Wine - Affordable Recommendations.

 

Are there any other wine people floating around these boards?

I've been into tasting wines for a little over a year now and have found it fascinating hobby to pursue.  I'm in Virginia where we have a growing wine industry, so I have a good deal of experience with the wines of my home state.

I'd particularly like to hear from people who are into other US wine producing states.  Everyone knows about California, I'd rather hear about some choice selections from some of the smaller producers.. NY, MI, TX.. etc.

Inexpensive recommendations are awesome too.  Right now I'm really into Pepperwood Grove's Chardonnay, which is about as good as you're going to get for $7.99 per bottle.

HI:  Just found your post.  I live in Northern Nevada and there is one winery in our area.  But, my tastes have changed and I don't like it anymore. 

You mentioned that everyone knows about CA wines.  I disagree.  Let me more specific.  Everyone knows about Napa and Sonoma County Wines.  There are a lot of other regions in CA that make terrific wines.  I love a good red but recently have been looking for good and cheap Sav. Blanc and Pinot Grigio wines.  Glen Ellen make some good ones.

I live in the pacific northwest, and we've got a great, thriving wine country here.  Try Oregon Pinot Noirs.  They're often pretty affordable, and I've never tried one I didn't like.

i am, but i'm a student on a budget, so maybe not in your class (although it's a couple of decades since i bought an $8 bottle of wine).

i've been a fan of the bold australian reds for a long time, especially the yellowtail shiraz and shiraz blends.  but recently i've been trying to stay more local.  jackson triggs is one of many BC vinyards, and they're bottling some beautiful reds: shiraz, cab shiraz, merlot (not my favourite, but nice). 

thebrat, you're right about glen ellen.  i first had a glen ellen chardonnay about 18 years ago, when it was still a rarity in BC.  i'm not sure it's kept up with expectations, but it's very nice.

I love red wine, but I detest Merlot.  I'm in Ontario and I dig me some Inniskillin which is made near Niagara Falls.  For cheap and ready to drink try Two Buck Chuck.  I believe that's a North Western wine.

Medveditsa, I have a bottle of Kathken Vineyards 2002 Pinot Noir (Williamette Valley) that I've been waiting to open.  I think you've just inspired me to do so.

Pg, I find Yellowtail too strong.  I bet it would be great if I would have let it sit and mellow, but I bought it and drank it right away.  Do you let it mellow before drinking it?

Original Post by thebrat:

You mentioned that everyone knows about CA wines.  I disagree.  Let me more specific.  Everyone knows about Napa and Sonoma County Wines.  There are a lot of other regions in CA that make terrific wines.  I love a good red but recently have been looking for good and cheap Sav. Blanc and Pinot Grigio wines.  Glen Ellen make some good ones.

 Check out Kim Crawford's 2007 Sauvignon Blanc.  It's relatively inexpensive ($17.99) and the winery almost always produces a wine that's very representative of New Zealand's Marlborough region.

Have you ever had anything from Bonny Doon?  They're located in Santa Cruz CA and produce some pretty awesome, and unique, wines.  Their 'Big House' line red/white/pink was very drinkable, and affordable at $8.99, last time I tasted, but I believe the right to produce that wine was sold to another winery, so I can't vouch for the quality post 2006 or so.  

I live in Michigan, and he have some awesome vineyards with great wine!  I love riesling, dessert wine, and pinot.

Best riesling in Michigan:

Lone Oak Vineyard, semi-dry riesling (usually sold out, you have to order in advance).

Best dessert wine in Michigan:

Cherry Creek Cellars Black Raspberry dessert wine, "Fetter hahn"

Best Pinot in Michigan:

Mackinaw Trail Pinot-Grigio

My wife and I love wine and we are always trying new kinds and trying to learn more about it. We have found some really nice affordable wines that we like and we are always ready to try new ones!

Crazy oenophile here!

I'm a huge fan of West coast wines.  A previous poster mentioned Oregon Pinot Noirs, and I would have to second that emotion.  I don't drink a lot of Pinot Noir, but when I do it's almost always an Oregon.

Best region of Napa is Oakville, in my opinion.  I'll scoop up any Oakville Napa I see.

Orin Swift Vineyards make some stellar blends.  I love The Prisoner.

For less than $20 you can pick up the Firehouse Red from Tamarack Cellars in Washington.  Fantastic red blend.  Another good one is Artezin, which is from the Hess Collection.  I find that one interesting, as it's all zinfandel grapes, but a blend of regions.  That one usually runs about $12 or so.

A great white is Conundrum, from the same people who make the Caymus reds.  And the Caymus reds are insanely good.  Tends to run anywhere from $18-$25.

I do love blends, as I love picking apart the wine, tasting all the different grapes, discovering how their nuances come through in each blend.

committed Mondavi (Woodbridge) fan. all varieties.

For an everyday cheap wine, Trader Joes sells Charles Shaw Wines (known as 2 Buck Chuck in CA).  This wine really has gotten some rotten review and some great reviews by people who consider themselves wine snobs.   This goes back to my belief, that wine is a personal thing.  Some of the top rated wines are my least favorites.   They simply don't fall in my taste range.

I love love love muscidine wine.  I get it at Wal-Mart for $7 a bottle.  It's fantastic.  So far, it's my fav. 

I actually have a second job at a small wine store.  We carry "boutique" wines - lower priced wines from lesser known wineries from all over the world.  But even before that, I was really into wine and I love to visit many of the wineries in Texas - we have the second most wineries in the country behind California!  Yeah!  Unfortunately one of the best wineries I know of here doesn't sell outside the area.  The biggest one - Becker - makes total crap.  They used to be good until they got really big and commercialized.  :(

PG- Oh yeah, I love Jackson Triggs Sauv Blanc! 

Death- I have had several Bonny Doon wines but they are all super sweet.  Not sure if they make anything not on the dessert lines?  I do like their framboise though - it makes a good sangria.  :)

Original Post by fuzzys:

 

Death- I have had several Bonny Doon wines but they are all super sweet.  Not sure if they make anything not on the dessert lines?  I do like their framboise though - it makes a good sangria.  :)

 I don't have their full list available to me right now, but their Cardinal Zin is pretty awesome.  It's not a typical kickyouintheface zinfandel, rather it's on the lighter side with a ton of fruit complexities.

And I'm sending TONS OF JEALOUSY your way for getting to work in a wine shop.

Yeah, I only work there for the obvious benefits - get to drink while working, 2 bottles free per month, discounts, and oh yeah, did I mention I get to drink at work?  :)

I work for a wine supplier in the uk and recommend icon nobilo sauvignon Blanc, its not expensive and is fantastic. Recently got my wine and spirit qualification, was interesting taste testing champagne at 9am!

When I graduated from college I took a job that moved me every 6 months or so. One hobby I picked up was wine :)  Going to local wineries is always fun!  Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, and up into Niagra Falls have some great wineries.  I went to one in Georgia (not so good), and Tacoma (south) CA had some nice ones. Just last weekend I did a winery tour in Grapevine, TX.  Texas wines are okay, they had some great pinot grigio, but most of their wines tend to be very sweet.  I like more dry wines.

Some inexpensive recomendations: Eco Domani Chianti and their Pinot Grigio...they usually runs less than $10 a bottle and are great.  Pepperwood grove (which you mentioned) also makes a great pinot noir. And Ravenswood has a good Zinfandel for less than $10.  I'm not sure where you live, but if there's a Trader Joes they have a storebrand with the nickname "Two Buck Chuck", I think there is a Merlot, Chardonnay, and a Cab...it's only like $3 and has actually won awards! Every one I had was good :)

I took a class on wine at a local community college one time.  It only cost about $40, and ran for 4 wks...it was awesome and I learned enough to get by ;) If you have anything like that around, I'd definately recommend it :p

RD - Grapevine probably isn't very representative of Texas wines.  I am not sure what wines they were serving, but there are no vineyards anywhere near that area.  There are some wineries in the DFW area, but most of them import their wine/grapes from elsewhere and, the ones I've been to at least, are generally pretty low quality.  The 2 main areas of vineyards is in Central Texas/Hill Country (Austin/San Antonio) and in the Panhandle - Lubbock/Amarillo.  If what you had was too sweet, it is probably because you were tasting some crappy sugar added stuff.  Unfortunately there are some of those around, but it's not representative of good Texas wines.  :)

I recently moved to the Napa Valley, and I now work for a company that owns two wineries.  I must say, I was never very interested in wine before, but I am getting more and more involved in the local wine culture.

I still don't really have any idea what constitutes good wine, and I really can't taste all the nuances that sommeliers do (I mean, does anyone know what elderberries taste like, really?  and how would you know if something has notes of flint?  what does that even mean?).  :)  But I am learning what I do and don't like, and it's been fun figuring that out.

I agree with medveditsa that Oregon Pinot Noirs have been fantastic... if you like Cabernet Sauvignon, though, do try Napa varietals.  I like Rutherford Grove's Cabs, and Rubicon Estate is great too, although pricey.  For Chardonnay, I've been liking Sonoma Coast wineries.  Thebrat - Bianco Pinot Grigio is worth trying, and is reasonably priced - you can find it for around $8 or $9, usually.

There is a really cool vacation spot in MI, if you go to the beds and breakfasts along the Eastern coast of Lake Michigan, there are lots of wineries and cool little shops. I did some drinking...er...tasting there last summer. Contessa winery had some great wines, and they served them at cellar temperature, which is something you don't see a lot of these days. They grew 75% of the grapes used on site, and the other 25% were from local vineyards. If I remember correctly they grew mostly French-hybrid grapes. Down the street was a chocolatier who made the most fabulous truffles I've ever had. No waxiness, all smooth chocolatey melt.

Personally, I'm a fan of the gamay grapes and their French wines. I love Beajolais wines for parties, because they are good, and yet easy to drink. Fairly cheap too.

If I want to impress a fellow wine drinker, I go for a Rioja, really punch em in the mouth if you know what I mean. I love the Faustino from '96. Good year. Bit expensive, though, around $30 a bottle, but well worth it.

Something I do is I joined a local liquor store's membership program. I get ads and I get emails telling me when things will go on sale. Last month, I picked up a case of Villa Frattina Pinot Grigio which usually runs $17.99/bottle for $2.99/bottle because it was the last of their stock. It's a great wine for hostess gifts or to take to parties or such, and it'll be fine until the end of the year, for sure. Just another great way to try different wines and varietals.

 

*raises hand*

Wine-o right here!!!