The Frecciarossa uva rara wine is from the little known wine region the Oltrepo Pavese, 40 miles south of Milan. The main type produced here is the pinot noir, used for excellent spumantes as well as reds. For some info on the region have a look at one of the few articles available in English:
http://www.duepadroni.it/PDF_bestanden/Get%20away%20from%20Milan%20-%20m...
http://www.duepadroni.it/PDF_bestanden/Get%20away%20from%20Milan%20-%20m...
Thank you for this great piece! May I make a suggestion on making this list fully service-y? Include wine-searcher links so we can easily find the wines. I spend a half-hour searching when it could be a few quick clicks...
1
I know I am lucky, I live in Northern Rome, about one hour, 20 minutes away from where one of the mentioned wines is produced: Monastero Suore Cistercensi Lazio Bianco Coenobium 2014...it should be noted that the description of "longer-than-usual maceration with the grape skins" refers to their Coenobium Ruscum with a beige lapel and it costs a bit more...euro 13 for the Coenobium Ruscum and euro 10,50 for the Coenobium...of course for those prices one needs to go to the source! NB: check out the wonderful photos on their on-line site: Monastero Trappiste Vitorchiano, Italy...PS: frankly for the amount of monies mentioned in this review, I think some people must be crazy...of course I live in Italy and I am very spoiled...
1
Temporarily living in South Africa. There are literally books full of superb offerings here - and exported to the USA for a fraction of what Eric reports on.
Find the SA section in your local store. Real value there.
Find the SA section in your local store. Real value there.
3
I enjoyed reading through the list and wanted to try the specific riesling kabinett wines that were mentioned, but could not find a wine store locally or online for them...
Hi Audrey - Looks like Wine Country in Long Beach has about 7 bottles of the Kruger Rumpf on hand, but best to call and check before you go out of your way.
I enjoy these lists. The October one introduced me to Erbaluce. I liked it so much I bought a case which meant I got a better price. Searching out some of the listed wines on wine-searcher has introduced me to new wines shops. I would never have know about Curtis Liquors in Weymouth Mass. but now when I go to visit my relatives near there I try to stop in and buy a few bottles. The last time it was Domaine Maestracci from Corsica. The outside of the store gives no clue to the treasures within. Thanks Mr. Asimov.
1
Eric, could you please indicate which wines are red and which are white. Thx.
1
I go to Costco and look for Wine Spectator or Wine Advocate points above 90. Used to be common to find ones for less than $10. But Costco has gone considerably more expensive in recent years. $4000 rum, anyone? Would you comment on wine magazine points ratings, harshness of young reds vs laying down for a decade, and more useful topics in an article that appears online. I haven't seen your article in months. Still use your several articles with recommendations on various brown or Belgian ales.
4
I've never paid $100 for a bottle of wine, not even in a restaurant, where the mark-ups are staggering. I've spent no more than $65 for wines as gifts. My favorite "old regulars" are a $10 Riesling, a $16 Prosecco, an $18 Malbec, a $24 Nero d'Avola, and a $40 Champagne. There's also a $7 amontillado that is kind of dull with most food, but is spectacular with authentic, hot Hunanese. I buy it by the case, because I love Hunanese food.
Some day before I die I'm going to spend $100 on a bottle of wine, just to see if I can tell the difference. Two options: either I'll love it and be ticked off for denying myself the good stuff all my life, or I'll wonder what the big deal was and go back to me $10 Riesling.
Some day before I die I'm going to spend $100 on a bottle of wine, just to see if I can tell the difference. Two options: either I'll love it and be ticked off for denying myself the good stuff all my life, or I'll wonder what the big deal was and go back to me $10 Riesling.
3
Ah the lucky ones that live on the coasts. Here, there is one "wine" store (about 30 miles away), the next nearest 125 miles away. We keep our list and make the 6 hour drive twice a year to get to a real wine steward.
There are lots of wine stores that take on-line orders and deliver. Some have a minimum purchase amount for any delivery, and others have a minimum purchase amount for free delivery. For a delivery half-way across the country, you're probably going to have to pay FedEx or UPS fees, but then if you're willing to wait six months to drive for your wine you should be OK ordering a cross-country delivery every couple of months.
You can experiment - most wine shippers offer special packages like ten bottles for $100. Or if you know what you want (your wine steward might come in handy here) you can order a case of it, getting the volume discount while stocking up for the duration.
You can experiment - most wine shippers offer special packages like ten bottles for $100. Or if you know what you want (your wine steward might come in handy here) you can order a case of it, getting the volume discount while stocking up for the duration.
2
I pride myself in finding decent, enjoyable wines for less than $9.99 at my local markets (not the fancy wine shop). Eric, couldn't you provide a list of these and be sure they exclude rare bottles discovered in a wine shop basement instead opting for those out in the open and easily accessible nationally (say, a grocery store!). You'd get a lot more people out there trying something new and more in line with their budget.
6
Putting aside the fact that NY grocery stores don't carry wine to begin with, the average grocery store wine selection is abysmal at best. Out west, Safeway and Whole Foods have some reliable brand name wines on offer, but when your margins rely on economies of scale, wines like the many suggested here simply don't work for the Costcos of the world. And frankly, wines like that don't need national coverage in the NY Times. What Mr. Asimov has offered here are great wines for the price, available in plain sight on the shelves in NYC. These are wines from small producers, that in many cases are among the best wineries in their various appellations.
I don't know what the wine scene is like in Oceanside, but I have found a good variety of values in various shops in and around Huntington Beach, San Diego, and further up the coast in Palo Alto, Berkeley, etc. If you're really eager to find something interesting sub-$10 go to a good shop and start in Portugal. Take a look at Spain, see what's happening in South Africa, and why not the southern Rhône? Get to the know the wine expert, we're not all that bad.
One last thing, I'd wager that most of the wine experts that appear in these articles make $20 an hour, at best. Sure, they get to test drive the pricier models, but it doesn't mean they have Porches in the garage, or Puligny-Montrachets in their refrigerators.
I don't know what the wine scene is like in Oceanside, but I have found a good variety of values in various shops in and around Huntington Beach, San Diego, and further up the coast in Palo Alto, Berkeley, etc. If you're really eager to find something interesting sub-$10 go to a good shop and start in Portugal. Take a look at Spain, see what's happening in South Africa, and why not the southern Rhône? Get to the know the wine expert, we're not all that bad.
One last thing, I'd wager that most of the wine experts that appear in these articles make $20 an hour, at best. Sure, they get to test drive the pricier models, but it doesn't mean they have Porches in the garage, or Puligny-Montrachets in their refrigerators.
3
Hard to believe that the author could not find a worthwhile South African or Portuguese wine under $20. There are quite a few! Pleasant surprises can be found among Portugal's vinho verde varieties, as well as among the many varieties coming from the Stellenbosch and Franschoek regions of South Africa. One of these, the Kleine Zalze's Family Reserve Chenin, won the 2015 best white wine award of the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles. And many of them are excellent values!
3
I think that you (and maybe some of the readers) misunderstood the real issue with your Zabar's wine recommendations. I fully agree that a $250 wine COULD be a great value. But not when the same wine can be had for $150 in the US. In such a circumstance, it cannot be possibly thought of as good value. A simple wine-searcher query shows that the "good values" you recommended at Zabar's were excellent wines - but they were also, clearly, overpriced. Anyone interested in such wines would have done a search rather than go to the nearest wine shop, and I think that your readers are justified in asking you to do at least that (a simple web search for prices) before recommending a wine as "good value".
5
The comments I appreciate most are those that include a suggestion or two. Here are a few excellent wines missing from your list (not from mine, my own limit for everyday wine being $13 rather than 19.99): The Bodega Bouza Tannat Reserva 2013, which you get for 18.99 at Binny's. The Garzón Reserva 2014, for $17.99 and the Artesanas Tannat 2014, $14.99. These are all full-body reds from Uruguay; lots of tannin (Tannat!), dark and lusciously aromatic. Meat lovers wines!
2
East Coast Parochialism in the NYT showing up again..... Very little in this article for those of us on the West Coast, where California wines have a price advantage.
8
The newspaper is the New York Times, so of course it has an East Coast slant. If you want a list of good California wines, try the LA Times.
6
Wow, the comments are more divisive than the ones on NY Times articles about Bernie vs. Hill! Under 20 is under 20. It's one guy's thoughts and he has his reasons (read back to 2015 apparently to find them out). I for one find it interesting, food for thought. He's not running for President! Relax folks, it's just wine!
13
Hey whatever happened to 2 buck chuck?
5
It gives you a murderous headache!
4
Not a single wine from Australia or NZ. I wonder which planet prints the NYT?
3
You mean like "Barefoot"? Awful stuff not even worth the price of the bottle without the wine in it! Most Aussie wine should be in a box, fit for those with plebeians who always ask me "what's a good cheap wine?" New Zealand wine?Only one comes close to being decent, the rest? Ugh. Sorry but that's my opinion, by all means keep trying though. There are plenty of people who just want alcohol and don't care about a well crafted wine.
2
what! No New Zealand wine? Even the Aussies rave about our wine (the ones who visit us do)
A $60 bottle in a restaurant is a $20 bottle at a store, something key to ber in mind re: "value".
3
Eric should follow this with a few articles on wine shopping. For example, I recently visited a wine store in Vancouver that was selling Bogle Cabernet for CAD 30.00, a California wine that can be bought for USD 8.00 at a big box wine store in suburban New Jersey. I have also noticed that certain "name brand" wines regularly command a premium in smaller stores, and that some wines, like the Artemis Stags Leap, sell for prices that broadly represent how far a store departs from the best market price.
New York has a large and very liquid market for wine. In other areas of the world, however, the situation is different. We all understand the big picture, and no one can fault a wine merchant for trying to make money, but it would be interesting to see more of the details, and learn how we might track down wines from other importers and distributors.
New York has a large and very liquid market for wine. In other areas of the world, however, the situation is different. We all understand the big picture, and no one can fault a wine merchant for trying to make money, but it would be interesting to see more of the details, and learn how we might track down wines from other importers and distributors.
1
He did on March 2nd.
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/02/dining/wine-store.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/02/dining/wine-store.html
2
Excellent. Thank you.
What? Almost no American wines on the list!
1
Please, please, please .... Can you please publish 20 under 20 for West Coast? These are hard to come by on our side of the US World.
9
Do a wine tasting at Trader Joe's... plenty of good and CHEAP wine there, some at less than $7/bottle
1
Rumor has it that the grandest drink ever produced was a wine presented nearly 2000 years ago in Cana of Galilee. It was served at a wedding and was provided free of charge to the wedding party and guests by the wine vintner, Jesus of Nazareth! So perhaps Mr. Asimov will be instrumental in hastening the return of prime wines at no cost to the imbiber!
2
After reading this yesterday, I saw the Señorío de P. Peciña Rioja Crianza 2010 at my favorite wine store. I bought two bottles and had one last night. I held off commenting on how good it was until I had bought more today.
For those who are interested in less expensive wines than those listed here, I recommend Rocca di Castagnoli Chianti Classico and Guigal Cote du Rhone, both for about $15; less if your wine merchant offers volume discounts. Oh, and the Domaine de Robert Fleurie, which was mentioned here last week, at $16 too.
For those who are interested in less expensive wines than those listed here, I recommend Rocca di Castagnoli Chianti Classico and Guigal Cote du Rhone, both for about $15; less if your wine merchant offers volume discounts. Oh, and the Domaine de Robert Fleurie, which was mentioned here last week, at $16 too.
2
Humankind has always had a thirst for alcohol, and now
satisfies it with mass-produced drinks that offer an in-
expensive respite from the world and its cares. But some
wines and beers and spirits are among the most finely
crafted foods there are, the best that the world and care
have to offer. Their flavor can be so rich, balanced, dy-
namic, and persistent that they touch the mind not with
release from the world, but with a heightened attentive-
ness and connection to it.
Harold McGee, On Food and Cooking, 713-4
satisfies it with mass-produced drinks that offer an in-
expensive respite from the world and its cares. But some
wines and beers and spirits are among the most finely
crafted foods there are, the best that the world and care
have to offer. Their flavor can be so rich, balanced, dy-
namic, and persistent that they touch the mind not with
release from the world, but with a heightened attentive-
ness and connection to it.
Harold McGee, On Food and Cooking, 713-4
6
If I could respond to the people who want wines under [$15, $10, $8, etc.]. These wines are better than most wines you'll find at lower prices. However, that's no reason for you to blow your budget. Here's what I do: buy wine in bulk, infrequently. I keep myself on a strict budget. But I only track my average price per bottle. My budget is a strict $17/bottle average. What do I do when there's a $24 or $28 bottle I just have to try (usually because Eric recommended it)? I simply off-set it with many more cheaper bottles. I found several bottles under $15 and even one $9 Greek red that I love. I buy, say, 6 or 8 of those. This allows me to buy that $24 Nebbiolo and perhaps the $28 entry level Burgundy I want to try. I've kept to my budget but still allowed myself the opportunity to try a broad range of wines. Believe me, the $24 ones often taste better than the $9 ones. But they're both good and together they help me keep to my budget.
13
As someone who is extremely fortunate to have ready access to more-than-decent wines for less than 5 euros, I don't see 19.99 as much of a bargain.
I also have the good fortune to have been taught to drink wine by my French grandmother, who had "tiers" in her cellar. There was "vin de table" for every day, which came from the Nicolas chain. The next level was what we drank for Sunday lunch. Then, the special occasion wine, including Veuve Cliquot champagne, of which we consumed a great deal on birthdays. Finally, there were the dust-covered bottles way in the back of the cellar, dating from the 1950s and a few from before WWII. I never saw one of those opened, but was very impressed when I found them.
Living in the U.S., I bought my "vin de table" at Trader Joe's, in the form of Two Buck Chuck. If you're going to drink wine every evening, you don't need to spend more than a few dollars. Just spend them wisely.
I also have the good fortune to have been taught to drink wine by my French grandmother, who had "tiers" in her cellar. There was "vin de table" for every day, which came from the Nicolas chain. The next level was what we drank for Sunday lunch. Then, the special occasion wine, including Veuve Cliquot champagne, of which we consumed a great deal on birthdays. Finally, there were the dust-covered bottles way in the back of the cellar, dating from the 1950s and a few from before WWII. I never saw one of those opened, but was very impressed when I found them.
Living in the U.S., I bought my "vin de table" at Trader Joe's, in the form of Two Buck Chuck. If you're going to drink wine every evening, you don't need to spend more than a few dollars. Just spend them wisely.
13
I drink cheap ($13 and under) on a regular basis. I know what I like and what I can afford to buy in a regular basis. However, I can still appreciate this article. Thank you for recommending wines that I can purchase as thoughtful gift for a host or serve on a special occasion.
6
Try the Wine Spectator's new "X Values" app: decent lists of reds and whites under $20, from widely available wineries. In the past week alone I picked up five of these wines from three different grocery stores (with smallish wine departments) in mid-Michigan. 2 were rated 91, 1 90, 1 at 89 and 1 at 88 by Wine Spectator. (I did not consider anything lower than 88 points.) They also provide a list of "extreme values" priced under $12, most rated in the mid to high 80s.
2
Thanks for a great article. I can't believe all of the whining in these comments. I don't know why people who can't appreciate the difference between mass-produced plonk and an artisanal product, or the value and pleasure of an aged wine, bother to read this section of the NYT.
If you can't taste better quality, consider yourself blessed, buy cheap wine, and leave the rest of us alone.
If you can't taste better quality, consider yourself blessed, buy cheap wine, and leave the rest of us alone.
12
I believe what people (the majority of commenters) are saying is that they like good wine but can't consider $20 a bottle as a "bargain". Many good wines are significantly less than $20 and asking Eric to create a list for "the rest of us" is exactly why this comment section exists.
One would hope there is room on both sides of the velvet rope for everyone who enjoys good wine particularly when there is so much wine available at varying (and widely varying) costs.
The idea, Kate, is to get people involved, not excluded by suggesting they are "whining" about price or aren't able to appreciate wine because of a lack of refinement. It's that kind of snobbery that makes people feel wine drinking is a mystery they are not allowed to participate in, something I think Eric would be ashamed to see one of his readers suggest.
One would hope there is room on both sides of the velvet rope for everyone who enjoys good wine particularly when there is so much wine available at varying (and widely varying) costs.
The idea, Kate, is to get people involved, not excluded by suggesting they are "whining" about price or aren't able to appreciate wine because of a lack of refinement. It's that kind of snobbery that makes people feel wine drinking is a mystery they are not allowed to participate in, something I think Eric would be ashamed to see one of his readers suggest.
1
Mr. Asimov, thank you for this article. Like many, we can probably afford only a few of these. However, one important point you have not discussed in this (as in many articles) is whether these should be drunk as soon as possible. i.e. this year, or if we can store them for the future (maybe drink it in 2017 or 18). Perhaps you could discuss this in one of your lessons - how to decide when to drink a wine?
5
What about 10 wines under $10? For most of us $20 is too much for an everyday bottle of wine.
20
If there were enough of them to write about, he'd write about them. Overtaken by time and events, sadly.
Scaia, a corvino from the Valpolicella area near Venice, is a beautiful, fruity red available for about $10. Not complex, but good, and a good value.
While this is an important list for more affluent readers of the NY Times, I think it is still a bit "pricey" for the average NY Times reader.
I think a nice list would be good wines under $13 tax included.
It a tough job, Eric but you can do it and I would put that CS Mont Gras on it that the NY Times was blown away by 10 yrs ago.
Trader Joe and Costco are places to go for these. Decent wines at rock bottom prices.
Thank You.
I think a nice list would be good wines under $13 tax included.
It a tough job, Eric but you can do it and I would put that CS Mont Gras on it that the NY Times was blown away by 10 yrs ago.
Trader Joe and Costco are places to go for these. Decent wines at rock bottom prices.
Thank You.
20
How do you tolerate the predominantly negative comments to what I feel was a helpful and thoughtful column? Unlike the jaded New Yorkers, We in "the boonies" appreciate all the help and advice we can get. In that vein, it would be nice if you identify wine stores who have actually heard of these wines, let alone carry them in stock. I have taken printed copies of your "20 wines" columns to various shops in NYC, only to be met with shrugs or thinly veiled derision of my "rarified" tastes.
12
I agree with you about the negative comments. They're incredible! Something that might be helpful for sourcing wine is to find a wine shop or liquor store that will special order for you. If you want something they could sell, they might let you order less than a case. Finding a decent retailer and being relatively loyal to them can bring rewards.
7
Perhaps your readers would be interested in some wines you overlooked from a region you may be unfamiliar with - it's called "California" and there are hundreds of boutique wineries creating marvelously delicious wines under $20.
16
You might even be able to find them outside of NYC!
Sorry but many, many people in the wine industry (outside of CA) strongly prefer European wine, and many consumers who've tasted a broad range of wine prefer Europe as well.
1
"many many people"?
I live in France for 7 years and drank a lot of that wine.
I live in California now and it's far far better for the price.
It might have been true 20 years ago, but not any more.
I live in France for 7 years and drank a lot of that wine.
I live in California now and it's far far better for the price.
It might have been true 20 years ago, but not any more.
No Australian wines!!??? I have just returned from a trip to Sweden where the price of alcohol is extortionate. In Aus it's cheaper than water and we've won medals too. Try Wolf Blass Red label Pinot Noir Chardonnay. A steal at $9 a bottle and according to a new study the bubbly delays dementia.
1
My favorite supermarket often has 20% off on a case of wine; head right to California wines, especially Napa Cellars.
Interesting. My local charges $32 for the Coenobium. I think I will show them this.
Mr. Evans: Keep in mind that the cost of the wine also involves shipping, availability and how the wines are distributed (and through whom.) There are HUGE price differences nationwide because of this. I'm in NY, and the price for some things just a mile or two away in CT are often 25% less.
The wine business is just like most other businesses in regard to promoting "the best" and charging a ridiculous amount of money for it.
"Utilitarian" is a word that they use to dismiss those who truely understand value.
For each tiny increment of luxury some are willing to pay more and more.
It's not really about value. It's really about ego.
"Utilitarian" is a word that they use to dismiss those who truely understand value.
For each tiny increment of luxury some are willing to pay more and more.
It's not really about value. It's really about ego.
6
"Some people are wed to a utilitarian notion of wine" As close to snarky as you have ever come.
No - some people - most of us - have budgets. And we know that there are better wines in Europe for a pittance of what we pay.
Prices of some good and great wines ARE forced up by a market fed by newly wealthy from all over the world - big money, the same that pushes up apartment prices in SanFrancisco, NY and Vancouver to astronomical levels. And they are not all connoisseurs, just "aspirational" buyers who want the accouterments to go with their wealth. Marketing is a piece of this.
But the rest of us actually like to drink wine.
No - some people - most of us - have budgets. And we know that there are better wines in Europe for a pittance of what we pay.
Prices of some good and great wines ARE forced up by a market fed by newly wealthy from all over the world - big money, the same that pushes up apartment prices in SanFrancisco, NY and Vancouver to astronomical levels. And they are not all connoisseurs, just "aspirational" buyers who want the accouterments to go with their wealth. Marketing is a piece of this.
But the rest of us actually like to drink wine.
15
One person's budget doesn't determine what "value" means for everyone else. A great bottle at $100 may be unattainable for you, yet still be a value to someone else. No need to direct such vitriol at others just because they have more money than you do.
4
This can be part of the issue with wine experts, that is they are so used to hunting for great wines and paying so much more than anyone could possibly afford they cannot imagine wines being both good and on a scale of cost that is affordable for regular people who also happen to like wine (i.e., under $10).
My suggestion is that Eric partner with someone who isn't a wine expert but likes wine and has a $20 hour job...
My suggestion is that Eric partner with someone who isn't a wine expert but likes wine and has a $20 hour job...
What, no "two buck Chuck"? (even if it's $3 now). Shocking, simply shocking...
2
I happen to met and know John Franzia of Bronco Wine Company. John got a big boost in the wine business in CA when The Wine Spectrum approached him to provide wine for their new brand, Taylor California Cellars which was a very good jug wine.
When there was a huge amount of very good coastal wine in storage tanks and could not be sold, John bought the brand which came to be known as two buck chuck. The man who owned it had to liquidate his holding as a result of a divorce and John paid $25K for that brand.
John then discovered there was a lot of good wine around and started out creating more brands to market it under. Being in the wine industry myself, NSM for California Premium brands including Sterling Vineyards, most vintners respected what John did.
A major Napa producer then introduced what was cheap central valley jug wine and IMHO deceptively tried to suggest it was a premium wine which it was and is not. He was roundly criticized by even his brother who had a winery across the street and changed how he pronounced his last name.
No the brothers did not get into a physical tussle - just words.
BTW one of my favorite wines from Australia is Little Penguin and they did exactly the same thing with a lot of very good wine in storage. Only difference being that in Australia you can hook together up to 4 tank cars behind a large truck but it also has a huge sign on the front, "Road Train". CA then only allowed 2 tank wagons per truck.
When there was a huge amount of very good coastal wine in storage tanks and could not be sold, John bought the brand which came to be known as two buck chuck. The man who owned it had to liquidate his holding as a result of a divorce and John paid $25K for that brand.
John then discovered there was a lot of good wine around and started out creating more brands to market it under. Being in the wine industry myself, NSM for California Premium brands including Sterling Vineyards, most vintners respected what John did.
A major Napa producer then introduced what was cheap central valley jug wine and IMHO deceptively tried to suggest it was a premium wine which it was and is not. He was roundly criticized by even his brother who had a winery across the street and changed how he pronounced his last name.
No the brothers did not get into a physical tussle - just words.
BTW one of my favorite wines from Australia is Little Penguin and they did exactly the same thing with a lot of very good wine in storage. Only difference being that in Australia you can hook together up to 4 tank cars behind a large truck but it also has a huge sign on the front, "Road Train". CA then only allowed 2 tank wagons per truck.
1
Love wine and also trying different ones, (by the way there is a Willamette Valley wine listed in the article, for those who thought there were no US wines) but also as to price, take into account the huge purchasing power of Chinese wealthy, Russian, etc. It's like tuna, they bid up the price, and why wouldn't the sellers take advantage of that? I speak of the "famous" wines. That would be an interesting topic to explore economically.
No wines from California or Washington? There are many, many excellent wines for under $20 from these two states. Why look overseas when we have an abundance in our back yard?
22
Steve Edmunds' excellent Bone Jolly from Edmunds St John is from El Dorado County, CA - check it out! Delicious.
3
www.winejudging.com is where you can select varietals and price points of juried (mostly) California wines. I've been using this site for ten years and have had the pleasure of many wonderful inexpensive wines.
1
Common. These are 1 cent under the limit and some are a little less, but is this? Can you not conceive of a bottle that is less expensive than that and still be pretty good? It seems ridiculous -- in Europe, I can find good bottles for as little as five Euros.
17
Eric,
What about making a list of 20 wines for under $20.00 from California. I'm sure you will find great values. I just don't see any recommendation for our wines from here. All the best,
What about making a list of 20 wines for under $20.00 from California. I'm sure you will find great values. I just don't see any recommendation for our wines from here. All the best,
13
Mostly foreign wine. Can any readers clarify what these imported $20 bottles cost in their home country? I'd assume there's more value in a domestic bottle, but I could be wrong. Thanks.
3
Mr. Asimov addressed this point in his fall 2015 version of this list:
This list comprises mostly Old World wines. Some will question this, as so many inexpensive wines are available from regions in the Southern Hemisphere, for example, and North America.... While I believe I have an open mind, I know this from experience and common sense: Countries that have been making wine for centuries have clear advantages in offering distinctive values. They have far more local traditions in winemaking, which means that the variety of grapes and styles of wine in France, Italy or Spain far surpass what are available from the United States.
In addition — for reasons of real estate, the cost of doing business and tradition — small estates, which tend to make more interesting inexpensive wines than corporate producers, have an easier time keeping prices low in Europe than in the United States. Some fine American producers who have conscientiously tried to offer great values have difficulty today keeping prices under $20 a bottle. Those that can sell their wines quickly.
This list comprises mostly Old World wines. Some will question this, as so many inexpensive wines are available from regions in the Southern Hemisphere, for example, and North America.... While I believe I have an open mind, I know this from experience and common sense: Countries that have been making wine for centuries have clear advantages in offering distinctive values. They have far more local traditions in winemaking, which means that the variety of grapes and styles of wine in France, Italy or Spain far surpass what are available from the United States.
In addition — for reasons of real estate, the cost of doing business and tradition — small estates, which tend to make more interesting inexpensive wines than corporate producers, have an easier time keeping prices low in Europe than in the United States. Some fine American producers who have conscientiously tried to offer great values have difficulty today keeping prices under $20 a bottle. Those that can sell their wines quickly.
4
Thank you.
@TB: Monastero Suore Cistercensi Lazio Bianco Coenobium 2014 costs euro 10,50 in Italy and their slightly more expensive brand, Coenobium Ruscum 2014 costs euro 13,00. NB: For Italy that is in the middle upper price range, lots will cost more, and lots of great ones cost half that amount or less...
Do your readers a favor. Go to your nearest Costco and help us choose among the fifty or so wines on display. How good is Kirkland Signature Cabernet? What about those mysterious 'Hughes' house labels? There might even be a Pulitzer in there.
61
I haven't looked at Costco's wines or anything else there because I'm not ready to pay their membership fee to get in the door.
1
Nonmembers can buy Costco alcohol. State law.
1
Just FYI, Costco is the largest wine retailer in the USA/world for a reason. Their wines range from a very good Chilean Cab/Merlot blend for $7.50 to Dom Perignon and their price for my fav bubbly is Veuve Cliquot is also very good.
One person commented a membership is not required to buy wine at Costco - I know that is correct for prescription meds and if so for wine - wow that is great. Will investigate and report back to Youall as we say down south.
One person commented a membership is not required to buy wine at Costco - I know that is correct for prescription meds and if so for wine - wow that is great. Will investigate and report back to Youall as we say down south.
1
Not a single California vintage here?! I believe you could put together a very compelling list of quality CA wines under $12 a bottle.
16
Please! please please please... any recommendations for under $15? After one of these "bargain" articles a few months ago, a commenter who owned a wine store wrote that they were selling an $8 Spanish wine, but no-one bought it until they raised the price to $12. I'm seeking the $12-$15 bottle that tastes just a bit better than, well, that tastes better than OK. $19.99 is not a price I pay more than once a year, if then. Not poor, but not making enough "coin" to pay more.
8
One reason that foreign wines in the US are so expensive is the antiquated wine import and distribution laws that impose too many middlemen and distribution chokepoints before the bottle gets to your table. We routinely see fine wines that cost $10-15 in France retail for $30 and up in the US, and a lot of that markup is due to too many middlemen, beyond the cost of transportation and a reasonable markup.
6
Just happy to be living in Ontario, Canada, where our provincial "Liquor Control Board," a hangover from near-prohibition days, is the biggest wine retailer in the world with eight million captive customers. Every two weeks it publishes a glossy catalogue of new arrivals, and it realizes that $17 is now the general upper limit for most customers (although it will also sell you a half bottle of Yquem for $375). What is more, even in small towns you can order wines to be delivered at no charge. Now let's see if it will move into selling weed.
9
Its Passover eve. Why no kosher for Passover wine son this list??
1
The writer said it was directed toward the Spring, which is a different thing. I would love to see another list that includes wine that "pairs" with Passover.
5
Of course, the fact these wines were featured in the NYT means that many of them will be priced substantially higher within a few days. Supply and demand and all that...
5
The idea, I think, is to learn about different winemakers, wine growing regions and grapes. We don't have to seek out the exact bottles recommended. Go to the retailer that doesn't mark up his/her wine based on an article and find out if they have something similar.
There is so much good wine out there that it is easy to skip the cults, the hype and the factory wine and find small producers who actually love and are committed to their product.
There is so much good wine out there that it is easy to skip the cults, the hype and the factory wine and find small producers who actually love and are committed to their product.
9
I've seen 600 euro bottles of wine on menus in Paris, France, and in Venice, Italy, for as much as 2,310.00 euro. Well!
1
All these are just shy of $20. That's going to add up if you drink a bottle between two people every night. How about some wines that are fine with food for around $10-$12? Will look forward to it!
39
Well, drink a glass each a night and that's your 10 dollars a day. Some people buy fancy cars; some people eat out several times a week; some like a bigger house or vacations. It's all a matter of what you enjoy. Me? I'll drink wine that I like, and 20 dollar bottles seem to be the sweet spot in terms of having a diverse set of good choices here.
6
Having a list of good $20 wines is very nice to have, even if you don't drink one every day. My weekday wine comes from a box. On Sundays I splurge on a bottle for $20 or $25, and once every couple of months I'll buy a nicer bottle for $40.
Live a little, it won't last forever.
Live a little, it won't last forever.
20
I purchase the box wine. My motto is: if it tastes good it is good.
7
I suppose the trick with box red wine saved in the refrigerator is to pour it into a carafe or old bottle (would that be decanting?) and let it sit at room temperature for an hour before drinking.
1
Since no one on planet Earth is spending $60, much less $250, to explore the "nuances" of unfermented fruit juice of any kind, I have to remain attached to my belief that it is, in the end, enjoyment of alcohol consumption that most drives the fetishization that allows for such high prices.
14
Top Cairanne (Rhone) reds received a cru classification last year. Still under $20 would be recent vintages from Richaud, Brusset, L'Oratoire St. Martin, Delubac, and a new vigneron Boutinot.
5
I'd love to see a list of things that will get me out of a NYC wine store for $13 a bottle including NYS taxes.
48
Come up to Westchester. Our wine store is loaded with beauties in your price range. :-)
3
The relationship between price and value is something this article is about and IMHO that is great.
The largest wine retailer in the USA and probably the world, is Costco. My house red wine is Frontera brand Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot blend from Chile. This wine is produced by Coccha Y Toro, a large producer in Chile.
Now for the really good news. For a 1.5L the retail cost is $7.49 or $3.75 per bottle.
Yes there are great $100 bottles of wine but a very good and IMHO a great one for $3.75 is outstanding.
Thanks for this article.
The largest wine retailer in the USA and probably the world, is Costco. My house red wine is Frontera brand Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot blend from Chile. This wine is produced by Coccha Y Toro, a large producer in Chile.
Now for the really good news. For a 1.5L the retail cost is $7.49 or $3.75 per bottle.
Yes there are great $100 bottles of wine but a very good and IMHO a great one for $3.75 is outstanding.
Thanks for this article.
33
I've only had one of these wines--the Vouvray--it was certainly a very good wine. We do like and sometimes drink on special occasions, an expensive Barolo or Shiraz, etc But even though my wife and I often ration a bottle for two nights, we drink wine seven days a week and occasionally at lunch. Even at $20 a bottle that's about $5,000 a year--fine for someone in the $200,000 plus salary range/not so for the "average" wine drinker. I learned to be suspicious about wine snobbery at a blind wine tasting several years ago in which there were a number of wine "connoisseurs" and there was little consistent agreement in which were the "best" wines we tasted even though prices ranged from $12 to $50. The ultimate pleasure of wines comes not only from the label and the price tag, but from "good" quality and their match with food and the setting--friends, good times. We have learned to enjoy wines at $10-$15 that go well with food and are quite satisfying and to take pleasure in the special occasions when we encounter a truly memorable glass.
49
There are hidden slabs of irony here which Asimov, surprisingly miffed by the reaction to what is quintessentially a New York City issue (2 million for 200 square feet? What an astounding value!), misses, to the point in fact of painting his detractors with a rather crude brush (it's liquid, it has alcohol, and the rest).
First, there is the fact that the ultimate determination of value is not at all in the telling but in the tasting, which implies a measure of objectivity unfortunately absent from most wine appreciation. This said, it is incumbent upon the taster, ergo Mr. Asimov, to account for why a $250 bottle of Castell'In Villa is somehow better value than 3 bottles of a top Barolo or Brunello. This he doesn't do, opting to deem the concept of an aged Chianti sufficient.
Second, by merely dropping that particular chianti in the mix of his Zabar article, Asimov fails to acknowledge the share of cultish appreciation, not to mention sheer marketing chutzpah, that figures in the final tab of the Castell'In Villa and other wines immoderately priced wine relative to their given provenance. To limn a parallel, does Angelo Gaja makes the absolute best Barbarescos? Are his wines values?
Finally, why not shed the Manhattan myopia and agree that beyond an arbitrary but sensible price cap based on income a wine cannot be a value. Does the 3000 I pay for Petrus 2005 in Bronxville make it a value? Well, yes, compared to the near five grand I'd fork in Chelsea, otherwise no.
First, there is the fact that the ultimate determination of value is not at all in the telling but in the tasting, which implies a measure of objectivity unfortunately absent from most wine appreciation. This said, it is incumbent upon the taster, ergo Mr. Asimov, to account for why a $250 bottle of Castell'In Villa is somehow better value than 3 bottles of a top Barolo or Brunello. This he doesn't do, opting to deem the concept of an aged Chianti sufficient.
Second, by merely dropping that particular chianti in the mix of his Zabar article, Asimov fails to acknowledge the share of cultish appreciation, not to mention sheer marketing chutzpah, that figures in the final tab of the Castell'In Villa and other wines immoderately priced wine relative to their given provenance. To limn a parallel, does Angelo Gaja makes the absolute best Barbarescos? Are his wines values?
Finally, why not shed the Manhattan myopia and agree that beyond an arbitrary but sensible price cap based on income a wine cannot be a value. Does the 3000 I pay for Petrus 2005 in Bronxville make it a value? Well, yes, compared to the near five grand I'd fork in Chelsea, otherwise no.
8
Perhaps because I was interested in wines when Ch. Lafite could be had for $6.50 (less than a fifth of scotch) or because I was involved with a famous wine auction and got to taste great rarities, but I can no longer justify spending $300 (much less $700) for a bottle of wine. The advent of wine "collectors" and the superheated market has taken all the fun out of drinking truly great wines. I now get much more pleasure out of drinking good wines in the under $20 category - they usually go better with food in any event.
38
Less expensive recommendations are appreciated. However, most of these are one cent below $20! And, believe it or not, many people who do apprecaite simply cannot afford to spend $60. on a bottle of wine no matter how good it might be.
38
$19.99 is under $20.00 ? Give me a break if it was $19 I could accept it , but not this sleight of hand!
38
the industry is so used to relying on bogus marketing and promotion that they are tone-deaf to obvious industry-wide puffing and bull as if the unsuspecting consumer is too stupid to notice - i made a similar comment in my initial response here
9
Unless there's been a revision to the article, Asimov writes that the wines are $20 or less, so he's not engaging in a sleight of hand.
23
I appreciate your featuring some good, reasonably priced wines here (and I've long been a fan of the Ravines wine).
But to characterize people who object to a $250 chianti as you do ("It’s liquid, it has alcohol and the rest is marketing and gullibility") is insulting to people who understand and care about wine but either can't afford such prices or think of them as an extravagance they prefer to avoid.
But to characterize people who object to a $250 chianti as you do ("It’s liquid, it has alcohol and the rest is marketing and gullibility") is insulting to people who understand and care about wine but either can't afford such prices or think of them as an extravagance they prefer to avoid.
36
I am fortunate to live near a wonderful wine shop in San Diego. I can purchase marvelous French, Italian, and Spanish wines in the price range of $20 to $40. People who want to spend more than $50 for a bottle of wine are shopping for rare wines and there is no upper limit to that market. However there is no shortage of high quality, good value wines available. They are arriving from every point of the compass.
11
I always enjoy your articles, particularly regarding the more inexpensive American wines which are hard to come by here in Germany. Spanish wines have been a great value for some years, so I am glad to see them also doing well in the USA. A couple of German vintners that offer a wider range including some very good, less expensive wines are Markus Molitor on the Mosel, Leitz in the Rheingau and Wittman in Rheinhessen. If you see bottles from any of these produers, chances are, they will be interesting!
11
What a terrific meditation on value. I often think about this topic reading the comments on Pete Wells' restaurant reviews. This week's review of Salvation Burger is a perfect example. To a certain contingent of readers, a burger is a burger is a burger, a ground beef patty on a bun, and if you pay more than ten dollars for one, you're a chump. That a premium product might offer better value at a higher price is impossible. I find that way of thinking very frustrating.
21
My winter favorite is Frontera Cabernet/Merlot 2014 from Chile and for summer Cavit Pinot Grigio from Italy 2014. Now here are the prices - both are $ 7.49 for a 1.5 liter bottle. I know wine - have been in the business and like most people I know a great bargain and very good wine when I have it and these are some of the best bargains for wine I have seen over 40+ years.