In the south, we refer to these as “good porch wines.”
Terrific article. Just returned from 10 days in Japan (mainly Tokyo) where I couldn't find anything close to our concept of "everyday wine". It was either scary-sweet local products or French reds that cost the equivalent of a mortgage payment. Made me appreciate the glut of $10-$15 everyday wine we have in American groceries.
This is one of the best wine columns I have ever read. I love the infinite adventure that thousands of varietals and blends over multiple vintage years from widely dispersed regions and producers can provide. Sometimes it’s even fun to be disappointed by an exotic and unknown bottle you’ve convinced yourself would be a spectacular find. Like life, it’s the journey, not the destination, that matters.
1
Stick to beer. Wine tastes like rotten grape juice.
Regardless of whether Mr. Asimov’s use of the term “exponential” is technically incorrect (an unnecessary observation even if so) his premise is one that needs to be applauded and supported. One of the challenges and obstacles in the US to our becoming a culture where wine takes a rightful place as a food product to enhance our enjoyment of other foods and other’s company, is the perception that it is some esoteric product out of the range of comprehension and the wallet of most. The majority of wine writing routinely reinforces this perception.
If $5 - $10 is what one can afford on some regular basis then understanding if that is $5-$10 of relative quality or of plonk is key. In my experience Mr. Asimov is correct that if one has the ability to stretch to the $15-$20 price point the options and quality are greatly increased. But even if those wines are only the occasional stretch for many, they have an ability to provide a benchmark equally relevant (and for most of us perhaps more relevant) than a dozen write ups lauding the praises of DRC.
1
Sure, a wine merchant is great unless they react as though you spit in their face when asking about organic wines. This particular wine merchant just lost my business. Sustainability is important to me and to our survival- makes sense to encourage better agricultural practices, no?
2
----------- as an ex-winemaker (actually made my living doing it ) and state fair (CA ) wine judge, i find eric's threshholds are a tad too high.
i've found that charles shaw (two-buck chuck ) syrah is quite nice - it did win a double gold medal a few years ago . gallo hearty burgundy is very nice (as is the gallo chardonny that my wife prefers ).
yes, i can afford the expensive stuff and have tasted many more than a few, but even the $30 wines are too expensive when one can get really good wine for less than five bucks - and the next time you go back to buy more, it tastes the same as you remember . . .
3
Mr. Asimov wrote: "I’ve long argued that at $15 to $20 the potential for quality and excitement increases exponentially." I doubt that Mr. Asimov actually fit a function of the form f(x) = ab^x to measurements of price (x) and quality-excitement (f(x)). Could the Times copy editors reject use of the highly specific word "exponential" when authors only mean "shoots up"?
The average everyday wine drinker already knows this.
Esposito, you and I are lucky to live in a country literally marinating in wine culture. As I read Asimov's suggestions, I thought, my gosh, almost everyone here in Italy has this approach to wine. EXCEPT that here, we are blessed with far more reasonable prices.
1
It´s written not for us.
In Europe we all live with supermarket prices of 2.50 € up to 4 € for "mechanized" wines - no great deal but not sooo bad - from 5 € up to 8 € for advanced "crafted" everyday wines - great quality, who needs more? - and with prizes from 9 € to infinity for high class wines - if you don´t have to buy fancy labels to impress whom ever the 10 - 20 € range will be sufficient even for holidays.
This is the same in Italy, in France, in Spain, in Germany, in Austria and in other countries. Many suppliers import French or Italian wines of good quality for acceptable prices. Discounters are keeping prices at bay. (This is one of the issues EU is good for.)
These prices are based on costs in Europe. A producer with steep slopes in Trento is affected just the same like his colleague in Mosel or Mittelrhein area. The result is: 5 € - 8 € for a bottle of "every day wine" in both areas.
If someone of the 1 % in overseas is paying 80 €, 800 € or more for a bottle of "Mini Petrus" or "99 points" of a Parker ranking - so what? We will not care as long as we get our stuff from our reliable supplier as usual, particularly the 5 € to 7 € range called the "everyday wines" here.
As you know these are not only "the most important bottles you will drink" but also the most important bottles an average producer will sell. This is simply the mainstay of almost all producers except all usual suspicious best known in high gloss magazines and that´s a good thing for us.
"It’s just a beverage, a pleasurable drink. It should be thought of as a staple of the table, like bread or olive oil. It’s not just for special occasions, ..."
Yet most of the wine Mr. Asimov discusses in his columns are usually considerably north of $20 a bottle. Me thinks there is a disconnect here (unless you're born with a silver spoon in your mouth).
I agree and will further state that it seems consistent with most wine critics (Washington Post as well) that they tend to review wines that are either esoteric or hard to find. I don't know what the point is as a public service (to the readers). Why review wines such as that - when the public can hardly find them or is it just a matter of the writer can but you can't.
2
I think the issue is that most wine under that price point is fine but just not that interesting to write about. It doesn't have any nuances, and since it's manufactured to taste the same from vintage to vintage, it's already been written about. It's like saying that nobody writes reviews about restaurant chains and instead focus on little places. What I get out of these reviews is often less about one specific bottle, and more about a grape, a region, or a producer.
I was educated in good wines in the 1960's, with my first purchase after grad school in 1964 -- just moved in, our furniture included a bed, folding bridge table and its chairs -- was a half-case of Chateau Lafitte Rothschild, 1959, for $85! First bottle went great with pepper-steak subs . . . Then Harry Orman, in Baltimore, started the local chapter of Les Amis du Vin, and I dove into French wines.
Fast forward 15 years: America discovered French wines, their prices soared, and my consumption dropped. We could not get good California wines in Baltimore. We didn't even know there were such; they kept those for themselves.
Since the 1990's that has changed. There are excellent wines from Australia, Argentina, even Chile, Washington state produces wines to rival California, and Tuscany has always produced fine versions, not just raffia-wrapped Chianti.
I have a policy: I buy only wines rated 89+ by RP (WA) or WS, and rarely pay over $16 a bottle. No French wines qualify, and not the best California wines either.
A glass and a half every dinner . . . fully recovered now from thyroid cancer last year, I'm back to my regimen. I'm turning 80, regaining strength, will hike Shenandoah again this fall, and am buying young wines that will be ready in, say, 15 years.
Salud!
14
If you've spent your adult life drinking 'only wines rated 89+ by Parker and the Wine Spectator,' you've likely missed out on an awful lot of very, very wonderful wine.
To write that one does not 'necessarily' have to being with Montrachet is beyond snobbism. Rather, he's in the parallel universe of Proust and Jackie Kennedy.
He also suggests 15 --as opposed to 10--as a good starting point. But why? The only explanation is his personal assurance as to what "I find". This is both weak and inaccurate.
As any commodity, wine are bidded up and down through supply and demand. For example, famous and old Italian whites are now 10-ish deals because the popular Pinot Grigio has taken up the niche.
Ditto that new wines entering a competitive market will sell for less than established brands--normally presenting themself at around ten. That's because establishing a brand means being able to become more expensive.
This plays against his plea for diversity; what's he's really saying is 'Buy established 15 dollar wines as opposed to cheaper newbies'.
Diversity also means putting pressure on your 'favorite' wine shop to display more than an endless row of domestic 'big six' varietals. Here, the author should look at the supply chain itself-- to inform the buying public how operators funnel and narrow their selections.
Lastly, a word on 'intensity': high-level for sipping, low level for quaffing. Purpose and place, indeed.
The bio-legislator here is yield per acre. Written into European copyright codes, it's missing here. Low yield means high intensity-- root nutrition is serves fewer grapes. It also means higher prices, as less is produced...
Eric Asimov's wine story reminds me of my stay in the quaint Sonoma valley.Its as lovely as the wines.
I encountered a host of various wines in the wine fields that were interspersed with Lavender.
Close by is Napa Valley where vineyards, bottle wine into an art form.
I do not know how important it is to drink wine,suffice to say this is one article where all the comments are so lively,fizzy & enthused,it compels me to join the party.
There is a rare happiness in this page.
Personally,i prefer Muscato.
Cheers.
I find sweet wines such as Moscato interfere with the taste of the food, while drier whites and good reds enhance.
Excellent article. I would add that with the multitude of wine rating groups many of the less expensive wines are rated with "points," often with a "best buy" designation.
My wife and I do a lot of experimenting and it is quite a thrill to "discover" a good inexpensive wine we like.
2
Once again, Mr. Asimov shows himself to be completely out of touch with the average citizen. The vast majority of us will never be able to afford the luxury of the 'rare bottled masterpiece'. For most, drinking wine with a meal is a luxury in itself.
1
I'm living on SS plus a very modest IRA. A good but reasonably priced wine with dinner is not beyond my limited resources, nor would it be for your "average citizen." Think of the cost of that glass as being a part of the cost of the meal, not an added frivolity. Puts it into perspective.
The rare bottled masterpiece? Nah, never, unless someone else is buying. Mr. Asimov indicates his appreciate thereof, but is not advocating the average citizen make room for them in his budget.
1
The best wine is whatever red is poured while eating that steak cooked on a campfire after a day of hiking in the mountains with great friends.
11
Mr Asimov - you wrote: "For $10, you can find many sound bottles, but I’ve long argued that at $15 to $20 the potential for quality and excitement increases exponentially."
I totally agree with you - my daily dinner wine is in the $13 - $20 range.
Why then, do you not put more focus on wines in that range?
Why do you have tastings where the lowest price bottle is north of $30?
I would ask that you write on the pricier wines on special occasions just as you suggest that your readers choose a special wine on those occasions.
18
I propose a honorary Mediterranean citizenship for Mr Asimov (he can pick the country he likes most in the region). Finally somebody who writes in plain English about a simple and everyday pleasure meant to make life healthier (if accessed within reason) and more enjoyable. Besides, look at the splendid picture that tops the article: that's not the table of a French baron or an Italian viscount; it's three generations of people celebrating life and human values.
4
I was lucky enough to be stationed a short drive away from the Mosel and Neckar valleys in Germany for most of my Air Force career. It was ridiculously easy to find good wine at a cheap price and great wine at a modest price.
1
Allow me to be the skunk at the wine tasting party: Beer drinkers judge a beer by taste. They like it or they don't.
Same with imbibers of distilled spirits. It tastes hood or it doesn't.
What makes the world of wine so darn complicated?
6
Maybe wine is much more complex and subtle than beer, and more delicate and ephemeral than distilled liquor. Maybe people who love wine are more sensitive to subtleties of taste, smell, and other sensual experiences than most people are. I suspect that both of these possibilities are true.
5
Tara has it nailed. I don't know the multiplicity of words that the experts use to describe their finest wines but, over 50+ years of drinking wine, I've developed my own vocabulary for the various qualities I can taste in a wine. Not complex, but quite beyond "It tastes good or it doesn't."
BTW: I judge beers as well. IPA, for example, has too much bitters. Stout is too "stout". Lite-cal beers are an abomination -- says so in Proverbs, look it up.
3
What a thoroughly nice article; well argued, well written and with a gentle passion which convinces me that an evening with Mr Asimov and a pleasant wine would not be wasted.
We live in the Loire Valley in France, where excellent, inexpensive wines are the norm: I have just finished off an amazing Touraine rosé from Francois Chidaine in Montlouis - Grolleau, Pinot noir and Gamay - around €5 bought on site.
It was wonderful, but wonderful everyday wines are not unusual here, at prices to put a smile on your face.
Now you know what a Brit is doing in the Loire Valley and yes, that was an invitation.
5
As an everyday wine drinker, I've learned to look past the automatic Pinot Grigios, Sauvignon Blancs, Chardonnays, Pinot Noirs, Beaujolais and Cabernets and seek out less popular varietals like Petit Syrahs and Chenin Blancs. As for merchants, the greatest chain retailer in America, Total Wines, is my go-to place. Their selection is encyclopedic and their salespeople are invariably knowledgeable. And they'll happily show you a special bargain.
3
Eric, perhaps the most practical piece you've written.. kudos and well done.
2
Amen Eric
1
We need more information about importers and distributors. We can find wine store reviews, wine reviews, grape reviews. Give us importer/distributor reviews. Which reliably supply everyday wine value? Which have some control over the distribution system to ensure quality storage from ship to shelf?
4
I stumbled across Kermit Lynch (importer) years ago, and he's a good source for affordable Cotes de Rhone. Any other suggestions would be appreciated.
Kermit Lynch imports a lot of wines not only from Cotes du Rhone, but also from Beaujolais and the Loire Valley, among other places. There are many suggestions for excellent wines that are reasonable values:
Wines from the Languedoc region, Spanish wines made from the mencia grape, wines from southern Italy made from aglianico. I am a fan of many Austrian reds as well. For whites, you may look to the Loire Valley or try a riesling from the Finger Lakes. These are not likely to be $10 bottles, but certainly there are good finds in the 13-25 range.
2
I've found that Jorge Ordonez and Eric Solomon are two importers who bring in solid, value buys.
1
Grocery store, Bogle, several varieties, $8. Save the other $8 for a while and go spend $20-30 at your local small wineries. Join the clubs.
I've found the premium box wines are great for everyday. Beyond that The Reverse Wine Snob offers excellent suggestions under $20.
What box wines do you like? I've always been a little afraid of committing to three liters without tasting first.
2
I'll just stick with my three-buck Chuck, thanks.
1
Finally, an article by a/the wine maven that is written in plain English, does not "sling it till it screams" as do most wine articles, and provides both common sense and practical advice.
Excellent.
2
I think the title of the Article should be, 'It is all about Context', especially re the photo. In that case, wine is just a prop to context.
I agree w most of the advice here, however, with the exception of California, one can find excellent values under $10 almost everywhere. Large supermarket chains( stores w 30K plus skus) have shelves w 80% or more of bottles sold by the top 10 wine megaliths. Having said that, some chains like Traders Joes or World Market offer Hungarian Gruners and South African Chenin Blancs under 7 bucks and are fantastic values.
As for wine shops, try several. Generally, the people running them are knowledgable, but many are frustrated Lit majors & vino autodidacts that are attracted to arcana and obscurity for its own sake and have no discernible food palate. I had one recommend as a pairing an acidic blaufrankish with an equally acidic strawberry compote for dessert. That said, if you find one you can trust, the recs can be gold.
2
What I find highly ironic is that some of the best restaurants in San Francisco carry very few or zero California wines. Not to say that these restaurants carry bad wine; it's just that there must be something driving this decision, and it's probably money.
If you only frequent French and/or the top tier restaurants in SF, that may be the case - the bottomline, or more accurately, the markup can be higher for lesser foreign labels.. From my experience, California wines are well-represented in SF restaurants, however, more often than not, white wines are served too cold!
30 years ago there was plenty of good drinking wine to be had for cheap-ish. I used to bathe in Chablis, Montrachet, Oregon Pinots, and yummy cabs from both sides of the pond. Those days are long past. I've been sitting on a 10 year old Chateau Montelena and Dunn Vineyards Howell Mountain Cab - which is still the best single vineyard cab in NA - which I'm finally going to consume this summer. However even in the last 10 years the prices on anything similar is double if not triple what is was even a mere decade ago.
Finding anything even passably decent in the $20 range is all but impossible these days. It's plonk city out there unless you're an investment banker.
1
$20 thirty years ago is worth $44 today. good chablis, even premier crus, and oregon pinots can be had for less than that. and montrachet was in the $100 plus (and plus, plus, plus) range even 30 years ago.
3
I must disagree. Go online, limit your search to wines rated 89+, prices <$18; there are literally thousands to choose from. Mine are all rated by either RP (WA) or WS -- other raters seem to have biases -- and none are over $18, few reach that. A recent example, of many: 2013 Tilia Cabernet Sauvignon, Argentina, 90 points by Wine Advocate (RP), $9.99 here in Texas, less elsewhere. No, it won't live and improve over the next three decades like the best Cabs -- but neither will I.
Twenty dollars for a bottle of wine amortized over 3-4 days is cheap. You don't have to guzzle the whole bottle in one night, unless it's Friday. Go to a wine bar where they serve by the glass and you're probably get a bottle that been open for a couple of days. Let the wine "breathe" for 2-3 days until it's gone. Average price per pour $5.00. We pay $5 for a beer when we go out. It's still cheaper than a $15 "artisanal" cocktail.
7
In France everyone regardless of income knows a good wine producer in a region certainly not necessarily Bordeaux or Bourgogne. I prefer the Madiran red from the gorgeous South West (near the Pyrenees)where grapes have a high level of tannin and command bottles directly from producer. Not expensive. As for champagne there too avoid the wellknown brands and buy from small champagne producers meaning quality at a very advantageous price. One must always keep two bottles (lying down) in refrigerator ready for all events.
7
This article was enjoyable, sensible and one so filled with good old fashioned common sense that it should be required reading in high school and college.
The concept of enjoying and appreciating everyday and the wine that helps illuminate the wonderful times, right alongside those long and difficult moments, is a grounded point of view and should be embraced at every opportunity.
6
As a wine grape grower and resident of wine country in Sonoma county, I have often said to visiting folks , "don't be intimidated by wine...it's just fermented grape juice". Well said Mr. Asimov. Yes, there are many incredible wines that are out of reach to most of us, but there are also some amazing wines that we can enjoy everyday.
6
have to disagree w/ the comment: "Avoid supermarkets.." As a frequent visitor to San Francisco, I find the wines at the supermarket Safeway are more than adequate with great variety, etc. Not all supermarket wine sections are created equally.
3
I was in the wine trade in the 70s, in law school in the 80s, and building my thousand case cellar in earnest in the 90s and beyond. My ‘everyday wines’ when I was an associate were such things as Mugnier and Roumier Chambolle-Musigny, d’Angerville Volnay 1er cru, and the Roulot Meursault lieu-dit wines - all of which were about $15 to $20 a bottle.
After decades of extensive tasting of Burgundy, Bordeaux and the rest, from the modest appellations to the grandest ‘blue chips,’ from tank, barrel and bottle, and as a result raging inflation that has turned what once were my ‘Sunday supper’ wines into auction bait for billionaires (or con men like Rudy), my drinking habits have changed considerably and I think for the better. In a typical week, I may have an assortment along the lines of Giacosa arneis, de Villaine or Fichet aligoté, Ostertag Fronholz pinot noir (thank you for ripe Alsatian pinot, global warming!), Valdespino palo cortado Calle Ponce, Clos Cibonne “Vignettes” rose, and more and more frequently, NV grower champagne - one of the great remaining ‘value wines’ that can be found in the neighborhood of $30 a bottle or so, great with most food as well. Arianna Occhipinti Frappato, Anne-Sophie Dubois Fleurie, Thierry Richoux Irancy, Olga Raffault Chinon, Goisot St. Bris,.. pinot noir from Oregon and Ontario, old vine Muscadet... ad infinitum.
Breaking away from the ‘blue chips’ is way more rewarding than the stodgy, old-school, hierarchical approach to wine.
6
I buy $8-11 generally from South of France and Spain. almost always drinkable and usually interesting. these are wines that go for 3-4 Euro back home. good wine is what you have on your table 4-5 nights a week.
7
I get wine from Costco and a wine warehouse chain in FL known as Total Wine. They include ratings in their displays. I buy almost any Spanish, Portuguese, or S American red (most resveratrol in reds from places where grape is stressed)
under $15 as long as it bears a rating by any rater. I've found the same wines at Whole Foods, usually marked up a couple of dollars, but I'm deterred from trying new ones there and at wine stores or other grocers due to the lack of rating info, which is generally a good way to avoid bad wines.
The last couple of yrs I've used an app, Vivino, to track which wines I want to buy again and which I don't. But it doesn't show the ratings of Wine Spectator, Wine Advocate, etc.
2
I have switched to bio/organic wines for every day red wines. It took a lot of tasting and I actually even poured one bottle down the drain but I have found a good selection I can rely on - actually more Italian than French. I drink much less white wine and when I do I still stick to white burgundies. Since I don't have festive meals every day I feel like it won't kill me to drink some of my favorite great wines on those occasions.
Spain and Portugal have excellent wines in less than $20 range.
4
Portuguese wines in particular are very inexpensive considering their quality.
4
I am in southern Portugal right now, enjoying an excellent regional red table wine- similar to a Central Coast Pinot. Cost me $3.50 at a Lagos supermarket.
5
It's harder to find good wines in the $10 range than up to $20, but you can do it, at least here in California. Costco is a good source. Not everything that is inexpensive is good, but you can try a few bottles and then go back for more. Same with Trader Joe's. Many delicious wines come from Spain and Italy as well as lesser known areas of France. There are California winemakers who have their own labels who also make wine under the Kirkland (Costco) label. Wine is very enjoyable, even inexpensive wine. Few of us eat filet mignon every night, and there is no reason to drink pnly expensive wines.
2
My sommelier friend told me the best California wines stay in California. She then gave me a course on 'second label' wines, quite good wines bought in bulk, bottled under an unknown name and sold cheaply. I learned that American wines are the most impure and highly processed. My table wines are from the Rioja region in Spain.
5
These days, some of the best California wines are making it to other markets and are becoming more difficult for (small) retailers and (small) restaurants to carry within California. I am a native New Yorker living out west now and when I left working in the NYC the market in the recent past, the interest for California wines outside of CA was not at the level it is today. Keep your eyes peeled: Sandlands, Broc, Edmunds St. John, Wind Gap, Forlorn Hope, Matthiasson, Tatomer, Scar of the Sea, Massican...to name a few! Luckily places like New Orleans, Raleigh, Charleston, San Antonio and the like are getting a share of labels and leaving the "unicorns" in California.
2
We in the Tucson area find good wine values in small south eastern Arizona vineyards, where not only can you taste the wine, but you can meet the people who own the vineyard, plant the vines and make the wines. You might even meet the vineyard pet dog or the grandchild the vineyard is named for.
2
In British Columbia, the government liquor stores have been bringing in boxed wines from Italy, Spain and France, as well as some of the well-known names from the U.S. There is a 3 liter boxed Nero d’Avola called Giacondi that can be had for $35.00 Canadian. In my experience, the taste is comparable to a modestly priced bottle of Nero d’Avola, and better than most other boxed wines that I have tried. I don’t recall ever seeing it on sale in the U.S., at least in the larger stores like Stew Leonard’s, Total Wine or the Wine Library. Does anyone know of a place in the NYC region that carries it?
4
In 1964 in Lexington Ky, in Chevy Chase there was a wine store named The Ashland Shop. I was 18, recently orphaned with a little money. I asked the old man who worked there to point me toward some good wines, some good vintages as I had been told this was the place to find such a thing. I said I liked red wine... big jugs of Almaden burgandy, and the beautiful oval bottles of Chianti were my favorites. So he took me to the back and and explained the characteristics and good vintages of several French wines.I remember the vintage year 1959 that was so special, but that is all.I bought a dozen bottles to save for special occasions or perhaps for investment. About a month latter a couple of friends dropped by and in the twinkling of an eye my sweetheart and I and the other couple drank the whole thing. Why is youth wasted on the young, you might ask. I wouldn't change a thing. Today my wife, the same girl, like Rex Goliath wine. I prefer the Cabernet sauvignon and she likes Chardonnay. They cost 7 dollars a bottle.
9
Thanks for sharing a good story. Have a similar experience, at least with wine. As we Irish toast, Slainte!
2
There is a small winery in the Napa Valley that has figured out how to produce aging in the bottle in such a way that when it is released it is ready to drink. I've tried many of their wines, and all range from very good to spectacular. You will never fine their wines in restaurants or stores. In fact, the only way to purchase their wine is at the winery or be a member of their wine club.
That is true of many wineries. Sommeliers buy the good ones up for.their restaurants as well.
1
Sung to the tune of that children's standard: I Know Something You Don't Know
1
Watchful, what is the name of this fabulous sounding winery?
i've been drinking lots of wine, over about 60 years, at every range from California jug wines to Chateau Latour and Batard Montrachet. I couldn't agree more with the advice in this article. Folks who drink only a tiny or small range of wines -- at any price level -- are imho missing lots of fun, as well as lots of good wine. Sure you will encounter some bottles that you will never buy again, even some that you will throw down the drain rather than finish. So what? Life is long and variety is its spice. Explore with whatever knowledge you have, read at least a bit about it, don't be afraid, and learn as you go.
Money does talk in regard to wine quality, but "it's a big world out there" and it's fun to explore it.
10
Focus on bottles is an impossible challenge. The best approach is to find wineries that consistently provide excellent wine at a good price. Once you have done that you can sample their wines and vintages and enjoy your family, friends and food.
1
There are many fine tasting red wines in the ten dollar range for the daily wine drinker. It depends on where you shop.
9
I have thought for a long time that it is easy - although expensive - to obtain a bottle of "great" wine. The wine world is full of directions about which wine to buy. In my mind, the most fun is gained by discovering a new, still reasonably priced wine that is destined for middle-market stardom and to enjoy it prior to the inevitable increase in price.
8
I have been finding terrific values in 15 to 20$ range among Rhone Valley wines. So many grape combinations and quality winemakers are available. Languedoc and Gigondas appellations come to mind. Since French wines are so often blends of grapes this gives winemakers near infinite ability to craft the best wine they can with the grapes available.
7
We live in Washington State, which produces some excellent wines, along with neighboring Oregon and California. However, decent bottles are simply too expensive to enjoy on a frequent basis. I generally buy two mixed cases at a time, mostly Bordeaux, Burgundy, and various Italian wines for $15-$20 dollars a bottle at my local wine shop. They are typically good to excellent. I wish American wines were priced competitively. Perhaps Trump can slap a tariff on foreign wines!
2
It's the second bottle that gets ya!
10
Excellent advice from Mr. Asimov!!!!
3
Please name some specific bottles, that hit the sweet spot ($15-20) of this article which I can buy at a Costco in Marin or Sonoma county.
I can find that very serviceable Rhone which Kermit Lynch imports at my local Whole Foods for about $13, but that's getting tiresome.
5
A few years ago somebody brought over some party wine, a 1.5L of a cheap Chilean red from Costco. Then the leftovers sat in the cabinet. Then I tried it, and it was really good. About $7 for 1.5L and a better everyday drink than a lot of much more expensive stuff. So you never know; cheap can be good and expensive can be cruddy.
2
BV and Bogle are two of my favored everyday wines, out of too many to enumerate. In Novato, Costco and Bevmo are neighbors. At $10-15 a bottle (or less), a wine specialty store is an iffy proposition. Is Marin Wine Cellar on 4th in San Rafael still in business?
3
Yes. It is. Thanks for the tip.
I am not a "wine expert", but $15-20 for an everyday bottle of wine? That's absurd! Rule #1 should be to ALWAYS drink what you like. Rule #2 is you can ALWAYS find really good wine for about $8 a bottle; to suggest otherwise is ludicrous.
18
It may taste ok, but wine in that category is very often, as the article suggests, artificially manipulated and enhanced with additives for taste and texture. If these are the wines you enjoy that is fine but you are not the target audience for this article.
17
You can like it's taste but it cannot be a good wine if you pay that price in a store. Think of margins and transportation. As the article says, compare it to food. You can find cheap food that's full of flavor enhancers and other chemicals that pleases your tastebuds but that doesn't make it good food.
6
Having been blessed to travel and visit wineries world wide the one common theme from all the producers is regardless of the price the wine, it is to first and foremost be enjoyable and invoke good memories. That bottle of $2 buck chuck in the grassy meadow with your significant other, is as good as the bottle of Opus at a business dinner.
12
Ok, ok, I live in France, near the St Emilion wine area, on top of the Cotes de Castillon wine area. We get good bio wines; if you ever get to watch the spraying of poisons non-bio vinters do; you will switch to bio. I'm paying about 8 dollars a bottle for good wine. Petrus is just down the road, we can buy their wine for 400 dollars and up. There is of course everything in between. I would never drink 20 dollar bottles on a daily basis. I also just read a travel article on Paris in the NYT; same thing. You can drink and visit much cheaper.
11
"We get good bio wines; if you ever get to watch the spraying of poisons non-bio vintners do; you will switch to bio."
That's great that you can get good bio wines in your part of the world, because until recently France has had a terrible reputation for its use of pesticides in viticulture, especially Bordeaux. So if good bio wines are becoming more available in Bordeaux, that's great. Ironically, wine producers in many of the lesser known French wine regions have led the charge to embracing bio/organic production.
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Looking for natural or bio wines? Look to the Loire and you will find many terrific choices including super Chenin Blancs. Many are labelled "Vin de France" but don't be put off by this simple appellation. As in Italy, asking to be classified costs more $.
2
Having relocated to Switzerland in the 1980s, I now live at the crossroads of European wine production. Wines from Italy, France, Germany, Austria and, of course, Switzerland are continually available to try at free tastings.
Eric is spot on: Wine should be selected within the context of how it will be enjoyed. There are lots of wonderful wines that do not carry any particularly noted reputations. Forget the hype... Enjoy the wine.
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I forgot to also include wines from Spain and Portugal.
4
I envy you because while wines from the other countries you mention are well-distributed in the US, Swiss wines are almost non-existent, because the Swiss drink almost everything they produce. I was lucky to come across a couple of Swiss wines in Quebec, and they were very good.
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Cornalin is by far my favorite Swiss red wine. Only bottled in small quantities, it is greatly sought after.
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Here! Here! I could not agree more Eric. Now, in all fairness I take a little variance to your path with my network. I don't sell wine, but I do help educate my network on wine. First through educating their nose, then their palate. then the wine, then the wine with food. It is "Enlightenment". It does not require using the top flight bottles at all. Your $15-$20 range is where we often settle as the baseline for consistent enjoyment. Wine is far more than just wet, it is part of life.
1
One truly good thing in America over the last few decades is the growth of small wineries, many producing a spectrum of excellent wines. Millions of Americans now live close enough to check them out, which is fun. And you often get to tour the vineyards and winery, and talk to the person who actually makes the wine. Here on northwest Michigan's peninsulas at the 45th parallel, innovative pioneers are producing wines as good as any in the world. Americans should support our small wineries. Two glasses a day for two people adds up to 30 cases a year. Go the your closest small winery, taste, have some fun, and ask what kind of price you can get on a commitment to buy 30 cases a year.
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I totally agree. There is an excellent winery in Bloomington, south of Indianapolis, whose wines I am enjoying immensely. I’ve also discovered a St. Louis-area winery that has an excellent pink catawba rose. There are a lot of wineries in this region, some not far from where I live, and as someone who is developing an interest in wine I’m looking forward to uncovering new finds.
I’m very much in favor of supporting my local wineries.
2
Oliver Winery! So delicious and wonderful to visit
Very good article Eric. I do think of wine as food. In the process I try to not overthink my everyday wine selections, just as our everyday dinner selections are not overthought. It is so much enjoyable and relaxing that way.
3
Nice article. But, in keeping with it, I wish this column would concentrate reviews more in the under-$20 range than it does. I don't know who said it -- maybe me: Anybody can find a great expensive bottle of wine ...
4
Drink Portugese wines!
Once a year we gather for a wine tasting whereat we drink great wines for comparison .
By the end of it my set point is so high that I can no longer appreciate them.
Until I lower the set point with a below average wine, my setpoint remains high.
Does anyone out there experience the same syndrome?
Once settled in with the best 10/20$ wines I can find, I remain “ in the zone” and am very happy. Variety does seem to spice up the experience.
1
A quibble: That bit about avoiding grocery stores. Surely that would depend on the grocery store? Here in my state wine mostly cannot be sold in groceries or on Sundays (?????---I've often dreamed of filing suit...), but one we frequent has attached wine and liquor shops that are excellent (one has whisky/whiskey tastings on Saturdays!). And here's a shout out about a family grocery in California, Nugget. Really excellent selection and advice when the wine people are there. I'm sure there are other examples.
1
And I would add Grocery Outlet stores. Many "good enough" California appellation wine in the 3 to 7 dollars range.
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Nice article, I have been drinking wine for many years; but, only in the last 4 or 5 years have I seriously started to branch out and try different types of wines and shop at different wine shops and wineries and not just at the grocery store. Through this process I've learned what I like and don't like in wines and have discovered really nice wines in the $15 to $20 price range. These tend to be for the weekends. I also live in an area where there a many family owned wineries that produce some lovely wines. Many of the wineries have a low end label which are wonderful wines and fall into that $15 to $25 price range. I now have no problems finding very enjoyable wines that don't cost an arm and a leg.
1
While Mr. Asimov's point about small shops may generally be true, please don't follow it literally. After a great deal of searching I was lucky enough to find Mary, a fantastic staffer at a Total Wine and More (supermarket-sized shop) who gives awesome advice. I estimate that of the wines she recommends, I like 90%, whereas my local smaller shops don't do better than 50/50 on the wines they recommend to me. And I am definitely in that $13-$18 dollar range.
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I was just thinking about Total Wine when reading this wondering where it fit in. When in the US, I tend to drift towards Total Wine for the same reason, I've had a good deal of good advice from them (and some bad but we can expect that) and kinda feel bad about not supporting local shops. But on vacation it is difficult to get to know them. Bev Mo on the other hand is to be avoided at all costs.
I have an obvious bias here: I'm a small wine merchant with one store, just about to open. In my years in the trade managing other people's stores, I would always strive to present selections that included those small, conscientious producers that Mr. Asimov champions. I have also put in a great deal of thought into competition and the nature of the retail wine marketplace, so I understand that in some areas, it is unfortunate that a small, local shop may not be the best choice to find a knowledgable, thoughtful selection.
If that's the case where you are, then the large big-box retailers with their endless aisles stuffed full of bottles offers you the greatest choice. But my problem with many of the stores in this model is this: they present their expertise merely to sell you what makes them the best margins. They hide behind private labels without disclosing them as such. I have no problem with private labels (I worked for Trader Joe's for years before getting into the wine business, though in a state where TJ's couldn't sell alcohol). So I love private labels where I know what I'm getting and why they are presenting that choice. The caveat emptor here is: make sure you know WHY a merchant is making a recommendation.
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Agree with Jeff: Total Wine pushes "Vineyard Direct" wines a lot more, to the point of harassment in my opinion. I've had the same guy push the same bottles every time I go.
1
We have only recently decided to indulge in the wonderful world of non-grocery store wine at our local shop, Windham Wines. What a joy. You captured why: "Think of wine as food. If you care where your food comes from, how it’s raised, grown or made and about its ethical and health consequences, apply that same logic to wine. You will end up with wine that is grown and made more conscientiously, with greater thought and care." We have an ethically made furniture shop and your advice strikes a chord in my heart. Thanks for encouraging people to be mindful about how things are made & brought to their table. https://vermontwoodsstudios.com/about-us
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One thing that changed my wine life was a Coravin. Even at $20, a bottle for one person is a big expenditure (and excessive/wasteful). Having a solid solution for wine by the glass at home means I can have a glass of high-end cabernet every time I grill a nice steak. Or I can split a bottle over two or three nights. Or I can pour a different type of wine for each guest.
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Advice for Californians: Look outside of California. Not to say there aren't good wines, but the price to quality ratio doesn't seem to match up to European wines. The California wine aisle in the grocery store takes up both sides, is 8 feet tall, and 60 feet long. The foreign wine section is about 10 feet wide next to the cooking sherry, but there is good wine there at good prices.
11
Absolutely. The world is full of great and modestly priced wine. If we can get beyond the fancy and expensive brands and learn to trust our own tastes and palates, the world becomes a mosaic of local wines and spirits. If we have a little money, we get wine that's adventurous. If we're on a tight budget, then it two-buck-chuck (which costs three bucks here).
Not only is a glass of wine a day with dinner one of life's pleasures, but it is a way to explore the globe from your dining room. Cheers!!
5
Your article is right on. I drink wine every day because I enjoy it and it lifts me. My motto for buying is "find the wine I like for the least amount of $." I've been buying wines that work for me based on my aforementioned motto from Costco. They are finding exceptional values from around the world and selling them for exceptional prices. Red, white or rose they find it all and it's good. A great example of an everyday wine was a 2009 Rioja reserve they sold 2-3 years ago for $6.99. I have 1 bottle left from several cases purchased. Maybe I'll drink it tonight!
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I am lucky to live in wine region, and like your suggestion about thinking about the ethics of how wine is made. I can go to the wineries and find out about their practices and vision. I always try to buy local when possible. I have three words of advice: Finger Lakes Wines.
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Wooo! having lived in Ithaca and sampled some of the local wine, I have to question your taste. I suggest three different words: Try something else.
1
I, too, lived in Ithaca for a period of years, and this is the single most-ill-informed post in this response to a great Asimov article. Some Finger Lakes wines will make most people swoon.
Shhhhh! Don't spread the word too far : )
Good Afternoon: 100% true. Used to present the occasional wine seminar, and would begin by holding up a bottle and asking, "What is this?" Someone would reply, "A bottle of wine," and I would say, "No it isn't." And after a pause to let that sink in, "This is a bunch of rotten produce in a fancy package." A good way to break the ice and demystify the beverage.
5
Fermentation is absolutely not rot!
Is cheese, or yogurt, or sour cream, or kefir, rotten milk?
Is sourdough bread rotten flour?
Is sauerkraut or kim-chi rotten cabbage?
Don't equate rot (disease-causing organisms) with fermentation (health-promoting organisms.)
1
I like the advice “think of wine as food.” Reminds me of Michael Pollan’s pithy diet advice. For wine that could be: “Drink wine. Not too much. Mostly simple bottles under $20.” And more importantly in the face of Parkerization: “Don’t drink any wine your great grandmother wouldn’t recognize as wine.” (i.e. 16% fruit bomb table wines.)
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Another paean to fermented grape juice, never mentioning that it’s at least one-eighth alcohol, & that it’s addictive & otherwise compells people to do stupid, unwise & sometimes deadly things (like driving.)
1
Well that's a cheery outlook on life. Wine (alcohol) may be addictive to some folks, but not all. For some of us, a nice glass of wine enhances the meal and is a nice way to end the day. And the red wine (in moderation) is actually good for our hearts ! ~ how cool is that?!
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Sheesh! Someone got up on the wrong side of the bed. Not everyone who enjoys wine is addicted to it. Some of us have self-control.
Name a reputable medical researcher who recommends any alcohol for a strong heart.
Alcohol (including red wine) is in the same category as cigarettes and asbestos - it's a class one carcinogen.
3
Oh please. And don't forget that water is poisonous because if you drink too much of that it can kill you.
A wonderful debating technique is the false equivalency. Yes, alcohol consumption can increase the risk of some cancers, while it decreases the risk of other diseases. Just because they are in the same class does not equate to the same risks. Anyone who thinks that the risks of alcohol are the same as cigarettes and asbestos - hey, I have a bridge I could sell you...
31
So is sunshine...
15
You must be fun at parties. Sunlight ... also a carcinogen. Watch out for those nice days!
The difference between red wine and asbestos is so vast it is comical.
31
Every day BOX wine for retired folks. There are some very good choices.
23
Agree, and this is largely the only way I drink. The challenge of always exploring and looking for new discoveries is that one strikes out quite a bit in the search, so you need some reliable bottles in 2nd position at the ready. Which means that I will not infrequently try something new - not like it - and move on after half a glass to something I've had before. And every third or fourth time I'll find something new that I can stock up on. And thus the bench is always evolving and being built to back-stop the trial and error hunt of discovery.
5
if you are going to think of wine as something that should always be on the table like bread or olive oil, then you have to be very well off to do so. At $20 per bottle, per day, per family, 300 dinners are going to set you back $6,000. per year! At $10., $3,000 per year. That is your after tax expense.
14
You don't have to finish a bottle every day.
1
Well said. Reminds me of advice I received from my very knowledgeable brother on the issue of selecting good wines:
"Try a bunch of wines. If you are struggling to start, pick one with a cool label. If you like boxed wine, drink it. If you like the $100 bottle, drink it (and remember you have to feed my nieces). What do you care what I or anyone else thinks of the wine?"
He obviously then pointed me in what he considered the "right" direction (and shockingly, our most enjoyable wines have been in the $15-20 range), but that first bit of advice stuck more than anything. Now, we simply experiment and drink what we like, and are far happier for it.
8
I agree with almost all of this. The approach here is how my wife and I have been enjoying wine for many years. Two points, though, on which I have a different perspective:
(1) "Rather than paying lip service every once in a while to 'good values' or 'Tuesday night bottles,' I would like to see regular, purposeful attention directed at everyday wines, good bottles that are moderately priced and easy to drink in relaxed, casual settings, yet are still interesting enough to inspire wonder and to be deeply pleasurable." So would I ... but what's wrong with calling these "Tuesday night bottles" and insisting that they be good value? Isn't "moderately priced and inspire wonder" the very definition of value in wine? We do this all the time. It works!
(2) "Find a good wine shop." Better yet, if your community supports it, find two. If the store is small enough that the proprietor has tasted everything in the store before judging it worthy to bring in to sell (it should be), chances are that the inventory will skew toward his/her palate. That's a good thing. Finding a second shop, with a similar approach, gets you two different profiles, perhaps with different geographic or varietal tendencies.
5
I really appreciate the ideas in this piece. As one who drinks wine everyday, I value more subtly and drinkability over heavy weight showstoppers. I especially like the notion of redefining what is a "great" wine!
4
Thank you, Eric. I had the good fortune to meet you earlier this month at the Charleston Wine + Food Festival, when you presided over a tasting of "New, Not Nouveau" Beaujolais. Great job. I thoroughly agree that everyday wines are indeed the most important. The occasional splurge on a fancy priced bottle is certainly enjoyable, but I take pride in finding really good wines at the $15 - $20 (retail) price point. It's easy to buy a well known label - but that is boring. It takes a good wine shop, some helpful recommendations, a little study and a lot of "testing" to discover the wonderful diversity that is the wine market of today. It's a fun journey.
4
Every word Asimov writes is a gem. He freed me from the tyranny of tasting notes and I love his promotion of wine like this. I spent years thinking I was doing it wrong because I couldn't taste the black currant or smoked fig flavors or spend 100's at a restaurant buying statement bottles.
19
Man does not live on vintage wines alone. God bless the blenders and the jug wine producers. So many labels have come a long way in recognizing the price point buyer. Sometimes I swear the wine is free, but you pay for bottling, shipping, and the retailers mark-up. I recently found a great deal on a 90pt Tempranillo, under $13. Life is good..........
6
My family operates a small wine import business delivering just these type of wines from France to the lucky people of Chicago. Your have beautifully described our mission statement. AndersonGanneWines.com
4
I also have been saying these same things, and not having a good selection of wine stores nearby makes this much harder.
I have had great luck in the $15 range with Naked wines though you need to do some trial and error and I know most of you hate signups or clubs, but Naked does a great job if you can stand the Gormley hype. Stephen Millers Black label reds are my go to everyday wines but there are also some other good values and wonderful higher and lower priced treats. Sorry to sound like an Ad, but Naked was a surprise find and no risk ordering from home is a good option for those outside cities with lots of shopping choices.
2
My wife and I recently moved to Lyon, France. I have rarely blogged since, because we are drinking everyday wines, well, every day. Our situation is different from most of the US - we are literally surrounded by wine regions - Burgundy, Beaujolais, the Rhone Valley, and Jura. And our local small grocery stores carry nice representatives from these regions. The local wine shops (caves), there is one on just about every block, provide special recommendations of small producers and a few special bottles. Restaurant house wines, served in "pots" of 46cl and from a box or a tap, are very drinkable and moderately priced. Most wine in restaurants here is priced a store retail or just a bit above. The French do not like to spend a lot of money on wine, and local producers know it. There is little interest in expensive wines here, except in the Michelin restaurants, which we do not frequent. I have been thinking of a blog post on these everyday wines, and you have inspired me to write one. Thanks for a great article!
https://jimlockardonwine.com/
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So, what? Bragging? Or are you advising us all to move to France?
7
Please, write. I too live in France and drink this type of wine most nights. For us, 10 Euros is all you need to get into the range and the diversity is really good considering it is not easy to get much outside of France unless you order online. Culturally too, France is very different from the US in terms of the approach to wine, in both production and consumption, and the price to quality here encourages a love of everyday wine. And yes, living near so many wine regions is a blessing.
5
Bravo Eric! I've been saying these things to people for years. Thank you for putting it so well.
6
Our limit is $10 per bottle for daily drinking. Not a lot of money but doable with a good wine merchant if you order multiple cases at a time. The merchant orders by "the drop." A 3, 5, 10 case drop with each larger drop being cheaper than the smaller. if you order 3 cases of a 5 or 10 case drop, it's good for both you and the merchant.
5