There was a fellow in the Monterey AOC, named Sam Balderas, who was bottling a very light-bodied Pinot Noir, under the name “Samantha Starr”, at about $14.99 retail, which I thought was a revolutionary wine.
Unfortunately, I don’t think that the project survived beyond about 2009.
Great list, Warren. ![[cheers.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/0/0ff9bfcdb0964982cd3240b6159868fbdf215b1a.gif "cheers"){kind=small}
If I was just starting out to build a cellar, I’d use this list as a blueprint.
If I knew then what I know now…
Just to note that the rose is a Gran Reserva (although it also just about impossible to find, at the moment)
Exactly what I was going to post.
I believe Sam was a winemaker at Talbott at the time and was bottling his wines there. He also produced a pretty stunning Chardonnay under the Samantha Starr label as well, admittedly quite oaky/toasty in style - it was classic California at half the price of the Ego Chards produced up the coast -
If you can’t find game changing wines under $50, you need to stop drinking wine.
For overall value, especially this time of year hard to beat Muscadet in the qpr department. Last night with family we were burning through some white burgs/chablis and then switched to these 2 wines - wow blew the burgs away! I think the first one was $12 and second was $9. These are not just for oysters.
2009 Michel Delhommeau Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine Sur Lie Cuvée
2009 Château de la Bourdiniere Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine Sur Lie
Manischewitz - Changed my life…but I was like 7
I agree with this. I like Champagne but I have trouble paying up for it when there is a wine this good under $20 on sale.
We’re vacationing in AV and visited Roederer yesterday. They had a very cool tasting including Rosé from 750 and mag and an Extra Dry that’s not distributed. They also had some still wines sold only there including a very smoky 2008 Pinot!
I like Guillemot a lot. 2012 1er Cru Burgundy for $39 is not going to be common. I have a 1989 Serpentières on tap for this week.
Agreed there are lots of amazing wines for less than $50. But lots of game changing wines? I can’t think of many pivotal / epiphany wines at any price point. The rarity of such eye opening wines is inherent to their transcendental nature. No offense but I don’t think a Villages Burgundy is going to be anyone’s awakening. It might be a good wine, it might be a great place to start exploring but I don’t believe it will ever be a game changer.
I think this question is more difficult to honestly answer than most responses suggest.
I took the morning to reflect and my game changer is:
Karthäuserhof’s GG - 40 CHF
That is a wine that not only makes a compelling case for dry German whites, it makes a run at being one of the greatest whites I’ve tasted. Game changing.
I disagree Paul. Your village Burgundy example is not what people are writing about.
Most of the wines listed in this thread are very distinctive, and can be game changing to the person who is open to the experience. And of course not every wine suits every palate. As it happens I am a huge German Riesling fan, and also love many dry German Rieslings, but find the Karthauserhof GG to be overpriced (in the USA) and not nearly as good as GGs from other producers/regions.
Quilceda Creek’s Columbia Valley Red is pretty damned good. Not sure about the “game changer” appellation, though?
I agree that there are a lot of distinctive wines listed above. No argument on that point. I also agree that I diluted the contributions from others by using the Villages example. Identifying a “game changer” is subjective but, at the least, it seems to me to be a wine which redefines the limits of that grape / region. I love Gonon’s syrah but I don’t think it is a game changer. It is a great reference, it is a terrific introduction to N Rhone syrah but it isn’t a game changer. Syrah in the hands of Chave or Allemand results in what I feel is a game changer. Those are wines which are not only distinct but they change the way you see the wines from the grape / region. One glass of Allemand introduced me to colours and flavors I didn’t know existed in Syrah before that moment. I felt the same way the first time I had a Karthäuserhof which came well after a reasonable amount of exploration of dry riesling.
I am certainly aware that my knowledge of dry riesling pales in comparison with that of yourself so I will temper my enthusiasm for the Karthäuserhof version while I seek out some of the examples you are referring to. Assuming they’re less than $50 would you mind listing some of them?
Wow, does that ever bring back memories.
I had this wine with fish on my honeymoon in St. John cap Ferrat.
Couple years later on a return trip to France with friends and family, my father in law (living in Toulouse at the time) visited the winery (everyone else decided to relax at pool or something), and we bought a combined 3 cases. Long long gone (this was in 96), but I would love to have some more of that wine!
IMHO, the biggest game-changer in this price class is Baudry. Baudry produces mutliple Cab Franc cuvees from Chinon, including a Franc de Pied, all of which show something different given the distinct soils and varying age of the vines. And the best of the bunch differs from vintage to vintage. In years like 09 and 10, just buy every cuvee and you will be a happy person!
The one single game-changer to me is Lanessan. I say this because it is a tremendous QPR, but more notably, a traditional stalwart of classic claret in an era of modernization in Bordeaux. It just keeps doing what it does best, making a simple, traditional, classic, delicious Bordeaux year in and year out. Cantemerle and Sociando are here too. These are wines that I introduce to people to expose them to classic Bordeaux.
PS. Warren’s list is outstanding.
Ridge Lytton Springs was a game changer for me in the 80’s and still rings in at under $35.
I have had one village Burgundy that I would place in that category but later vintages didn’t quite live up to that first revelation. The 2002 Digioia-Royer Chambolle-Musigny was so floral and so yummy and definitely drank higher than a village wine.
Thanks, Robert. I would have included the Lanessan had I time before abandoning my ipad to go to dinner (just reloaded some '00’s and '01’s). Sociando too, although I had a run of bad '86’s. Gotta try Cantemerle.
Those Digioia-Royers were a lot of fun.
Did you get a chance to try the chardonnay?
We’ll never see anything like that again, because the General Assembly passed a “franchise” law and essentially banned the gray market in the state.
+1 Warren
Robert–have you tried the Baudry Chinon Blanc?
Insanely good for less than 20 bucks I think.