’s my palate.

Most of these wines should be easy to find. A few, like Lapierre Sans Soufre, take some looking, but that’s half the fun.

Bordeaux

Langoa Barton

D’Armailhac

Ferriere

Giscours

Cantemerle

Sociando Mallet

Lanessan

D’Issan

Lagrange

Cantenac Brown

Branaire Ducru

  • Vintages 2016, 2019 and 2020 are a treasure trove and widely available.

Chinon/Saumur

Baudry Les Grezeaux

Baudry Clos Guillot

Joguet Les Varennes du Grand Clos

Olga Raffault Les Picasses

Roche Nueve Franc de Pied

Breton Franc de Pied

Anything Huet for Loire whites

Beaujolais

Roilette Griffe du Marquis

Roilette Cuvee Tardive

Thivin Cote de Brouilly

Lapierre Sans Soufre

Bouland Delys Vieille Vignes

Southern Rhone

Domaine Pegau (may have to find a sale)

Domaine Charvin

Clos du Juncuas, Gigondas

Domaine du Cayron, Gigondas

Coudoulet de Beaucastel

Northern Rhone

Levet Amethyste, Cote Rotie

Clape Vin des Amis

Xavier Gerard Le Blanchard, St Joseph

Champet, Cotie Rotie

Faury, Saint-Joseph (the Vieille Vignes bangs!)

Rousset Crozes Hermitage Les Picaudiere

California

Bedrock Zins/Heritage Blends

Sky Vineyards Zin

Frog’s Leap Cabernet

Domaine Eden Cabernet

Anything Edmund St. Johns

White Burgundy

Tribut

Defaix

Louis Michel

Champagne

Roederer Collection

Germany (Kabinetts)

Donnhoff (plus a killer Chardonnay!)

Prum

Peter Lauer

Willi Schaefer

Hofgut Falkenstein

Miscellaneous

Felsina Chiantis

Produttori Barbaresco

Raats Cab Franc (Red Jasper)

Richoux, Irancy

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Yep. Anyone with a cellar full of these wines is basically immediately in the 99th percentile of wine collectors.

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Are you doing Branaire-Ducru dirty for the second time this week?! :rofl: It’s right at $50 at my local Wegmans, perhaps cheaper online.

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Damnit!!! I keep screwing that up! And it could be the best in that price class!!!

Thanks for the reminder!!!

Fixed!!!

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Great list, and given our general palate ailgnment, I own many of these.

One category missing is Cali Chardonnay — off the top of my head, there are a dozen or more that I really like for <$59 that are in a French style overall:

Enfield
Stony Hill
Liquid Farm
Ceritas
Hanzell
Failla
Littoria
Mayacamas
Rhys (sub $50 usually only at auction)
Wind Gap (pre-2013)
Sandi
Ojai (some cuvees)
Radio Coteau

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There’s also Austria (many, even smaragd level, from producers like Alzinger and Knoll are sub $50 if you shop online), Muscadet, and a bevy of Maconnais whites.

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Red burgs:

Hudelot-Noellat Bourgogne Rouge
Vincent Dureuil Janthial Rully (or en guesnes for 5-10 more)
Francois Lumpp A Vigne Rouge

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Lopez de Heredia Reservas
Produttori Barbaresco(normale/non cru)

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For White Burgundy/Chablis, I’d add Verget, Le Chablisienne, Domaine Laroche.
Also could add a bunch of Oregon Chards.

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Couldn’t resist giving you a hard time! I’m really high on Branaire-Ducru in this category because not only is it a world-class traditional wine, I’ve found it accessible to folks newer to old-world wines. It’s a great buy for anyone, but those who might be just dipping their toes into these kinds of wines might find a great entry point with Branaire.

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All of Italy under “miscellaneous” lol :joy:.

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It also has a great track record. I just backfilled on some 1982s. Had a killer bottle at The Grill in NYC last year. A gorgeous wine. And makes our point that you can spend $50 on a Classified Growth Bordeaux that, in some vintages, will hold its own agains Bordeaux that cost 3-4x or more, like Lynch Bages, Pontet Canet, etc.

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I know, I know, but tells you a lot about my palate. Note that Spain didn’t even get a nod. :wink:

And Italy beat red burgs!

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Bordeaux I’d add:
du Tertre
Gloria
Roc de Cambes (quite flashy and ripe in style)
Lagune

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Yeah. That’s why I added Produttori. I thought he skipped Italy and so didn’t see it. That place is a treasure trove for this category.

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Great list. Some of my other personal favorites at this price point:

Walter Scott La Combe Verte (Pinot and Chardonnay)
Do Ferreiro Albarino
Keller Limestone

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A few more…
Vallana - any bottling
Pieropan Soave
Langhe Nebbiolo from Produttori, Cavallotto, Trediberri
Roagna Rosso
Many Galician albarino - Zarate, Leirana, Raul Perez, Luis Rodriguez
Hebrart BdB and rose
So many German Rieslings entry or kabinett level
Nervi rosato

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How about Domaine Jean-Marc & Hugues Pavelot La Dominode?

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Discovered Littorai towards the end of last year and enjoyed it a bit–can you share where you can find them for under $59?

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Yeah that’s a good one too. There might be some Bruno Clair wines below $50 too.

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