Good sub-$9 bottles of wine: I found some that are pretty interesting. Your suggestions?

WINE TALK
1

Like most people on this board, I don’t drink a lot of sub-$10 bottles at all(OK, almost never), but I have found some not just well-made, but interesting wines in the sub $9 range. Fess up Richard Jennings, tell us the last time you tasted a sub-$9 bottle. Generally, I prefer somewhere imbetween old and new world wines, but hate uber-ripe/flabby and think grape varietals shouldn’t try to be something they are not.

Recently, i ordered some cheap bottles(in-laws, braising, etc.) and was surprised by the quality. I’ll throw a few ideas out there that qualify as both pretty good AND interesting. I welcome any similar suggestions(cheap enough to braise with, good enough to pleasurably have a glass or two and make you think).

2005 Climbing Shiraz($7.99): From the cooler and higher elevation Orange region. Halliday 90. Clearly a more medium bodied, leathery, cooler climate shiraz. Decent acidity(are we sure this is Aussie shiraz?), leather, a hint of citrus, and some understated dark red fruit(aussie, really?). Not very fruit forward at all, some nice medium tannins. Held up over several nights after part of the bottle used for braising and didn’t oxidize that much even after a few nights. A lot of ripe Aussie fans would HATE this wine. I like it. needs some air. Probably has several years left. 87 points.

2004 Ravenswood Merlot Sonoma County($8.99): Reportedly from more the Sonoma side of Carneros, so some cooler influence in a warm vintage. Tanzer 88 points. I think he nailed it. Bright succulent cherry, with a hint of citrus and a bit of earth and pencil lead on the back end. Slight astringency which dissipates with air and is a little offputting. Has acidity, has balance, not overextracted, happy just being merlot, some tannic structure. Probably has 2 more good years. Has some similarities to some succulent 2007 cote du rhones with a higher grenache %. Better than several of the 90 point 2007 cote-du-rhones i’ve had. 88.

Again, not only are they good wines, they are slightly sophisticated for their price points IMO and at least mildly thought provoking or at least unexpected. Wine deflation…ahhh.

2

My daily drinkers are typically in the $10-$20 range, but for under $9, along with some CdR, I’ve enjoyed more than my share of Crisatlino Cava (Brut and Rose). Not bad juice for $6.99.

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J Lohr Riverstone Chardonnay. $9.99 at my local Safeway, with 10% discount for any 6 bottles.
Clos LaChance “Emerald Throated Hummingbird” unoaked Chardonnay. Frequently on offer at $7 at same Safeway.

I also picked up a fewodd cases on closeout at Clos LaChance’s cellar sale; I’ve been drinking a decent
“Fog Alley” Cabernet Sauvignon that cost $8. They have another sale coming up this weekend as it happens.

Varner’s Foxglove wines are always good value, but I rarely see them under $10

4

Last year I picked up some Kermit Lynch CdR for $8.75; wish I’d bought more.

5

There is a wine that you can buy in grocery stores called Red. It is made by St. Francis winery and at VONS is usually on sale for under $10. It is very very good for the price. I went to a wine tasting festival in San Diego and asked their rep about it and he said that it was the leftover from their higher end wines blended together and that they were going to change it next year. Try a bottle and stock up on it if you like it. It is unbelievable for the price and looks as if it won’t be around much longer.