Just returned from seven weeks in Spain where you can buy very fine quality wines, even in supermarkets, for 10E or less. Go to a specialty wine shop and you are in heaven. For those of us in the US who love wines and have modest budgets, and who drink a few glasses daily, the quest for distinctive wines under $15 is a regular one. Totally agree with Mr. Asimov's suggestion to find a good specialty wine shop with knowledgeable staff who are quick to share good bottles in the customer's price range once they know your tastes. We are lucky in the Cambridge MA area to have several. An occasional splurge on higher priced bottles is great, but for day to day quality we look to bottles from Greece, from lesser known regions of Spain and from Portugal. Sometimes lesser known regions of France. Sometimes, South America.. Chile or Argentina. Portuguese cooperatives are making some very drinkable reds these days, maybe not at the Chateau Petrus level but then neither is our budget. I appreciate columns like this. More please.
2
Bought 2 mixed cases of most of the red wines mentioned in the latest 20 Under $20. Drinking the Chateau Massereau tonight, and wish I bought more.
This flyover country American only could find one bottle on this list within 300 miles of home.
1
You can pick up that Empire Estates Riesling at the Trader Joes wine only store near Union Square for even cheaper than the price listed here- I think it was 15 bucks. I love the Finger Lakes and think it is the only east coast wine producing region really worth going to for exploring new wines as opposed to the day out a vineyard tourism model of most other local areas.
Hi all, long time reader and first time writer.
I find the aggravation around what price range is cheap enough ridiculous. Of course, in our economy there are the super rich and the super poor - no question at all about American inequality.
However, with $1,000 iPhones and cars averaging almost $30,000 and homes averaging almost $200,000 even in lower priced markets (let alone the housing cost in NYC - hello this is the New York Times) and cable bills at about $200 a month and even the average check at McDonalds running up against $10 (a long way from the original “feed a family of four for under a $1”) and on and on, there is to me no meaningful difference between $5 and $25 other than one’s willingness and ability to pay.
There is certainly not an imaginary line anywhere in that range that functions as class division between the haves and the have nots. That is too much of a burden for a relatively modest consumer product.
Ok, thanks for reading.
In terms of wine, I found what I think might be my favorite inexpensive wine ever. Whole Foods has a Copertino Riserva from the Puglia region of Italy. It was about $10. Wow.
4
Unfortunately wines costing $10 are pretty much a step above plonk but reasonable for cooking. There is a sea of Malbecs, "Cabernet Sauvignon", "Sauvignon Blanc", "Syrah", etc., that pretty much taste the same, whether from South or North America. Mr. Asimov is accurate regarding better quality costing around $20. It's infuriating that one has to pay $50 for a wine at restaurant in the US that retails for $15. In fact they make you feel like a cheapskate considering they charge significantly more for most of the darn bottles. One of the benefits dining in France, Spain, Portugal, Italy and Greece are the excellent inexpensive wines.
5
De gustibus non est disputandum.-- That said. One of my favs-- totally dry Vin d'Alsace pinot gris/ blanc?? impossible to find.
Some wines do improve with some sitting around -- others, snot so much. I have a good time at Trader Joes -- sometimes going for super cheap -- under$7 -- much more reliable than say Whole Foods in the same price range.
Some foods seem to demand specific wines: a mineral one for oysters, a decent red (layered flavor) for ones boeuf bourguignon (all about the sauce). Others not so much.
I find it amusing when people fall in love with a particular brand which may not be typical of the type.
Sometimes one does get what one pays for- which is why I love tastings often . going for the more expensive item (22$) -- more for spirits. Keep those tastings going local wine merchants.
I believe that up to $40 a bottle price and quality I.e. increased complexity , longer persistent finish more interesting aromas , greater reflection of the place the grapes were grown run parallel . Beyond that , you are buying hype, scarcity,
Etc. The wines in the list that I know all are bargains that give much more that the typical $20 bottle.
Finally Eric, please stop recommending and touting Riesling. All we serious winos need is for Riesling prices to escalate like the prices of every other great wine .
1
Forgot to mention that retail prices are at least 2X in US compared to Europe . Go to most wineries and it is even cheaper. Forget about in Restaurants here. There we are talking 3-4X.
1
Always bittersweet to read about wine prices in the States. Here in France where (yes believe me after 35 years here in the wine business) most people do not know that much about wine, there are three tiers of consumers. Those who buy everyday plonk pay 3€ per bottle or go bag in box. Those who buy once in a while pay 5-9€. The real wine geeks have a go to very good daily drinker either from source or friends at less than 7€ but their cellars are stocked with better still; 98% of which is French. Due to the astronomical increase in wine prices ( the second and third wines of famous Grand Cru cost what the first wine did 15 years ago) savvy buyers go long on cru bourgeois and cellar it for 7-10 years. Good red burgundy has become too expensive for common mortals. Cotes du Rhone is the savior.
In passing Chateau Lafite Rothschild makes half the quantity stated and Dom Perignon makes at least twice quantity stated.
In the USA their is a funky critter label called Tussock Jumper with animals clad in red sweaters, these wines are sourced at excellent producers. The quality at 10 bucks will surprise you.
3
@Corkpop Salon des Vins des Vignerons Indépendants for us broke geeks looking for great deals and a great time each year. You can almost get affordable Burgundy there but I agree, thank God for the Rhone and small producers from the Southwest and Bordeaux.
1
@Corkpop Bittersweet is right my french friend. I spent two weeks in Burgundy and the Loire this year and was shocked to discover what should have been obvious: French wine is cheaper in France, what a revelation! Bottles that cost me 20-40 dollars in America going for under 10 euro and bottles that made me see good for 30. Yet I return to America and American wine is incredibly expensive. I blame capitalism.
1
Hi Eric, I've been buying a nice Spanish wine called Monastrell made by CASTANO (it costs about $10), I also keep a 3L of La Vieille Ferme Rose in my fridge and one in my cellar all year. My wife and her friends go berserk if it goes empty at their get togethers. She calls it her little chicken wine and another friend just brought a bubbly Rose over that they make, called 'Sparkling Reserve'. We are popping it tonight, I'll write back to let everyone know how it tastes. thanks
3
On holiday in France, the hyper-markets have amazing selections of French wines in all price ranges. You’re spoiled for riches! I load up like there’s non tomorrow. The French never have anything but a few wines in their trolleys. That’s because they patronise their local vintners, supporting their local economies. While away from home, the men drink whiskey and the women command the political discourse.
1
I love these lists (this is a particularly good one) and agree with you on price points. I would add a couple of details. Many of the New World wines priced at $10-$12 and under are loaded with chemical additives to make grapes sourced far and wide taste the same from batch to batch and year to year. Many who eat organic food buy cheap wine, essentially undoing the benefits of their dietary regimen. Labeling requirements would be a big help toward better informed consumers in this regard.
I moved to France two years ago, and I spend less per day on wine than I did living in California. Good French wines with character can be had for as little as 7 euros (under $10) and my every day wine budget runs to 15 euros. My local caviste (wine merchant) has a great selection of everyday bottles from most French regions.
A drawback of living in France (a minor one), is that quality wines of other countries are hard to find. Italy and Spain are fairly easy, but the French tend to drink French wine almost exclusively. And the few US wines you see on the shelves would not be ones I would purchase if in the US.
I have blogged about these and other issues at JimLockardOnWine.com
5
@Jim Lockard Very true on all accounts, I lament my wine choices when visiting the States these day as it is much harder to drink well, organically or not, for less than 20. I, too, love these listings by Mr. Asimov to help sort through it all. I will spend for a good Zin from a small producer but other than that, I tend to choose from European wines when there (Portugal these days!) There are deep cultural differences at play as well, wine is considered food here in France and part of most meals as a key beverage at the table while wine prices in the US (decent wine) seems to reflect a level of luxury, something not for everyone or every night.
2
Perhaps we need to consider some elementary economics? If you buy an 8 dollar bottle of wine you are paying about 3 dollars for the wine. The rest is shipping, marketing, manufacturing etc. If you pay twenty dollars you are getting 15 dollars worth of wine (assuming that the other costs are around the same). Five times the wine for 2.5 times the cost.
6
I am 71 years old and have only two goals left in life: 1) Drink about 8 ounces of red wine most days. 2) Average about $10 a bottle over the course of a year. I pretty much never miss the first goal but it is getting a little harder to make the second one. But by balancing the $15 to $20 bottles with some very cheap bottles of La Vieille Ferme, shopping the sales aggressively and using coupons as often as possible I am still able to drink high quality wine most days. It does not hurt that I live were BevMo and Total Wines are battling it out for market share!
13
Tried K and L Wine in Redwood City?
1
Actually, any wine, if left to air out long enough will become palatable. Once all the tannins are aerated, the wine becomes much smoother. It's people not wanting to take the time that is the problem.
1
@Richard Mclaughlin Absolutely false. Are you aware of how you make wine vinegar? Simply leave a bottle of wine to air for long enough
6
A further point to consider about the the French pay for wine is that the same wine in Paris will cost +/- twice as much in a New York or San Francisco store as in Paris.
At the restaurant by-the-glass level, it's even worse; a €5-7 glass in a Paris restaurant will generally be $15 or more in San Francisco or New York (plus tax and tip that is already included in the Paris price).
There are various reasons for these facts, including costs of importation, additional margins for extra distribution levels in the US, and higher restaurant rents and labor costs in large US cities.
4
@Californian great point. I would also add to your list of reasons: Americans willingness to overpay based on our lack of wine culture/sophistication. Your average Italian/French/Spanish person would laugh at the price we pay per glass. It’s truly absurd and demands we begin a discourse with our bars and restaurant owners to stop with the madness. I see mediocre glasses of wine for $15-20 all the time, truly sad and disingenuous.
1
I am french, have been leaving in NY for the last 25 years, and I agree with you!
a few more bucks will make a big difference..interestingly enough I usually choose wines around that price range. will try a few of the recommendations if I can find them.
5
Chermette Beaujolais ‘Coeur de Vendanges’ is typically under $20 - luscious gamay from vines about 100 years old. Bernard Baudry Chinon “Les Granges” also under $20, classic Loire cabernet franc for drinking relatively young. Plenty of very good Dolcetto d’Alba is around $20 a bottle, from Sandrone, Vajra, et al. Brun’s Terres Dorees Beaujolais blanc is lovely chardonnay from old vine fruit, well south of $20. Pepiere “Clos des Briords” Muscadet is crisp, floral, rich, even ageworthy wine for fish, shellfish, cheese, charcuterie. Valdespino fino ‘Innocente’ is in a fresher, lighter style than the Fernando de Castilla - I love either of these with a soup composed of roasted delicata squash and apples pureed with diced butter-stewed onion, some fresh sage, piment d’Espelette, chicken stock and a cup or so of cream. Fevre Chablis ‘Champs Royaux,’ also sub $20. All manner of Cotes du Rhone red is sub $20. Alsatian pinot blanc and Sylvaner - tons of good wine under $20. If you shop sales, even red burgundy can be had - I recently found 2015 Chorey les Beaune “Les Beaumonts” from Jadot for less than $20; it’s plush, juicy young pinot noir with sufficient sense of place to say ‘yup, this is burgundy.’
This list could go on for quite a while. Suffice it to say that if you look around, there are scores of distinctive, artisanal wines available in the U.S. market — wines with character, not supermarket industrial grade commodity stuff — that can be had for $20 or less.
17
Praise and a plea. Keep highlighting the unusual. Please do a similar best importers of value wines. With the importers under the spotlight, we can fare better in our local shops and, just maybe, we can avoid the companies that wholesale dreck.
14
These people in the comments talking about $5 bottles of wine - where do these even exist? I haven't even seen wine that cheap at Target.
4
@Cunegonde Misthaven
Trader Joe’s has wine from Chile, Spain, and Italy at this price point. Often exclusive to their store.
3
Folks who live in NYC or some other urban centers have no idea what the rest of us do not have available.
15
Many Americans now are within driving distance of at least one local winery producing excellent wine at good prices. There certainly are good examples here on the peninsulas taking full advantage of the microclimate and glacial soils, particularly for Gewürztraminer and Riesling. As for price, perhaps most Americans fighting (and losing) the obesity and diabetes epidemics should consider drinking better, and drinking less.
4
I'm sorry you have to be so defensive about making a list in the $20 range. I haven't read the comments yet but it couldn't be more clear that you are not bashing wines for less or telling anyone how to spend their money or that they have bad taste!
10
In the late 60's I was Sterling Vineyards National Sales Manager and Marketing Manager. Recently while in my local Costco, the largest wine retailer in the world. There I saw something called Sterling vintner's collection Cab Sauf 2017 for $7 for 750 ML. Bought a case. Also bought a case of Frontera CS and Merlot 2018 for $8 a 1.5L ot $4 per 750ML. The Frontera CS is my house wine.
Eric is located in NYC and my experience with selling in NY provided a real understanding of the wine market there. They sell vast quantities of inexpensive Italian wines and at the high end, the best and most expensive wines also do very well. The Chinese now have incredible wealth and have occupied the high end of the market.
Costco also usually has a rep who knows something about wine in that department. On occasion the person there has zero wine knowledge.
Thanks and U own your own taste.
Butch
10
Once again, Mr Asimov recommends wines not available in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Does he even check to see whether the wines he writes about are widely available to regular customers in regular retail outlets?
5
@Emacee That is a Pennsylvania problem, not an Eric problem. The liquor laws in Pa. are ridiculous.
31
Amen, amen, amen! Why we come to Jersey, or trek to Hagerstown or Towson....and god bless the UPS truck!
6
@Nina You may bless the UPS truck. Here in Maryland it is illegal to ship wine to your home
One difference seems to be that in Europe, there are two categories of wine: daily drinker and special occasion.
People say that if you open any refrigerator in France, you will find a box of white wine. Boxed wine is perfect for a daily drinker, because no air gets in so it will keep for at least a month after opening. It is so easy to grab a glass whenever. Many very nice, affordable wines come in boxes in Europe.
Special occasion wines are in bottles and cost much more. But most of the wine consumed in Europe is a daily drinker -- often from a box.
9
For under $20 I can buy some great American wines from California. Why do French wines rate higher? I really don't like really dry wine and welcome a red blend any day. A buttery Chardonnay from California is my pick too. Lots to choose from that are not imported and support American wine makers....for less than $15.
5
@Lorraine Fina Stevenski Good California wines ? You mean wines made like an ice cream with artificial flavors added ? Pieces of wood ? Heavy alcohol that kills the food and the toungue ? I never understood that qualification for French wines as "dry " . Some white wines are dry .Which means that they are not sweet or fruity .But red wine ? What does it mean ? That there is no strong wood in it and no caramel added ?
14
I'd like to be able to click a button and buy all the wines on your list. Any way to make that happen?
17
Absolutely brilliant! Someday, with advanced technology, I can get a nice big pour from my phone with a click of a button. And to eat, my mother’s cooking from India..
7
Not anytime soon, under the Depression era, state by state Byzantine patchwork quilt of liquor distribution laws that serve no benefit whatsoever other than protecting an antiquated, but politically powerful set of useless middlemen.
6
To me, the best wines are those with a story. Nothing more enjoyable than driving through wine regions, stopping at châteaux or just co-ops for a tasting and a few bottles.
I can’t find a good selection of wines in American supermarkets, of which 4/5 taste too sweet, but have found some wine stores around here with good selections of more earthy tasting wines under $20.
7
We pay too much for wine in North America. Period. With dinner, I like wine as an accompaniment to a simple dish. Who needs need to be transported by a wine? Transported to the ATM? An unpretentious $12 bottle of a light, quaffable red made to be consumed today and not 20 years from now is plenty satisfying. More so if it’s $9.99. In Europe, the local plonk that sells for less than soda pop is what we need here - not more wines aimed for upmarket consumers who think $20 for 750 ml of wine is a bargain. It’s not.
5
Twenty wines below $20... 13 wines published are already at $19.90 . I think Mr. Asimov has to rethink his parameters. Truth may be that it has to be expanded to$25.
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Eric has imposed the $20 ceiling in his excellent column for a long time. I would be fine with taking inflation into account and raising it to $25.
9
In the low price category, French wines are almost double the price in the US than what they cost in France . Above 30 $ that difference is reduced .Some of the cheap wines cited here are very bad .But in the mid low range 10/15 $ French wines are still better quality than from elsewhere and also provide the warranty that the grapes come legally only from the location of Appelation controlee. Italian wines are much more expensive in the low range. In France you can buy wine directly from the producer at lower cost and still have good wine which is not possible elsewhere.At under 20 $ California red wines are about as undrinkable as their names are ridiculous. Menage a trois, etc...And the grapes come from anywhere but the supposed location of the maker .And at higher mid range prices , 25/30/40 $ in a good wine shop in NYC you cannot get the equivalent of a French wine in other countries provenance .You would have to pay double and still not comparable.And you buy the headache with it .At the exception, of course, of some Italian wines , very good but more expensive than the French equivalent .At more than 100 $ a bottle, French wine will be the best choice without any comparison.
8
@JPH "provide the warranty that the grapes come legally only from the location of Appelation controlee"! Are you joking? One of the great scandals of France is how every year they produce more and more wine from the same number of hectares. Hint: there is a strong correlation with tanker imports of wine from outside France
Washington Hills Riesling late harvest wine in the blue bottle. A home grown refreshing, sweet wine that almost anyone would enjoy $8.99,
8
I much prefer dry rieslings, thank you
2
Thanks for the Margaret River semillon. I love Australian semillon with a bit of age on it (especially from the Hunter Valley, but an inexplicable craze for Sauvignon Blanc has seen so much of it blended with that devil’s fruit juice.
4
You mention two price points: $8-10, and $15-20. What about the middle range of $11-14? I've found myself buying a lot of wine in that range.
17
We live near St. Emilion; there's a vineyard in front of my house. Their wine goes for 12 euros, about 14 dollars. Its ok, but I can get wine just as good for 6 euros (8 dollars). Imagine our surprise to find my neighbor's wine in a Total Wine shop in Florida! It went for 20 dollars. We have almost no wine tax, but a 20% value added tax, so our taxes are higher. Past a certain cost to make good wine; the rest is often just marketing and profit. As a wine expert, Mr Asimov can do a great service to his readers by finding and writing about cheaper wines.
12
I have a small cadre of bottles that I can get for around $10 that are good wines. But that was a hearty investigation to get those together. Even then they seem to have a brief window of time when their flavors come together. With reds its about two hours after they have been open, and then the flavors start to dull. By the next day they are shot.
I also have my $15-$20 wines that never disappoint. Usually from Spain and Italy, occasionally France. Not bad on day two either.
I will give these American wines a try.
Thanks
2
Costco is the biggest seller of wines in the US.
5
@T
I suspect that a $15 bottle at Costco is the same wine that one pays $20 for in the small wine shops that the author recommends.
14
I am surprised that South African wines rarely appear in these columns! Tremendous value with many wines much undervalued.
Many an article on South African production would be interesting. Maybe the volume is too small to be exported?
Umiliviniq
12
@umiliviniq, I've been drinking South African Chenin Blanc, which is quite tasty, and between $11-$15. It is their answer to Sauvignon Blanc.
$19.99 is basically $20. A lot of your choices are not really under $20.
3
If $19.99 is not under 20, what is?
15
Any time I think $15 to $20 is too expensive, I remind myself how much less it costs to consume such a bottle at home versus buying a single glass in a restaurant.
69
I agree with you about the $15 to $20 price. But I live in Panama City, Panama where wines from Chile, Argentina and Spain are much more prevalent than French, Italian or US wines. In fact this is true throughout Latin America. Perhaps one day you will be able to write a similar column about the wines which are most avaialble in Panama.
7
I second the suggestion for a quick cut-and-paste list; I’ve just painstakingly entered the wines I want to look for into a wine search app. Based on results in that, I’ll note that the prices listed here seem to correspond to Astor and Gramercy Wine, with a huge variation in price for other regions of Tri-State area, not to mention the rest of the country. Part of what I always find frustrating about the “ya gotta pay $15 for the good stuff” mindset is that it seems to overlook the way that a wine I buy for $20 in Manhattan costs less in the burbs. I’m always happy when the write up includes advice (Loire reds! Blaufrankisch!) that helps me look past just price.
6
Even though I continue to drink wines under $10 (and I live next to the Willamette Valley, please forgive me), I appreciate how Mr. Asimov writes a well-reasoned, sympathetic argument for spending a little more for much better bottles. This and his acknowledgement that many of us will still drink mass-market or "cheap" wines, and that there's nothing inherently wrong with it nor will we necessarily suffer for it. Thanks for avoiding the snobbery that sometimes comes with wine articles!
24
The concept of vin ordinaire is lost to wine critics and their followers. Having said that, as mentioned of the French in another comment, Californians know how to drink local too at a much lower price point.
8
French don't spend a lot because they drink every single day and don't have the same disposable income as Americans. They can't spend a lot. Americand drink occasionally and have more money. They also like foreign wines and have to pay shipping. French only drink local.
8
@KLD The French only drink local because that's basically all they can buy at their shops and supermarkets, though those living in wine regions also have the luxury to buy at source. Without fail, one of the most appreciated gifts you can give a French person when visiting his or her house is a nice bottle of non-French wine.
2
We drink wine everyday here in Illinois...a day without wine is like...heh, just kidding...wouldn’t happen.
We tend to drink $5 - $10 wines most days of the week...usually on the lower end of that price range and save the good stuff for weekends or some special occasion. It’s always a treat to have a really good bottle with really good homemade food.
9
I’m glad to see you included a fino from Rey Fernando de Castilla in you list. We’ve had the pleasure of meeting Jan Pettersen and doing a tasting with him a few years ago, and recommend our clients visit his bodega in Jerez. His finos are excellent, and his Solera Gran Reserva Brandys are outstanding.
4
On a stay in Paris last October, I made note of several really good wines I got for 8 to 10 euro, St. Emilion, etc. On returning to New York, I found the exact same wines. Guess what? About 20 dollars. Shipping and taxes I guess. Solution? Save up for your next trip to France and indulge. Also there is that French cooking to go with your wine!
14
Apropos your comment, I suggest reading Jay Rayner’s restaurant review in The Guardian newspaper dated Feb 3rd Sunday. He reviews a French restaurant in London - Monsieur Le Duck- but the first paragraph describes wine in France vs the same wine back home. It’s hilarious and oh so true; unfortunately I don’t think I can cut and paste that here probably due to some copyright issues.
2
@Pb Just read it and it is quite worthwhile
1
One of the advantages of wines in this price range is that they are affordable for experimentally adding to cooking, too.
Find two or three that are favorites for cooking certain dishes—And viola! You instantly know what drinking wine pairs with the cooked dish.
I always use wine or fresh citrus when preparing fish or chicken. Add fresh rosemary, tarragon or other herbs, plus fresh ground pepper, and it is a simple but elegant entree.
7
Totally agree. I doubt I am much different from most other people who actually enjoy wine and pay at least a little attention to what they are drinking; not an oenophile at all, I don't know regions/soils/vineyards and such by heart at all. I favor pinot noir wines from the Northwest US, whites from New Zealand, rieslings from Germany...but am very flexible. But the $20 price point in this article runs true to me. I definitely drink less-expensive wines (although not supermarket cheapo's) normally at home.
Here is the difference in my mind: I drink a glass of the cheaper wine in the evening, and forget about it as soon as the glass is empty, and I'm not "paying attention" to the wine as I drink it...it's more like drinking a satisfying glass of water. However, I have $20-class wines on hand and occasionally have a glass; now I'm enjoying each sip and, more importantly, I'm remembering the enjoyment after the glass is empty. I just bought a Rose Brut Vino Spumante by Alice winery for just under $20 - lots for a Brut, yes...but so enjoyable. And this was from a higher-end wine bar so may be cheaper at my favorite Spec's store. Good things are worth it, when enjoyed.
14
I find it amusing that so many of the wines that make the cut for this list are priced at $19.99 or $19.96 or similarly. Odd pricing and also just under the limit, amazingly.
7
@Kate
From a retail standpoint, $19.xxx vs $20.xxx is processed differently by our brains. If everyone saw gas at $2.05 a gallon, and one station ran a special at $1.99, they would have a line down the street.
At $2.09 vs $2.03, the cheaper station would likely not see significant additional business.
A very good local winery, Abacela in the Umpqua Valley, tends to price most of their store stock just under $20 for that reason. They have more expensive varietals, but those are typically reserved for club members.
5
Referring to both German Rieslings:
1. These are perfect samples for “the” modern Rheinhessen resp. “the” Pfälzer Rieslings as stylistic icons. Both producers belong to the “tip of the top” of their areas, their “entry level” is the same or even higher than the level of many middle class Kabinetts or Spätleses by other vintners. In addition VDP principles require similar devotion to lower ranks of wine as it is required for wines of higher ranks and it´s a natural fact for many other quality orientated producers to show their abilities by their basics.
2. These are no Supermarket wines. Both producers are not the cheapest ones in their area to put it mildly and both wines are significantly over 10 € (ex-producer price excluding tariffs and shipping in Germany).
3. These are no everyday wines. Even buyers of such wines usually open 5-8 € bottles by “Genossenschaft” or “by the vintner we know” when it comes to this category. (European price level). This can be great also but it might not be completely perfect.
4. These are wines to enjoy as “something really good” at weekends for instance. Then it is still not cheap but a well balanced price-performance ratio for such stylistic icons.
2
@ws Sadly, most Americans think of Rieslings in particular and German wines in general as sweet because they used to be that way back in the 1970s and 80s and are still the most common sort in the blue bottle (like Relax or similar). That German/Alsatian wines can be dry and/or complex is a relatively new concept that I hope will take off, so we have a wider variety available here in the States. Zum Wohl!
3
@ ws köln
I think that the Rieslings from Rheinhessen and the Pfalz are inferior to those of the Mosel Valley. All German Rieslings are graded by their degree of sweetness, translated as sugar content.
The best Rieslings are from Alsace, always dry, acidic, and earthy in taste.
3
@Tuvw Xyz
Mosel and Mittelrhein on one hand and Rheinhessen und Pfalz on the other are significantly different.
Rheinhessen and Pfalz are better suited for dry wines than Mosel and most of Mittelrhein due to climate (IMHO). Climate change and a tremendous improvement of vintner`s skills in all areas have contributed to the raise of dry wines since the nineties. Dry Rieslings have benefited from this particularly because if Riesling is ripe and reduction of acids by ripeness has progressed the strong Riesling acidity isn´t drilling any more so it´ not required to balance it by too much sweetness. While Pfalz and Rheinhessen got hotter and hotter many former part time vintners who were also growing potatoes and wheat in the old days there have learned their job by efficient professional education. This changed the character of wine for the better. and led to many succesful "startups" there.
The ancient rules are not valid any more. Vine law isn´t as detrimental as it had been frequently written. Nowadays some kinds of factual "quality pyramids" are established by many vintners to deal with. The rating by sugar content has lost it´s former importance. In normal vintages it´s always enough now.
Sweet mass plonk has plunged here. This is no loss because if there is no basic character this stuff is going to taste anything but sweetly and this means boring.
Sweet classics are still great, they became more interesting nowadays. Check out "feinherb" in Nothern areas.
3
So the average Frenchman typically spends $5 on a bottle of wine. What does the average American spend on a bottle? I can tell you from my experience about the same price. I’ll bet you $5 that most Americans probably don’t have any wine in the their homes.
I’m a pretty good cook and when I invite people over for dinner, they will mostly bring over that $5 a bottle wine which I politely thank and then serve some of the 15-$20 bottles of wine from my own cellar. When they do ask if they can bring wine, I now ask them for a dessert wine as I know for a fact, they won’t have that in their kitchen cabinets...
26
It kinda depends on your friend circle. Mine brings the good stuff!
4
I completely agree with the 15-20 dollar rule. My go-to regions are the Southern Rhône and Southern Italy. The wines will have plenty of character yet still be friendly to your wallet.
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I agree. Regions like Bandol (more known for rosé) have some pretty good everyday wines without the prices commanded by the famous regions.
On my holidays in the Provence the locals there went to buy their table wine directly from the producer by the liters.
3
I have to agree with the author’s price point. Ten or fifteen years ago I could find enjoyable wines for $8 - $12 but those days are gone with rare exception. Now it is typically $17 - $25 for a wine in which I am entirely satisfied. The difficult part is finding the good wines at that price. I can try five bottles for each one that is a keeper. That averages out to over $100 for each good bottle.
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@ Rob F And then, the next years vintage may quite different from the one enjoyed now and the process begins again. C'est la vie!
3
Now that's a highly non-Apothic selection of delightful inexpensive wines.
A confession:
I did go all up and snobby in last week's comments.
But I do enjoy a bottle of the chicken wine (white or rose, never red) when I'm in a place where there's only supermarket wine. Like you said, you can do better, but if that's all there is, you can do much worse than those Petit Ferme chickens.
6
Can you or an intern please, I beg you, put these in a format that I can cut paste into a shopping list on my phone or better with some programming put in a format that I pull into a shopping list app?
Or even just a list with names at the end would be enough. I will be happy to do my own cutting a pasting. Getting the current list into a list means either writing 20 names down or copy/paste.
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@Burning in Tx
Hi there,
It took me about ten minutes to copy the article into a word document, cut away everything I did not want, and create a list or more complete document to fulfill my every desire. :-)
Cheers
2
@Burning in Tx
Oddero Barbera d’Alba 2014 $16.96
Happs Margaret River Sémillon 2014 $16.96
Lambert de Seyssel Petit Royal Seyssel Methode Traditionelle NV $19.99
Raúl Pérez Bierzo Ultreia Saint Jacques Mencía 2016 $19.99
Fernando de Castilla Fino Classic Dry $19.99
Keller Rheinhessen Riesling Trocken 2017 $19.99
Dr. Bürklin-Wolf Pfalz Wachenheimer Dry Riesling 2016 $19.99
Empire Estate Finger Lakes Dry Riesling 2017 $17.99
La Palazzetta di Flavio Fanti Rosso di Montalcino 2016 $19.96
Sidónio de Sousa Bairrada Reserva Tinto 2015 $18.99
Domaine Bru-Baché Jurançon Sec 2015 $19.99
Bonny Doon Vineyard Clos de Gilroy Monterey County Grenache 2017 $16.96
Rogue Vine Itata Valley Grand Itata Blanco 2016 $19.96
Broadside Paso Robles Margarita Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2016 $19.96
Guillaume Clusel Coteaux du Lyonnais Traboules 2017 $18.99
Domaine Filliatreau Saumur Champigny 2016 $19.96
Grifalco Aglianico del Vulture Gricos 2016 $19.96
Château Massereau Bordeaux Supérieur 2016 $19.99
L’Umami Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 2017 $19.99
Foxglove Paso Robles Zinfandel 2015 $16.99
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@El Lucho
Ten minutes? Assuming you've read the article attentively online, you're dallying. This could be done in 60 seconds or less. But your approach is a good one.
Eric, you are exactly right, and its what I tell my customers and everyone I know. Real wine starts at 15-- Oddero awesome selection-- love that producer and Grifalco-- any reds from the loire and cru Beaujolais a value too!
8
For those who want to enjoy wines in the $15-20 range but hesitate at the cost, please consider this: Once you've identified a wine you really like, buy it by the case. My wine retailer will sell a case at cost + 10%, which usually knocks a few bucks off the cost of each bottle. Reluctant or unable to buy a full case? Split the cost of the case with-wine loving friends.
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I love the 20 under $20 recommendations you make every 6 months or so and try to find these wines with limited success. When I do find them, I enjoy them tremendously. I do wish you would not begin each one of these columns with a kind of apology for the budget you suggest. I went through the last three of these and found a similar apologetic defensive vein. It’s fine to spend $20 on a good bottle of wine- some women I know spend that every week on their nails and hair.
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@ Pb Chicago
I love wine, but when I think of the cost of a 5- to 7-year-old Châteauneuf du Pape that is ready to drink in the store, I get stingy.
Today's nominal $20 is close to the price of 1 troy oz of gold in pre-F.D.Roosevelt's days, current price about $1,300. Is this a good metric for wine prices? :-))
2
If you think you can do nails and hair for that little, then I guess you are buying the next bottle for a female friend!
2
Eric has wisely and with no ambiguity outlined the scope of this particular piece, leaving readers with no question of its intent. I for one can't wait to get started in acquiring some of them. I especially enjoy matching my moderately trained tastebuds against the descriptions of particular wines by experts. That way I get a better understanding of what my mouth is feeling and tasting in regard to tannins, oak, sweetness, and especially minerality. Thanks, Eric, I love your columns.
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