2020 Consorzio Produttori Vini Manduria - Primitivo di Manduria 'Lirica
Bought a case of this last January after taking a flyer on a bottle for $12 or $13. It’s a terrific everyday drinker that I’m happy to open with pizza or any other time I’m looking for something uncomplicated and tasty. I think the 2021 is the current vintage on the market.
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Just bought a 21 Lirica Andrew, so yes, at least in europe the 21 is the current Lirica vintage
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2023 Walter Hansel Sauvignon Blanc—I purchased this from the winery for $19 or $20 with free shipping, so a legitimately $20 bottle of wine.
I like the WH chards, which scratch an itch for a big, unctuous California Chardonnay at great prices, but this was my first go-around with the SB. A very nice wine, clearly SB but with a really fully mouthfeel and what I would describe as a honeyed character. Label says this is from a single vineyard in Lake County. Not profound but very likable and a nice buy at $20.
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This thread motivated me to place an order of wines below 15 euros. I’ve got 24 bottles coming. Some I’ve tried in other vintages (few) but most are new to me. I’ll come back and post as I try them. Cheers! 
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A friend served this blind on Wednesday and my guess was a good white Bordeaux, maybe Carbonnieux. Another great value from Walter Hansel.
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Just had a wine tasting yesterday with six Italian wines. There were mixed reviews on some of the wines, but the 2020 vintage of this wine got a thumbs up from everyone. Folks were surprised when I told them the price.
# 2022 Jean-Maurice Raffault Chinon Les Galuches PnP. Plum, cassis, tobacco, well integrated leafy and herbal notes (pyrazines). The pyrazines are at a level I like since they add to the overall character and don’t overwhelm the fruit. Medium body, medium acidity, assertive tannins in the finish. This has a rustic and old school quality to it that I love. Drinks well now, but I think I’ll prefer it with a few years of bottle age. $19 full retail in my area.
Jean-Maurice Raffault was cousins with Olga Raffault. While Olga seems better known, Jean-Maurice was also a pioneer in Chinon and was one of the first people to vinify and bottle his wines as separate vineyards. Jean-Maurice passed away in 2009 and the domain is now run by his son. I really like the rustic and traditional character of the wines.
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If anyone is interested in a very good, food friendly Chenin Blanc, Husch is doing $1 case shipping to most states through 2/2. In addition, 10% off cases. Bottles are $18 before discount.
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For $22 shipped (WineSlash), this is the best sparkler for the $$ that I’ve found. It almost scratches that Champagne itch with just a hint of that chalky, dry extract on the finish. Tastes like low dosage (3-4g/l is my guess). Great buy, IMO.
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I’ve mentioned it before, but the 2010 Chantegrive ‘rouge’ [Graves] is an enjoyable, ageable (!) Bordeaux whose current releases meet the price limit in my region, with the added benefit of broad distribution. [To wit: I’ve seen the current crop at Costco, TW, K&L etc.] Chantegrive’s red is popularly styled - fruity and not extremely ‘Gravesy’ in the char/smoke aspect - and with it’s fruit assembled from many scattered/owned plots - is almost Gloria like in gestalt. At age 15 it still has structure plus a fruit density that expands on day 2, The cepage is usually half cab, half merlot, but it’s all delight. At fifteen, there’s still grip and it’s plum/cassis on the palate, with a just a hint of the AOC tobacco on the nose. B+ on the first night, higher the next.
This house makes a blanc too, and a number of luxury tete du cuvees, but the basic 40k case production red is a proper wine for the Berzerker getting into the hobby, as they can buy a few, and as @Sarah_Kirschbaum might suggest, watch it develop.
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…and Norton (non-reservas) were my two favorites in that era.
Obligatory you had to pronounce the latter a certain way
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Anyone mention 2020 Marjosse yet? $14 at Bottle King. A terrific quaffing wine, tasty and balanced would be perfect for parties pr as a daily drinker.
Yup, like 2 weeks ago, +1 on Marjosse 2020, multiple case buy for me actually
I appreciate this thread. It has reinforced what I already knew - value wines are much more common in the old world. Bordeaux, Beaujolais, Spain and Italian Rosso’s particularly for reds.
I have two lists below, the first I believe you should be able to find at under $25. The second is wines I paid less than $25 but were deals that you will probably not be able to replicate. My point is that at the low end, availability and “deals” are almost as important - lots of interesting wines mentioned here already that I can’t buy for less than $25 in Minnesota.
25
- 2017 Domaine Pascal Aufranc Juliénas Probus - France, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Juliénas (1/5/2025)
What a deal to have gotten these for $12.50 each. Great complexity now, fruity and dry. (90 points) - 2018 Domaine de l'Eyrolle Lirac - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Lirac (12/29/2024)
Pop and pour, drank half the bottle over 2 hours. This has aged nicely and has gained complexity. At the same time, the fruit is starting to fade, so I think the CT end date of 2026 makes sense to me. Nice licorice, warm spice, red fruit, light for a Southern Rhone. (90 points) - 2016 Sol Rouge Syrah - USA, California, North Coast, Red Hills Lake County (12/7/2024)
Pop and pour, drank half the bottle over 2 hours. This is full-bodied, the fruit is rich and dense although not overly sweet or jammy. I get a fair amount of oak (winery website doesn't mention any details), so the wine comes across burly, like a more refined Southern Rhone. This is not for the faint of heart but a quality wine. It would be interesting to see how this ages, but it was my only bottle and the winery suggests only 7-10 years. (91 points) - 2018 C.V.N.E. (Compañía Vinícola del Norte de España) Rioja Monopole Clásico - Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja (9/10/2024)
Drank over an hour with dinner. Oxidative with lemon and beeswax. A great food wine, interesting, not terribly complex, reminiscent of a Lopez Heredia Gravonia blanc although not nearly as interesting. (90 points) - 2021 Il Poggione (Proprietá Franceschi) Brancato Toscana IGT - Italy, Tuscany, Toscana IGT (8/21/2024)
The 3rd of 4 bottles and very consistent. What CHABLIS28 said. This is one my favorite Rose's and worth every bit of the $13 paid locally. The color is a gorgeous salmon, ample minerality, crisp acidity, light red fruit. 91-92 (91 points) - 2022 Domaine du Bagnol Cassis Rosé - France, Provence, Cassis (8/8/2024)
This is quickly becoming one of my favorite Rose's. It has depth, stunning minerality, crunchy light red fruit and a refreshing saline finish. (92 points) - NV Segura Viudas Cava Brut Rosado - Spain, Cava (6/22/2024)
My note from 2019 still applies, except the price has creaped up from $8-9 to $10-13.
The fruit pops and the acidity level matches the fruit. A delight. This represents a great value for a dry rose. Or, to put it another way, show me a $10-$13 sparkling wine that performs better than this. Please, let me know! (89 points) - NV Roederer Estate Brut Anderson Valley - USA, California, North Coast, Anderson Valley (6/8/2024)
7th of a case for $17 each. I don't think I've ever had a bad bottle of this. A dependable almost champagne-like sparkler. (89 points) - 2015 Bodega Garzón Cabernet Franc Reserva - Uruguay, Maldonado (9/21/2023)
Pop and pour. I thought about decanting but decided against it, and I don't think it needed it. The wine is fairly lively with earth, leather and overripe berries that are not jammy at all. This was a treat, especially considering the $14 price paid, and it held up to grilled beef tenderloin. (91 points) - 2014 R. López de Heredia Rioja Crianza Viña Cubillo - Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja (9/14/2023)
I found this bottle substantially better than one opened 6 months ago, purchased from the same source. A classic Rioja profile, burly, leather, cherry, plum, tobacco. (90 points) - 2014 Bodegas Resalte de Peñafiel Ribera del Duero Crianza - Spain, Castilla y León, Ribera del Duero (9/10/2023)
Pop and pour, drank half the bottle over 2 hours. Similar to the last, a robust and fairly traditional crianza. Plum, prune, leather, minerality, earth and a touch of licorice. (90 points) - 2015 Château de France - France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan (8/18/2023)
Decanted 30 minutes. A lovely easy-drinking little Bordeaux that has leather, cassis, plum and earth. (90 points) - 2017 Mount Eden Vineyards Chardonnay Old Vines Edna Valley - USA, California, Central Coast, Edna Valley (1/18/2022)
This is a fabulous chardonnay for the price. The palate is soft, plenty of acid, light oak, tropical flavors. (91 points)
Deals
- 2015 Bernardus Winery Marinus - USA, California, Central Coast, Carmel Valley (11/20/2024)
I thought this would open up in glass, it kind of did but I will decant in the future. There's a fair amount of funk to begin with, and it mostly blew off. Red fruit, leather, it has a soft character and also some of the qualities of left bank Bordeaux. (92 points) - 2015 Grassi Family Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon - USA, California, Napa Valley (10/20/2024)
Splash decanted, drank half the bottle over two hours. Violets, strawberry, blueberry, cassis, leather and oak. A nearly fully mature cabernet that is drinking very well and exceeded my expectation. (93 points) - 2015 Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe Châteauneuf-du-Pape Télégramme - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape (9/10/2023)
Pop and pour, followed half a bottle over 2 hours. I didn't get the watery aspect that I noted a year ago, just a fairly straightforward Rhone that might make you think of CDP if you try hard enough, but clearly not what you wish for from that region. For the $23 price paid, no complaints whatsoever. If I was paying much more for them, why not just get the regular bottling that's only a bit more expensive. (89 points) - 2007 Teso La Monja Toro Victorino - Spain, Castilla y León, Toro (5/15/2023)
Pop and pour. Drank half the bottle over 2 hours. This wine has really transformed from its youth, and even from a couple years ago. The red plush fruit has almost completely subsided, leaving seconardy flavors such as leather and olive. I'll probably drink my last bottle soon. (92 points) - 2013 Patricia Green Cellars Pinot Noir Berserkers' Cuvée - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley (1/18/2023)
My last bottle, phenomenal classic Oregon pinot. I wish I had more, or that they still made it. This might be the highest I've ever scored a $21 wine, and its a pinot to boot! (93 points) - 2012 Domaine Duclaux (Famille Quiot) Châteauneuf-du-Pape - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape (12/17/2022)
My last bottle, and of course it had to be absolutely stellar, probably the best bottle of the 16 purchased. So earthy and floral, with violets and plummy fruit. (93 points)
Posted from CellarTracker
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A couple of low cost bottles tonight:
Dominique et Rémy Passot Beaujolais Village Blanc Polaris 2023
This is a good Chardonnay for the price. There is some texture, fattiness, herbal streak to this that stand out from Burgundy. Nice freshness, enough depth to make it interesting and a decent finish. 11 euros.
Domaine Cottebrune Faugères 2020
Well made. Mostly Syrah and Grenache with some Carignan. The Syrah is dominant on the nose but the Grenache shows up on the palate making this fruit forward on slightly sweet red berries. Some syrah/carignan herbal notes and a decent finish. Easy to drink. 12 euros.
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Marietta Old Vine Red Lot 74
I gave this $15 wine a go. It’s from California, but it would make a nice house red at an unpretentious Italian restaurant. Described as a multi-vintage, Zinfandel dominated field blend, it also has some Petite Sirah, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Grenache in undisclosed percentages. Interesting herbal thread from beginning to end adds interest to the fruit and ends on a distinct note of tea. Gulpable, pleasant drinking with pizza one night and eggplant parm the next. The wine stays out of the limelight and enhances the enjoyment of the food. Not a bad thing for a wine to do.
Recommended
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