Surprised no one’s mentioning Baudry Grezeaux…
Have a local wine shop you trust?
Steak? Malbec usually works well. Tapiz Alta Malbec has been recommended more than once here, I think it is about $20. Plenty of others - I like the trusted local wine shop suggestion.
The Calluna recommendation is a solid one. I’d also look for Hobo’s Cabernet or one of their Zins.
Thanks all, I knew this would be an easy one for WB-ers. Since the family reunion is out of state for me, I’ve contacted my favorite online shops for any recs. The wine has to be shipped anyway…
Château La Vieille Cure is a pretty reliable Bordeaux option for that money.
Justin Cabernet
2016 Chappellet Mountain Cuvée
Mount Eden is available at Costco for $25, at least in San Diego.
Assuming you mean Domaine Eden? Even then, that’s a fantastic price for a great bottle.
Austin Hope Quest
Where to buy Hope Family Wines 'Quest' Proprietary Red, Paso Robles | prices & local stores in USA
[WARNING: Not for the AFWE. For crowd pleasing.]
Gibbs Napa Valley Cabernet, $32 a bottle. The wine is somewhat retro. Low ABV. Not as viscous and sweet as most recent Cabs and will accentuate the meat.
Educated Guess, $22 a bottle. Big wine at little cost and readily available. Will appeal to a wide variety of people and take on the meat head to head, plus, real confident in the winemaker’s ability.
+1
Domaine Eden cabernet sells for $30-40 a bottle on WSPro. That’s a good option, especially since the OP likes Mount Eden. Domaine Eden wines really overperform their price point, I think.
I respectfully disagree with the Calluna choice. Those are really tight, lean wines. With age and aeration, probably good to many here on WB, but definitely not what I’d serve to a big group of civilians.
Achaval Ferrer Quimera (blend of cab, malbec, probably bits of other BDX varieties) is a great drinker at around $25. Bold purple fruit, graphite, high acid.
Vina Alberdi should be available at around $20 and is a solid choice. has some oak, and a bit of polish. My experience is people are very happy with it.
Another stellar choice.
Bordeaux in this price range is far too ignored and can provide tremendous value. I have seen Chateau Potensac selling for around this price and there are many others. Will depend on what your local merchant sells.
This is an excellent recommendation. I got a good offer on the 2015 18 months ago and offered it to my staff. About 8 people wanted it, I got a few cases, and they all loved it. It is a well made wine with complexity and fruit so it seems sweet (it’s not) and is a real crowd pleaser. This is Jeb Dunnock’s review, which I pasted into the email to staff:
“This wine is almost too good to be true. A blend of 70% Syrah and 30% Grenache that was brought up in concrete tanks (Grenache) and demi-muids (Syrah), the 2015 Bastide Miraflors Vieilles Vignes reminded me of a mini Syrah from California’s Manfred Krankl (yes I just compared a $14 Syrah to Sine Qua Non). It’s a ripe, sexy, heady beauty that exhibits a deep, purple color as well as killer notes of smoked meats, chocolate, blackberry and black raspberries. Deep, unctuous, open knit and layered, it continues to change in the glass, has a seamless and silky profile, and not a hard edge to be found. It’s a sensational value that needs to be tasted to be believed. Drink it anytime over the coming 2-4 years.”-Jeb Dunnuck
I’ve tried to order this thru my go to local retailer and the distributor doesn’t have any. They said they have a GSM from Lafage. Looking at CT I can’t figure out which one it is. Any ideas?
I should’ve pulled the trigger on these when Full Pull offered them back in October/November.
2015 Fonterutoli CC. It’s on the richer/bolder end of the CC spectrum, so it will also work for the domestic Cabernet fans.