[berkshire_rider]

Let's hear about the <$20 a bottle red wines you have tried / liked / not liked and why. Reviews are appreciated, and even encouraged. Here's my first installment:

2003 Paringa Cabernet Sauvignon (Australia)
2002 Black Opal 58% Cab 42% Merlot (Party Blend? ) (Southeast Australia)
2003 Fat Bastard Merlot (France)

So far, only opened the Paringa. It's a decent Cab, pretty much what you would expect. Probably middle of the road. The Black Opal should be uncorked later tonight.

 

[TN]

Had this last night ($7.99).....
very robust & complex for a cheap bottle. I liked it a lot.

We also had a Jindalee Shiraz last week that was a fruit bomb. It was good but not what I want out of a Shiraz. You really cant complain about a $10 magnum though...well you can, but not about this one.

I could go on & on, because all of our wines are under $20. Except for a few.

There is one more worth mentioning...

I love this stuff & it is $11.99 a magnum.

check the link in my sig for a bunch more photos & reviews.

 

[berkshire_rider]

I could go on & on, because all of our wines are under $20. Except for a few.

Please do. I think it's great you can get good, quality wine for less than $20 a bottle. I'll take a look at your blog.

 

[SkaredShtles]

Ahhhhhhhhhhh.... crap. Like TN - all mine are under $20. Almost every one is under $15.

But here is a little list & their "out of 5" ratings we gave them:

Centine Banfi '03 - 3.5
Pico Maccario Berro Barbera d'Asti '03 - 4.0
Buchli Station Pinot Noir '03 - 3.5
Poggio Bignoso Chianti '03 - 3.0
Marques de Caceres Rioja '01 - 3.0
Deakin Estate Shiraz '02 - 2.5

 

[TN]

If you can get your hands on a 2004 Erath Pinot Noir, DO IT.

It was 13.99 at our wine shop & frikkin' rocks my tastes buds. It is like liquid cherry sucrets...but dont let that description turn you off....it is the diggity.

I also just tried a Barefoot Syrah. It was OK...I prolly wont get it again. Best thing about it was the price.

 

[Zutroy]

Yellow Tail has an excellent Shiraz for the price ~$5 a bottle. The Private reserve is alittle better around $20 if i remember right.

 

[SkaredShtles]

Another Italian:

Dogajolo. Good stuff for the price ($11)

 

[jimmydean]

I have to pick up a few cases of Duck Pond Merlot this weekend since they are selling it for $4 a bottle.
http://www.duckpondcellars.com/wine-reds.asp

You can't buy wine through the mail outside of Oregon, but I can pick it up and mail it to my folks. WTF?

 

[TN]

I have to pick up a few cases of Duck Pond Merlot this weekend since they are selling it for $4 a bottle.
http://www.duckpondcellars.com/wine-reds.asp

You can't buy wine through the mail outside of Oregon, but I can pick it up and mail it to my folks. WTF?

I believe it is illegal to mail alcohol too, but you could still mail me some more OR Pinot & embrace my anarchist spirit. :evil:

 

[Zutroy]

I believe it is illegal to mail alcohol too, but you could still mail me some more OR Pinot & embrace my anarchist spirit. :evil:

The laws should be changing on that i beleive, i think the supreme court decided a couple months ago it was illegal to restrict the shipping of wines and such

 

[SkaredShtles]

And another good Italian:

Dimajo Norante Sangiovese '04. Good stuff.

 

[narlus]

The laws should be changing on that i beleive, i think the supreme court decided a couple months ago it was illegal to restrict the shipping of wines and such

all they ruled on was that it was illegal for states to allow exports of wine but not imports...so the states could turn around and stop exports. so places like WV, GA, IL, you know the hotbeds of winemaking, well, they may not be available.

it sucks, basically.

 

[narlus]

back to the thread....the old standards for good cheap wine for me are Guigal's cote du rhone, and wolf blass green label shiraz. it used to also include ravenswood's vintners blend of zin, but tasting Ridge made me realize what a fairly crappy wine that really is. their shiraz (aussie-sourced) isn't too bad.

 

[scurban]

Bonny Doon Big House Red.

 

[TN]

Bonny Doon Big House Red.

Smoking Loon Syrah

 

[TN]

another good Pinot Noir.....Hahn Estates Pinot Noir....not as good as the Erath, but it still had lots of concentration, definitely fruit forward, the digs.

 

[LordOpie]

Had this last night ($7.99).....
very robust & complex for a cheap bottle. I liked it a lot.

$8 is an absurdly good price. Anytime Koonunga is under $10, it's worth buying.

Koonunga is one step up the product line from Rawson's. I think Bin 182 is the step above Koon

 

[Meat Foot]

If you can get your hands on a 2004 Erath Pinot Noir, DO IT.

Yeah, they make some good wine (for me I would not lump them into "cheap", but that is what my wallet says

I also just tried a Barefoot Syrah. It was OK...I prolly wont get it again. Best thing about it was the price.

Would agree, that this is not that great, doable but not something to take stock in.

Now to get laughed at and thrown off the board, my wife and I took a gamble on some 3 buck Chuck (here in Ory-gone there is a liquor tax that bumps it up a dollar) Shiraz. It was absolute junk. First time I can remember actually dumping alcohol down the drain it was that bad. I think it turned on us. It smelled cidery from the get-go.

 

[LordOpie]

Bonny Doon Big House Red.

My girl says that Bonny Doon -- entire product line -- is good stuff.

 

[Silver]

I had a Guenoc Petite Sirah today that was really nice...

 

[berkshire_rider]

Picked these up yesterday, but haven't uncorked them. The local store said they are having a hard time getting the 2004 Erath Pinot Noir.

 

[LordOpie]

recommendations by my girl... $8-15 Talbott Kali-Hart, Erath, Pinot Evil, Brancott, Matua, Blackstone, Twin Fin, The Jibe...
__________________

 

[narlus]

brancott gets some good raves, but i prefer to the matua to that, personally (at least in sav blanc). haven't had the others. what reds are they lord opie, pinot noirs? i find it hard to believe that you could get an NZ pinot for $8, but i haven't searched that hard to be honest.

 

[LordOpie]

Yeah, noirs. The Jibe should be $10-12. Most of the others are closer to $15.

I suspect pricing depends upon where your store is.

 

[laura]

we just had a big fire pinot noir. I absolutely loved it. i think it was about 15 bucks. big fruit flavor with a smooth vanilla finish. (i've been taking lessons from tn in my wine speak.)

 

[LordOpie]

FYI Big Fire is the former winemaker for Erath.

The higher end version of Big Fire is R.Stuart Autograph ($40), but Big Fire is really good stuff.

PS: This comment is from my girl... I'm still an idiot

 

[narlus]

in the cheap red search, i picked up a bottle of Panarroz from the Jumilla region of Spain. i was suckered in by the '90 pt' rating card from WS they stuck near it, and the price was certainly right @ $9.

alas, it kinda sucks. too high in alcohol (14%), and it's unbalanced a bit for my taste. still for $9 i can't complain too much, i guess.

here's someone's description:

"42% Mourvedre, 38% Grenache, and 20% Syrah blend. An amazing bargain, blackberries, and cherries, and an opulent, medium-bodied, fruit-filled personality with a pure, long finish."

 

[LordOpie]

recommendation from my girl for the Jumilla region of Spain -- Carchelo winery, they do a couple, syrah and monestrell. Should be <$10

 

[SkaredShtles]

brancott gets some good raves, but i prefer to the matua to that

Matua! That was the pinot I got a few weeks back on your recommendation........

 

[TN]

Picked these up yesterday, but haven't uncorked them. The local store said they are having a hard time getting the 2004 Erath Pinot Noir.

They have one case left around the corner, I want to scoop it up, but then I will be forced to drink it all because I only have a good place to keep for about 3 months out of the year.

Let us know how you like that Casillero del Diablo.

 

[TN]

in the cheap red search, i picked up a bottle of Panarroz from the Jumilla region of Spain. i was suckered in by the '90 pt' rating card from WS they stuck near it, and the price was certainly right @ $9.

alas, it kinda sucks. too high in alcohol (14%), and it's unbalanced a bit for my taste. still for $9 i can't complain too much, i guess.

here's someone's description:

"42% Mourvedre, 38% Grenache, and 20% Syrah blend. An amazing bargain, blackberries, and cherries, and an opulent, medium-bodied, fruit-filled personality with a pure, long finish."

Oh no, please dont tell me you buy by the numbers. The more I get into wine the more I learn Robert Parker is full of $hit. The high alcohol doesn't suprise me since it scored a 90. Was it a fruit bomb?

 

[TN]

Here are my picks this week....

2002 Altos de Nunez Mencia ($14)-This wine is an awesome example of a rustic, Old World red. Mencia is closely related to Cabernet Franc. It has a nice musty, barnyard aroma that I love. Lots of leather, blackberries & black plum on the tongue with nice licorice finish. I could drink this every night.
BBQ optional but highly recommended.

2002 Torres Coronas Tempranillo ($11)
Nose: lots of ripe blackberry, plum & some cassis, a little bit musty & funky.
Palate: rich casis with some earthy notes in the background, not as much as you would expect (or hope for) from a Tempranillo because it is a blend of 86% Tempranillo & 14% Cabernet Sauvignon. Some cedar chips are there too. There is some vanilla in the lasting finish.

Here is the Big Fire. I am a sucker for labels & thought this one was pretty cool.

 

[LordOpie]

TN, you and Laura have good taste. I'm not surprised she does, but you? Well, you must cuz you married her.

 

[narlus]

torres is a pretty reliable wine producer.

i've never seen Big Fire around here.

 

[SkaredShtles]

<snip>

Here is the Big Fire. I am a sucker for labels & thought this one was pretty cool.

Oh no! Don't tell me you buy by the labels!

I've found the labels are much more full of $hit than RP.

 

[TN]

~S.S.~- You are right, I tend to pick up the bottles with the purdy colors first. I am also distracted by shiny objects.

Lord Opie- I just get really lucky sometimes.

 

[SkaredShtles]

~S.S.~- You are right, I tend to pick up the bottles with the purdy colors first. I am also distracted by shiny objects.

Well - if you're not going to try the rated stuff than what else really do you have to go on? Label is as good a reason as any at that point.

I definitely buy by the numbers. I don't have the money or inclination to simply go out on a limb every time I go in the liquor store. I *will* go on a recommendation before a rating, though.

I've found highly rated, inexpensive wines more often than not turn out to be good. Occasionally I'll come across a foul one, but it's rare.

 

[LordOpie]

Well - if you're not going to try the rated stuff than what else really do you have to go on?

advice by liquor store staff?

some stores have people on staff that can even tell you which wine to buy based on what food you're preparing... not just what is good in general.

 

[TN]

^this is why being a regular at your local wine shop helps in picking good wines. If they are good they can pick up on your likes & dislikes. The main place we buy wine from has the only sommelier in town (that sounds like a challenge to me. ) & she usually knows her stuff but some places have a bunch of idiots running around not knowing a damn thing, so it is best to educate yourself, if you want to be able to pick out good wines that you like.

 

[berkshire_rider]

advice by liquor store staff?

One of the most successfull methods, besides someone suggesting something specific they liked. One of the local places has a guy that works there that must drink a $hitload of wine. He seems to know all about all the good ones from each part of the world.