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

A few adds from a newbie collector:

Ar.Pe.Pe. Stella Retica
Lafon’s Macon lineup
Weinbach Rieslings

For people interested in dessert wines, Tokaji is a great value in general (also dry whites from the region are great).

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Always at auction, right about $50 all in.

I’ve not looked for them at retail, so maybe that’s a bad addition.

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But that’s cause you don’t know the language! :stuck_out_tongue:

Ok ok, I’ll play. You know what I’m gonna suggest………yes, that’s right, Sherry! Finos, Finos en Rama, Amontillados, Palo Cortados, Olorosos galore!

Lots of choices in non-Barolo/Barbaresco Nebbiolo (Ghemme, Gattinara).

Love Campania reds and whites. Also Sicilian reds and whites.

That category offers plethoray of options.

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Great call. I just picked up 6 of the 2012 at K&L auction for not much more

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also broadly available in 375s

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I’ll add Fevre’s Chablis.

Foillard Cote du Py

Pepiere Clos des Briords

Do Ferreiro Albariño (plus any number of wines from this region; Albariño is our go to btg wine when nothing else is attractive).

Perez Atalier a Cruz das Animas

Tons of Rosé wines, like Marquiliani, Gros Nore Bandol, Terrebrune, of course Tempier, but that has gone over $50 unless you find a good sale

Vietti Arneis (and several others)

Giacosa Arneis

Pieropan “Calvarino” Soave Classico

Austrian Riesling at any price point, we drink plenty of the basic bottlings of numerous producers. Favorites are: Alzinger, Brundlmayer, Gobelsburg, Hiedler, Hirsch, Nigl, Nikolaihof

Drouhin Chorey le Beaune
Drouhin NSG village

Arlaud Bourgogne Roncevie

Faury Saint-Joseph

Boudignon Anjou Blanc

Prudhon St Aubin

Donnhoff Riesling, and Riesling Trocken (basic bottlings)

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Damn! I forgot Faury. The VV is fantastic. Adding that now!

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Unfortunately JJ Prum may not be long for this list. I have not seen the 2023 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Kabinett offered for anything less than $60, although there are still plenty of prior vintages floating around various retailers. I would suggest grabbing any off the shelf you see while they’re still available at their more reasonable former prices. Of course they’ve long been underpriced compared to their quality but the price doubling in the span of 2-3 years is a little hard to stomach.

At least the good thing is there’s no lack - for now - of Prum’s compatriots that still bring fantastic value. Besides the German producers mentioned already, I would also add Max Ferd. Richter to this list.

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Crush has the Graacher Himmelreich, which I prefer, for $45 right now

I just added Hofgut Falkenstein, a personal fave, which I left off as I thought it was hard to find. I googled it, and it is available in the marketplace more readily than I thought.

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Yes that’s the 2021. The retailers carrying prior vintages are still selling them at sub-$50, but the new releases 2023 and onward you may be hard pressed to find at that price any more.

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That is a bummer, not too long ago. They were around 25 bucks. I’m more than happy with the array of Donnhoff offerings at 25.

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I’m enjoying thinking about this price category particularly as it might relate to people just getting started on their wine journey. Of course, there’s an ocean of stellar riesling available in this price range, but if you’re new to dry riesling then Emrich-Schönleber’s Mineral may be an interesting place to start.

I don’t think anyone has mentioned Sauternes yet. Many great producers can be had in .375 format in this price range (and sometimes even in 750). Lower demand has kept prices comparably low in this category, but these are always fun, shareable, quality wines. Perhaps it’s just my social circle, but I always get asked to bring Sauternes to dinner.

Some other random suggestions I’ve enjoyed and collect in that range (as a new collector), most under $30. May be a bit hard to find regionally but available in NY:

CA:
Sandlands

NY:
Finger lakes wines, yes riesling but don’t sleep on the reds and chardonnays. I’m partial to the Bordeaux blends from Ravines like Maximilien - really punches above its price point, cool climate red.

Portugal:
White wines - Luis Pato Parcela Candido is a favorite

France:
Clos du Gravillas - only available at Chambers
Stephane Rousset - Crozes Hermitage Blanc

Italy:
Chiara Condello Predappio Sangiovese

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I should have put Stephane Rousset in the Northern Rhone category, the Crozes Hermitage Les Picaudieres could be one of the best values in wine. This is a very serious vineyard, with vines up to 80 years of age, tended by an excellent producer.

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Franck Balthazar Cotes du Rhone is a very nice drinker also.

Clape vin des amis as well.

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Love this thread.

Lots of inspiration.

So many great recs.

When I have a few minutes I’ll add some additional ones.

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I have a bottle and look forward to opening it! My partner hates syrah, which is unfortunate as I collect it the most.

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I think the biggest mistake I make with this bottling is that it is so affordable that I often overlook that it is a very serious wine that needs some maturing. The St Joe is more approachable.

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This is the part of the pool I swim in almost 100% of the time - I’ve only paid over $50/bottle for a handful of wines - so this thread is right up my alley.

I’ll echo all of the original Bordeaux, California, and Germany recs, the Baudry and Huet, Thivin, Produttori. Honestly I’d probably echo the whole list but I haven’t had all of them, so now I have more to seek out - thanks!

Some of the subsequent Cali recs are a little steep, despite being delicious - Ceritas, Littorai, Mayacamas, Rhys are all generally out of this range, though some are available on the secondary market.

Good to see Sauternes in the comments, too. Aside from d’Yquem, prestige cuvées, and some vintages of Rieussec/Suduiraut/de Fargues/Climens, pretty much everything can be found for under $50/375 mL. My top recs in this area would be Coutet and Lafaurie-Peyraguey.

Some other definite winners that I haven’t yet seen in this thread:

  • La Rioja Alta Viña Ardanza
  • Au Bon Climat Pinot Noirs
  • Ridge Zins - Geyserville being the obvious one
  • Meerlust Rubicon
  • Tablas Creek Esprit Blanc - pushing $50 now but still findable for less
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