20 Great Value Wines: How to drink good wine when gas is $5.00 a gallon or more

The current economy has most of us cutting back on non-essentials, driving less, and trying to find ways to save a few bucks. Below is a list of wines that you can afford by cutting back on two gallons of gas or less (most are under $10!). For specific recommendations on wines, wine regions, wine pairings, or anything related to value wines, leave a comment. Have a favorite wine under $10 that I missed? Let us know about it! (Image: WINE AND MONEY© Kvkirillov | Dreamstime.com)

Here are my top picks for value wines, producers, and wine regions. Keep in mind that an 85 is a “Very Good” wine and shouldn’t be overlooked. Too often reviewers and magazines want you to think that only 90 point wines are worth drinking…this isn’t the case and can become quite expensive! An 85 point wine is a wine that I consider to be very good, and would buy again.

Keep an eye out for my report next week on the best wineries and wine regions when it comes to quality and value!

Twenty Great Value Wines: (Click here to download this as a shopping list in PDF Form)

Sparkling

N.V. Riondo Prosecco Veneto IGT -$12 (Italy, Veneto, Veneto IGT): Sealed with a traditional cork requiring a cork-screw. A little sweet, hint of yeast, a little fruity, not a lot of fizz but quite refreshing. Overall good appertif, nice flavors. My rating: 87 pts, GV (Good Value)

N.V. Roederer Estate Brut -$21 (USA, California, North Coast, Anderson Valley): This is the most expensive wine I put on the list, with all the others being $12 or less. But for the price, you get good value here. Apples and citrus on the palate, a very crisp wine with subtle nuttiness and caramel. Nice finish- a great bottle of a special dinner on a budget. My rating: 89 pts, GV Read more

Wines for Spring Part II: A Shopping List - 20 wines to kick off any springtime BBQ!

Part II of my Spring Wine Guide (Read Part I here): The chill of winter is ready to be packed away with your snow pants and wool sweaters in exchange for bathing suits and tank tops. If you’re like me, this time of year you’ll also transition from drinking big red wines every night to more Champagne, crisp whites, and Rose. Sure you’ll still have a big Cabernet or Barolo with a nice dinner indoors, but on a warm spring or summer night its best to kick things off with one (or two, or three!) bottles of a light, slightly chilled wine.

Here are my recommended wines for this Spring organized by Country and Price, with truncated tasting notes (Pink text = Rose wine, Green text = white or sparkling wine, Red text = red wine):

Read more

Tasting Notes: Dow’s Port

Random Notes from a recent wine maker’s tasting:

Dow’s Bomfin - 2005: This Touriga Franca, Touriga Nacional, Aragonez (Tempranillo) and Tinta Barroca was the only red table wine on hand. I found the nose to be quite interesting with some nice dark cherry and plum, as well as a touch of spice. The fruits in the wine were ripe and overall very good, but the wine fell apart into the finish and left me wondering where all the fruits went from the nose! I think that a little more of the Touriga Nacional could have went a long way in gving this wine a good structure and more tannins. My rating: 84 pts

Dow’s 2001 Late-Bottled Vintage: Nose of ripe fruits, spice and burnt oak. Well put together on the palette with a long, dry finish. Would benefit from more structure, but quite good. My rating: 86 pts

Dow’s 10 Year Tawny Porto: - Soft reddish yellow color. Hazelnut and vanilla on the nose, as well as grapefruit and anise. Sublte notes of hazelnut and citrus on the palette, but lacking any serious presence. A delicate, medium dry finish. My rating: 86 pts

Dow’s 20 Year Tawny Porto: - Beautiful amber color with reddish hue. Bouquet of nuts, vanilla, spice, and burnt wood chips. On the palette the wine is alive. Rolling flavors throughout the palette consisting of nuts, citrus, vanilla, and nutmeg. Much better structure and overall integration than the 10 year. Very good. My rating: 91 pts

Dow’s 2003 Vintage Porto: - Spicy nose that needs time to breathe to reveal black cherry and blackberry fruits. A lot of great flavors in this wine with solid fruits that I feel could evolve into something special. Keep this one in the cellar for a while. Drink 2020-2040. My rating: 90 pts

Dow’s 1985 Vintage Porto: Good color for the age. Rich nose of chocolate, black fruits, and a touch of spice. Very elegant across the palette with exceptional balance and focus. Long, lasting finish that is a touch dry but complex and very pleasing. Ready to drink now. My rating: 93 pts

An overview of Porto

Port wine is a type of fortified wine produced solely in the Douro region (Porto) of Portugal. The wine begins as a blend of many different grapes (Touriga Nacional being the primary grape used) and becomes a “fortified” wine during fermentation when alcohol, usually brandy, is added to the wine to cease fermentation and allow high amounts of residual sugar to remain. The outcome? Seriously rich, sweet wine that is served with desserts or with blue cheeses. Non-port fortified dessert wine are made in other areas of the world, but by international law can not use the term “Port” or “Porto” on the label.

The following are the major types of Port:

• Tawny port - Aged in Oak for some time, Tawny port takes on a light, brownish yellow color and tends to have “nutty” flavors which are from the long time spent in oak. Most people new to Port really like Tawny ports which are often very elegant. A 10 year Tawny Port is a blend of wines that are at least 10 years old. Often, older wines are combined with younger wines to create good complexity, bringing young ripe fruits into an oaked, developed older wine. The result can be elegant layers of fruit and spice.
• Ruby port- The least expensive of the Ports, Ruby is aged in concrete vats or stainless steel tanks, preserving the characteristics of the fruits. The result is a wine with a rich color and is drunk young. Some Ruby Reserves can be great wines and are usually less than $20.
• White port- As the name suggest, this is made from all white grapes and is very light in color. It can be dry (which is often mixed with tonic water, lime and mint leaves as a cocktail) or can be sweet and served chilled on a warm summers night. White Port is a great alternative to the dark stuff and can be quite refreshing and enjoyed as an apertif.
• Vintage port- The most sought after type of Port, Vintage Port consists of grapes that are all from one particular vintage. These are only made with outstanding vintages of Port and therefore are quite rare. Vintage Port is rich and elegant, and usually requires decades of aging to reach full potential.
• Late Bottled Vintage (LBV)- LBV Port is made from wine that was harvested as a vintage Port, but for one reason or another did not make it out of the Oak barrels in the time frame required (i.e. low demand). Nonetheless, LBV Port can be very good Port that can be a touch sweeter than Vintage Port, a lighter style of wine, and is usually about half the cost of the Vintage type.

A final note: Port wine is great with or as a dessert, and also with pungent cheeses. Don’t be afraid to try a few different styles and see what you prefer. Although they can be costly and are not usually drunk in large quantities (maybe a small glass or two in a night), Ports tend to save well in the fridge and can be enjoyed over days, an in many cases even a few weeks. With all wines, always store them in cool, dark places when unopened, and once uncorked, kept with a good seal in the fridge!

Saude!

Why you’ll want to know how to pronounce “ah-LEN-tehzh”

Alentejo (pronounced “ah-LEN-tehzh, or “ah-len-te-sho”) is a major wine producing region in the southeast of Portugal (pictured in image). The region occupies a large stretch of land running north to south that consists of miles and miles of rolling plains and forest. This area is situated on very high quality soil of volcanic origin which of which you will find planted olives and vines. Further, the area is the home of hundreds of acres of cork forests which produce approximately one half of the worlds corks.

Until recent years Alentejo was relatively unknown in the wine world as it was often associated with mediocre Portuguese table wine. A rejuvenation in the wine making industry supported by both new technology and the energy of new and younger generation wine makers is currently underway. I expect great things from this region in the next ten years and here hope to briefly introduce you to some of the great things to look for in the near future.

Of the many grapes you’ll find in Alentejo, the majority are prominently red. These wines tend to be big, fruit-forward wines that are approachable young and when done right display solid tannins with some ability to age. The most popular grape variety is what is known locally as Aragonez (Tempranillo). Aragonez is thick-skinned and performs best in cooler climates where it is allowed to develop to maturity. The grape is low in acidity and sugars and therefore performs better as a blend. Aragonez adds flavors of plums, berry, tobacco, leather, and herbs.

Portugal’s national grape, the Touriga Nacional, is usually found growing with a variety of other grapes and was traditionally blended to make Port. More recently, Touriga Nacional is being used to make table wine where it’s tough skin, big dark fruits, and great structure make it an ideal backbone for a big, juicy red. Another very popular grape in Alentejo is Trincadeira. This small, dark grape that grows in bunches provides dark fruits and medium tannins to wines. I have significant experience with Portuguese wines and have to say that one of my favorite grapes is the dark-skinned and delicate Castelao. The Castelao grape provides big raspberry fruits and lots of great spice and are approachable when young. It is often added to a blend of grape varietals to bring out some spice and give the wine youth.

Other common grape varietals include Moreto, Periquita, Touriga Franca (great dark fruits), Alicante Bouschet (a French grape hybrid providing acidity, red fruits, and great color) , and the very unique Alfrocheiro Preto which is found in Vidigueira in the far south. One final note is that although I did not go into them here, Alentejo whites are also up and coming.

In general, 2004 and 2005 were very good vintages in Alentejo. The 2006’s are just starting to show and are looking to be another great vintage. I’d recommend experimenting with the many different varietals and unique blends offered by some of the winemakers in Alentejo. Here are a few suggestions of where to start. One final note, keep in mind that these wines are just making their way back into the US market and are priced very good. This means that a lot of great bargain wines are out there waiting to be found. Good luck!

• Vinha da Tapada Coelheiros (2004)
• Encostas de Estremoz Touriga Nacional (2004)
• Monte da Caldeira Colheita Seleccionada (2004) (50% Trincadeira, 50% Aragonez)
• Quinta da Pinheira (2004) - (Trincadeira, Aragones, Castelao)
  • For more info, see: www.lusoimports.com or Wine Searcher

Quinta Seara D’Ordens Porto LBV 1999 - $24

Late-Bottle Vintage, or LBV ports are considered vintage ports (meaning all the grapes for this wine are from 1999 harvest). They are typically aged for 4-6 years in stainless steel and/or oak, and are “late bottled”. They are typically ready to drink when young and can age successfully for years.

This wine is imported by Luso Imports of Dulles Virginia from the producer in the Douro region of Portugal where all Port is made. Quinta Seara D’Ordens has been making some very good ports lately, including a sweet white port that I will review in the near future. This LBV wine was aged in tanks for 20 months and then in new French oak for 2 more years. The result? This 1999 LBV has an outstanding bouquet. A lovely nose of berries, chocolate and oak. The palette is medium in body and has very nicely structured fruits with hints of chocolate and black berries. The wine is very well balanced and has a medium finish. Serve with a medium sweet dessert, enjoy it with blue cheese, or my favorite - by itself!

A great wine for a summer night

A typical day in Baltimore brings temperatures in the low to mid 90’s and humidity that at times seems to defy the laws of chemistry. Though the hot and humid days tend to lead to warm, muggy nights, we love to be outside, having a nice glass of wine and grilling our favorite fish and meats. What better way to chill off than enjoying a nice, chilled glass of our favorite white wine?

It’s on these evenings that I reach into the fridge and grab a bottle of perfectly chilled Vinho Verde. It’s a crisp, refreshing wine from the region with the same name on the northwestern coast of Portugal. These non-sparkling wines undergo a secondary malolactic fermentation that results in some petillance (bubbles). The cool Atlantic breeze and unique terroir create conditions that are ideal for growing the many grape varieties that you find in Vinho Verde. The typical varieties used include:

• Alvarinho
• Loureiro
• Avesso
• Trajadura

My two favorite Vinho Verdes are Quinto do Ferro Avesso (2005) and Aveleda Alvarinho (2005). Both can be found for under $14 and are a real treat. The Quinto do Ferro is a single varietal of the Avesso grape (hence the name) and displays a brilliant straw color and offers pear, citrus, apple, and a bit of jasmine. The Aveleda is 100% Alvarinho, making it dry and filling it with tropical fruits, spice and some peach.

I recommend either of these, nice and chlled and served young. They are quite the treat on a warm summer night. If you have any other Vinho Verde, or summer wine recommendations, leave a comment!