Cheaper wines to try?

WINE TALK
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Hi everyone!

I am a big beer drinker, and have only recently gotten into wine (~6 months). So far, I have loved everything from Piedmont (especially Barolo) and Châteauneuf-du-Pape. The only problem is they are so expensive, and I’m hoping the wonderful people of WB could suggest some regions/wines/grapes that are similar, but less painful on the wallet. Right now my go to “cheap” wines are anything from Beaujolais and Oregon Pinots (Patricia Greene a favorite).

newhere

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If you tell us more about what you’ve liked and disliked (and use specific wines, rather than just grapes and regions, as examples), you’ll get more useful answers. Also, define what price range you consider “cheaper” here.

[I hope that doesn’t sound bossy - I just want the responses to do you some good, rather than people just saying what they like. ]

3

Sean -

If you like Chateauneuf du Pape, explore the lesser-priced wines of that Southern Rhone region. It’s a treasure trove of values, from the Gigondas to the greater Cotes du Rhone area. And even Languedoc, many wines have the same grape composition, grenache, mourvedre, syrah, etc.

I popped last night the 2014 Chave Mon Couer, a wonderful Cotes du Rhone for about $20.

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Sadly, you’re SOL. Resume to send paychecks to your favorite retailer for the next, ooo…say couple decades. They will thank you for it profusely (just make sure you save receipts for those corked bottles!).

I’m not sure how “cheap” you want your wines to be, but sometimes other southern French regions can substitute for CdP (I hear Languedoc is catching up, but I also heard that 20 years ago :frowning:). Nebbiolo is a tough one however. Someone posted something here recently (like last month or so) on finding inexpensive nebbiolo and you might want to scour through that (believe it might have had “Langhe” in the title?).

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Produttori makes excellent Barbaresco, and its base domaine is a perrenial value at sub-$30. Even the SVDs are priced well, at around $50. The Langhe bottling is decent at sub-$20.

Here is an example of the Produttori range:

http://www.b-21.com/searchprods.asp

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Hi Sean
Welcome!

If looking for value in Barolo (and Barbaresco), invariably the very cheapest are pretty dire and to be avoided (by this I’d be referring to what is <£15 over here, maybe under USD20? However if you can find the right retailer, it can be a sweet spot between that level and double that number.

Langhe Nebbiolo / Nebbiolo d’Alba is certainly worth exploring and this area seems to have improved much over the last decade (or I got luckier!), but this is an area where it’s best to get a taste before buying, or just buy a single bottle to try fairly quickly… if it’s really good then buy a case / half case. However there will still be plenty of these that aren’t at all exciting or balanced.

Worth trying some Piedmont Barbera to see if this appeals. Prices run from very much ‘everyday’ up to fairly pricey (maybe USD70 or more?). It doesn’t have Nebbolo’s tannins or perfume, but often very appealing.

Gigondas is a good suggestion IMO, indeed if you like Barolo and its structure, Gigondas that I’ve enjoyed has a bit more tightness than many C9dP. Ditto Languedoc and indeed much to explore in Southern France (Madiran, Cahors, etc.) if a bit of tannic grip is appreciated.

My ‘go to’ cheapies at the moment would I suppose include Ch Lamartine Cahors (the standard bottling - about £10), Cascina Saria La Riddolina Nebbiolo d’Alba (£10 from a local merchant - but I’d be surprised if it was in the US), but I’d also be a buyer of Cascina Ballarin nebbiolo d’Alba if I saw it.

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Thank you everyone for some awesome responses! I really appreciate it. As far as price point, I’ve been regularly spending $40-70 on the wines I like, and would like to bring it down to $20-40, if possible.

I haven’t drunk a ton, but I have enjoyed every Barolo and Barbaresco I’ve tried. The heavier on the “tar & roses” flavors, the better. Off the top of my head, I really liked:

2012 Ghisolfi Barolo Bussia
2012 Tour Saint-Michel La Tour du Lion Chateauneuf-du-Pape
2015 Thivin Cote de Brouilly
2014 Morgon Cote du Py
2013 Rudius Cab Sav

Edit: I’m in O.C., so fortunately have access to some really great wine shops.

9

I just noticed that Hi-Time has a “Northern Italy (Not Piedmonte)” class tonight, at 7PM, for $20:

https://www.hitimewine.net/northern-italy-class-700832

I was going to suggest trying some white wines - especially German or Austrian Riesling - from Hi-Time or Winex, when I noticed that ad on their front page.

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Some fave budget-bottles:

Sub $20 Bottles
Calio Sicilia (just had this - very simple, fresh Nero D’avola and Nero Cappuccio blend)
Antidoto Ribera del Duero
Vinoterra Saperavi

Fave Sub $40 Bottles
Rusack Syrah
Babcock Psi Clone
Kanzler Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast
Vogelzang Vineyards Pinot Noir
Walter Hansel Winery Pinot Noir The North Slope Vineyard
Jonata Todos
La Rioja Alta Rioja Viña Ardanza ReservaMarcel Lapierre Morgon
Castello di Verduno Verduno Pelaverga Basadone
Bodegas Alto Moncayo Campo de Borja Veraton

You can also explore less well known varietals that are sometimes priced more reasonably for the quality. But if you do, do not get the absolute cheapest versions of those or you’ll get the wrong idea of the grape. Get the better versions of the off-the-beaten-path grapes. e.g. Solminer Wines Blaufränkisch deLanda Vineyard

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Tasting is always informative, so a good suggestion. If anyone goes, could they give them a clip round the ear though, for the oft-seen spelling error. Piedmont [cheers.gif] Piemonte [cheers.gif] Piedmonte :angry:

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Hey!
Sounds like you are doing well enough on your own! :slight_smile:

I think the peripheral appellations of Southern France and perhaps the NE corner of Italy would hold tons of wines up your alley. I personally suggest non-Amarone Valpolicello reds, Cotes du Ventoux, Saint Chinian, Minervois reds, maybe a Vacqueyras or the like would please you.

By all means, please defer to more knowledgeable folks’ opinions. :wink:

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If you make it to Hi-Time or WineX, then all of these should be dynamite white wines [there’s some overlap here, in that the Muller-Catoir, the Spreitzer, and the JJ Prum are identical on both lists]:

Hi-Time

$14.98 FRITZ HAAG 2015 RIESLING TROCKEN (DRY)

$17.98 SPREITZER 2015 RIESLING OESTRICHER LENCHEN KABINET

$18.98 MULLER-CATOIR 2015 RIESLING FEINHERB “MC”

$19.98 MAX FERDINAND RICHTER 2015 VELDENZER ELISENBERG RIESLING KABINETT

$24.98 DONNHOFF 2015 KREUZNACHER KROTENPFUHL RIESLING KABINETT

$25.98 J. JOS. PRUM 2015 RIESLING KABINETT GRAACHER HIMMELREICH

WineX

$15.98 Spreitzer Riesling Kabinett Oestricher Lenchen 2015

$18.98 Muller-Catoir Riesling Feinherb MC 2015

$19.98 Selbach-Oster Riesling Kabinett Zeltinger Sonnenuhr 2014

$21.98 Donnhoff Riesling Nahe 2015

$24.98 Selbach-Oster Riesling Spatlese Feinherb Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Ur Alte Reben 2015

$26.98 J. J. Prum Riesling Kabinett Graacher Himmelreich Mosel 2015

14

It’s really not that hard to find even ageable, traditionally made, great Cotes de Rhone for in the $20 range. Off the top of my head, Charvin CdR, Ferrand CdR VV and Mourre du Tendre CdR Vielles Vignes are all in that range and would vie with all but the best CdPs. I would also look at wines from Cairanne (Alary, Haute Cances, Rabasse-Charavin if you can find them). One could go on and on. Vacqueyras will be more in the $25 range and Gigondas in the $25-40 range, but there are very good wines to be found there.

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Hot damn, you all know a lot about wine.

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If you’re interested in wine, and if you’re anywhere near Hi-Time, then you ought to give strong consideration to stopping by that Northern Italian tasting tonight.

Tastings like that are the very best way learn & broaden your horizons but at the same time to narrow down your preferences to wines that you enjoy the most of all.

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re: WineX — wow, some good rieslings for those prices!! I may have to drive down there.

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Or, if you’re willing to drive up to DTLA on Saturday then join the rookie offline Fred is organizing:

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If you like Chateauneuf Du Pape, there are many Cotes du Rhone’s that may work. On the pricier side, Coudoulet de Beaucastel ($25), and on the cheaper end, Clos du Mont Olivet ($15) are ones I like.

Also, explore Italian Dolcetto. Many can be had in the $13 to $15 range. I like Sottimano ($13).

These are the two wines I look towards when I want cheap, daily drinker types. For a little more money Chianti is another that offers great value. I’d start with Rodano Chianti Classico ($16).

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I’ve been drinking a 2012 Alary ‘Vielles Vignes’ [Cairanne] the last couple of nights. It had some bitter coffee notes on the first night, but on the 2nd has rounded out well. It has aged better than I would have expected. Heather, toast, nuts on the nose and a medium body feel, despite the 14% abv. A touch of rhubarb on the palate too. It’s very solid, for an ok vintage in the SoRho. The only reason this was ‘purchased’ was when someone at PremierCru ‘suggested’ I accept this overpriced CdR instead of some underpriced Climens. I guess in the fullness of time, that was a good trade, relative to what potential outcomes could have been. The wine is nice, and I’ve liked Alary before. And it would appear John Fox will soon be free, to wreak whatever new wine related chaos he’s been dreaming up for over the last half decade.

I’d slot this into the broad B+ category