The cult producers, yes. But there is tons of amazing value in the 30-50 dollar range. And you can get very close to top for around 100.
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Names?
To me, the top are Krug, Taittinger CdC, Salon, Dom Ruinart, Crystal, etc. Bouchard used to be close to the top for under $100, but now the prices have flown past that.
And, the wines like Marguet and Suenen I was buying for $30-50 a few years ago are not anywhere near that price anymore.
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Close to top for around 100, Vilmart CdC is fantastic. Also, the top wines themselves (you list my favorites too) are still somewhat reasonably priced.
For great value for 40-50 or so, Roederer 244, Clouet 1911.
Low end, I just bought a case of Dourdon Viellard for $20 inc shipping, and it is a perfectly serviceable champagne.
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Iām not a weekly Champagne drinker. I was actually very surprised at the quality and value of some of the small Champagne producers we visited around Reims. We picked a small village on the line to Epernay that had a few houses open between Christmas and New Years and we could walk to from the station. Obviously, being on location gives them a little bump, but many of the 20ā¬ offerings exceeded a lot of $50 Champagnes Iāve had.
Unfortunately, many of them donāt make it to the US in any quantities (if at all) that allow them to be priced as competitively as they were in France.
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Yep. But they might be working towards giving up the title (again) with their pricing on the 2022s.
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I agree. As a teacher my budget is $20-40 and Bordeaux definitely fits that.
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You know I love Loire CF, and buy a ton of it. Thatās said, Bordeaux offers so many more producers offering incredible quality with incredible value. I mean really, we can buy a sh*t ton of historical Classified Growths for $75 and under. I continue to remain amazed by the pricing.
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Can some of the defenders of Bordeauxās excellent QPR suggest some producers to seek out in the $30 to $50 price range? (Preferably something thatās widely available in the U.S.) Iām Bordeaux-curious, but frankly Iām overwhelmed by all the options. Sure, I know all the big names, but I donāt know where to start in the low- to mid-tier.
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When I was seriously looking at a similar OP question about 10 years ago I would have voted Spain. But I havenāt kept up following wines in enough categories to say if I would still hold that opinion today.
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Meyney
Montlandrie
DDC
Fayat
Other names you may hearā¦
Potensac
Chasse Spleen
Sociando
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2018 ChĆ¢teau Bel-Air Lussac - 21 bucks - decent quaffer.
But to the original point - seems like top tier Napa has gone off the rails with price whereas Bordeaux actually has been pretty stable for years.
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Yes. And by far the best value available at auction, as well. You can pretty much always find 20-30 year old 2nd-5th growth wines available below $100 ā even from good vintages. The ocean of world class wine - with age - available sub $100 just doesnāt exist elsewhere.
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Under $40:
Climens in 375
Suduiraut in 375
Coutet
Doisy vedrines
doisy Daene
Raymond Lafon
La Tour Blanche
Lafaurie-Peyraguay
Or waitā¦ you were referring to the redsā¦ 
And now for my imitation of a broken record
Chateau Pitray.
Less than &15. I would be shocked to find any Cabernet of that quality, although I do have fond memories of an old Sky Zinfandel.
Others
Issan
Prieure Lichine
Brane Cantenac
Giscours
Branaire Ducru
Cantermerle
Meyney
Sociando Mallet
Loudenne
Etc
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Plus
Gloria
Langoa Barton
Ormes de Pez
Lafon-rochet
Tronquoy-Lalande
Capbern
Dame de Montrose
Pichon Comtesse Reserve
Lilian Ladouys
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Chateau Larose Trintaudon Haut Medoc 2010 was the wine that pushed me from drinker to collector in my early 30s. Solid Cru Bourgeois for about $20.
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Beaujolais?
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I almost agree, there are lots of great Cru Bourgeois at reasonable prices, but in a world where Chianti Classico exists Bordeaux is second best. Just my opinion. I just bought a case of the 2020 Belair Lussac St Emilion. I think it is 50% Cabernet Franc, so maybe Robert A jr might not look down on me from his Florida outhouse.
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Agree on (red) Bordeaux QPR, getting back into wine only recently 22 was mostly spent on italien wine (Tuscany, CC/R and RdM/BdM) and while there are great wines I wasnāt fully convinced, 23 I looked more into Spain & Portugal and the likes and ended up where I had started in the 90ies, in Bordeau. This board is such a treasure trove.
For great QPR the lists earlier are a good start, +1 for Lanessan and Tronquoy
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