Poor Man's Wines

[AlexS]

La Rioja Alta Ardanza/Arana/Alberdi for La Rioja Alta 890/904.

[Nate_Simon]

Schramsberg for Champers

[J.Vizuete]

@Ian Sutton

Shout if you know a close copy of Krug for 1/4 of the price, but I suspect that hope is a futile one.

I won’t say it’s a copy but Roederer’s L’ermitage brut rosé (I recently had the 2006) shows very well and bore some resemblance (raisin, yeast) to the real thing.

I too think this is a great thread, and would love to do some side by side tastings of the wines above. Chances are good one would walk away with some changed opinions (why have I been paying so much for bottle X when I actually like bottle Y better?) although sometimes there’s nothing quite like the original…

At several hundred a bottle in a good year, VCC is hardly a poor mans wine though

[John_Morris]

@Markus S

@Robert.A.Jr.

Sociando for Pichon Lalande

I don’t get this one. Sociando was always a brawny wine with muscles, PL could be smooth as silk (or used to be in the years I drank it). Has one or the other changed so much?

I’m with you, Markus. PL seems utterly different in structure from Sociando.

[Nate_Simon]

Yes! L’Ermitage is super!
I’d add Sandler for (insert pricey Sonoma Pinot)

[John_Morris]

@AlexS

La Rioja Alta Ardanza/Arana/Alberdi for La Rioja Alta 890/904.

I don’t see Ardanza resembling the 904 or 890 much. It’s often a nice wine, but not nearly as elegant or integrated as the big boys.

[David_Glasser]

Would never be confused for Haut Brion or La Miss so maybe it doesn’t really fit here, but Rochemorin is clearly of the same place and for only $25-30.

[Drew_Goin]

@Ian Sutton

There are some wines that I’ve bought before, that I couldn’t justify buying now. I do believe that number will continue to grow in the near future.

Rather than looking for a good direct copy, I tend to look in broader terms (the term above ‘scratch the same itch’ is about right). In very rare cases I’ll just ditch the style completely, which in a way we did with no champagnes exciting us as much as Krug, but the price now well above what I can justify paying.

+1

I honestly would need to know what specific wines the OP is looking to find that have less expensive doppelgangers.

BTW, the concept of there even being a “clone” of a prominent, $$$ bottling is a head-scratcher. You will always find someone who will disagree with your recommendation, and that’s kinda the heart of the matter: every palate is different, every vintage of the same winery’s product is different, etc.

It’s all very subjective…

[AlexS]

@John Morris

@AlexS

La Rioja Alta Ardanza/Arana/Alberdi for La Rioja Alta 890/904.

I don’t see Ardanza resembling the 904 or 890 much. It’s often a nice wine, but not nearly as elegant or integrated as the big boys.

The overall flavor profile and house style very much mirror each other at all levels of La Rioja Alta, especially in the better vintages.

Should add I’m a huge fan of all things La Rioja Alta so there’s probably some bias on my part.

[Ramon_C]

If distinctive house style is included in the rule, then the Reserva versions of the Grand Reserva wines at Lopez de Heredia would undoubtedly qualify here.

[Robert.A.Jr]

@AlexS

@John Morris

@AlexS

La Rioja Alta Ardanza/Arana/Alberdi for La Rioja Alta 890/904.

I don’t see Ardanza resembling the 904 or 890 much. It’s often a nice wine, but not nearly as elegant or integrated as the big boys.

The overall flavor profile and house style very much mirror each other at all levels of La Rioja Alta, especially in the better vintages.

Should add I’m a huge fan of all things La Rioja Alta so there’s probably some bias on my part.

I actually prefer the Alberdi at $20. Less use of new American oak, which is off-putting to me in many bottlings. A solid wine with good typicity.

[Eric_Ifune]

Alan Weinburg wrote
Muscadet and some Austrian rieslings as well as Assyrtiko don’t taste like white Burgundy but often scratch the itch.

Try a good Encruzado from the Dao in Portugal.

[Morten_Batbukt]

This tasting seems relevant to this topic:The Great Blind Chardonnay Challenge 2018 – New World Chardonnay Giving Burgundy a Run For Its Money… | Greg Sherwood MW

[Mel_Knox]

I would recommend Oliver Merlin’s whites. Those and his Beaujolais are all over Paris.

St Aubin used to be a value…maybe it still is. Depends on how you look at it.

I am in business with Jim Clendenen of Au Bon Climat. The project is called Ici La Bas. We fooled Burgundians into debating what village the Chardonnay was from. We don’t make wine any more, but Jim still does and his single vineyard wines age well, don’t cost a lot. Both Pinot and Chardonnay.

Kemeu is on everybody s list.

[Mel_Knox]

For Champagne I suggest trying Gatinois…100% grand cru…half their grapes go to/used to go to Bollinger. I see this listed at around $40. i DID NOT MENTION THIS originally as I assumed the price had gone through the roof…wrongo!!

[alan_weinberg]

@NoahR

Waiting for someone to suggest good cheaper versions of Rousseau and DRC then the ensuing carnage…

isn’t it Domaine Serene that is better than DRC?

[Mel_Knox]

It used to be wineries arranged blind tastings with first growth Bordeaux…now it’s DRC.

If we want to go the Oregon route I would suggest Beaux Freres, Cristom and many others…not cheap but you can probably buy a case of BF Upper terrace for the price of a bottle of la Tache.

I ve always taken the path of ‘If I cannot tell the difference or cannot decide which I like better’ I buy the more expensive stuff…NOT!

[Scott_E1]

@Nate Simon

Yes! L’Ermitage is super!
I’d add Sandler for (insert pricey Sonoma Pinot)

Granted, I have not had Krug, but I have had a couple of pricey 2002 champers at my last anniversary and I (and my wife) really enjoy aged L’Ermitage just as much - we can’t justify the tariff when there are such reasonably priced alternatives. Cheers!

[Scott_E1]

@Mel Knox

I would recommend Oliver Merlin’s whites. Those and his Beaujolais are all over Paris.

St Aubin used to be a value…maybe it still is. Depends on how you look at it.

I am in business with Jim Clendenen of Au Bon Climat. The project is called Ici La Bas. We fooled Burgundians into debating what village the Chardonnay was from. We don’t make wine any more, but Jim still does and his single vineyard wines age well, don’t cost a lot. Both Pinot and Chardonnay.

Kemeu is on everybody s list.

After tasting the 2015 and 2016 versions of ABC’s S-B Chardonnay, I made a decision to dump Aubert, Rhys and Arista - I love them but there is no reason to pay the premium. Cheers!

[Marcu_Stanley]

I wouldn’t really know since I don’t play in those price leagues, but it’s my impression that finding a $150-200 wine that is comparable in quality to a $1,000 wine is a lot easier than finding a $25 wine that is comparable to a $150-200 wine.