by Carolyn Prusa CWE
Like so many other Americans, my husband and I made a 2009 New Years resolution to cut back on expenses. To help in that regard we've decided to eat at home more and spend less on wine.
Don't get me wrong. We're not drinking less, just spending less. As Benjamin Franklin once said, “Wine makes daily living easier, less hurried, with fewer tensions and more tolerance.” The wise statesman's words are as relevant for our time as when he first penned them over 200 years ago.
Now to the subject at hand, what wines go with a Recession? The answer to that, of course, depends on one's circumstances. In my opinion, if you only have $5 or less to spend on a bottle, you get pretty much what you pay for. But, there are a number of wines in the $9-$12 range that I consider of above-average quality for the money. Wines worth drinking that possess both flavor and character.
Finding these little wine gems is easier than you might imagine particularly if you're the adventurous sort, willing to explore new wine frontiers. And, a succession of good vintages all over the world in recent years makes the challenge that much easier.
Here's my short list of recommendations. Use it as a starting point for your own wine treasure hunt. Take it from me, these wines are all distributed in Northern Nevada.
Drink Well. Happy New Year!
Goats do Roam Red, South Africa - This wine's name is a play on the famous French wine, Cotes-du- Rhone. It is a blend primarily of Shiraz and Pinotage along with lesser amounts of Cinsault, Mourvedre, Grenache, and Carignan. The wine is well balanced, with fruit and plum flavors and a bit of oak, smooth tannins and spice in the finish. Goats do Roam is ready for drinking now. If you like the wine, stock up and continue to enjoy it over the next year or two.
A word of explanation: Pinotage is a quintessential South African grape variety, developed in 1925 by crossing Pinot Noir and Cinsault. To this day there's very little of this unique variety planted anywhere outside of South Africa.
Trapiche Malbec, Mendoza, Argentina - Malbec is one of the great wines of Argentina. In the Mendoza region especially, this French transplant grape has found the ideal habitat to express its best qualities: lively red color, fruity aroma of plums and cherries, and round flavor with a touch of truffles and leather. Enjoy Malbec's versatility with red meat, pizza, BBQ.
Antinori Santa Cristina, Tuscany, Italy - If you like Chianti you'll like this wine from Antinori, one of the world's oldest and most distinguished wine producers. Like Chianti, Santa Cristina is primarily Sangiovese along with 10 percent Merlot, added to lend soft fruit nuances to the wine. Aromas of fresh raspberry and flowers follow through to a medium-bodied palate, with an easygoing texture and lingering fruit in the finish. Bring on the pasta with meat sauce.
Bitch Grenache, Barossa Valley, Australia - Bitch is 100 percent Grenache. Those who should know - winemakers and grape growers - say that Grenache is a difficult grape to work with, both in the vineyard and the winery. It's a wine that can easily be vapid, but potentially as profound as wine gets. As such, I'm guessing Grenache has been called worse names than this provocatively labeled bottle. Bitch Grenache sees no oak since the objective of the winemaker is to provide pure, explosive, unadulterated, juicy Grenache. Get over any bias you may have about the name and enjoy the wine for what it is, a really good red for the money.
Veramonte Sauvignon Blanc Reserva, Casablanca Valley, Chile - Cool climate grape that it is, Sauvignon Blanc thrives in Chile's cool Casablanca Valley, 22 miles from the Pacific coast. Veramonte Sauvignon Blanc is 100 percent varietal and unoaked. Highlighting the zesty fresh stone fruit and citrusy, herbal spectrum of the grape's varietal character, this wine is much like you'd expect from a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc but for a lot less money. In the past decade this style has skyrocketed in popularity.
(oops) Carmenere-Merlot, Valle Central, Chile - Carmenere was transplanted from France's Bordeaux region to Chile over a century ago. As the story goes, Carmenere was planted freely with Merlot grapes, and presumed to be Merlot until a viticulturist in 1994 revealed the mistake. Oops! While it was a struggle for the grape to do much more than survive in Bordeaux, it's proved to be an over-achiever in Chile. The delightfully affordable (oops), a mix of Carmenere and Merlot, is mediumbodied, with loads of red and black fruit, a velvety texture on the palate and a juicy, long ending.
Hob Nob Vin de Pays d'Oc Pinot Noir, France - Finding good Pinot Noir for $10 is like the Holy Grail of wine buying. While expensive French Pinot Noir comes from the Burgundy region, this wine comes from the south of France. It has enticing flavors of cherry, earth and spice on a rich, velvety palate enriched with subtle hints of vanilla. Pair it with mushroom sauces, pizza, Swiss cheese burger or whatever your heart's desire.
Marquis de la Tour Brut, Loire Valley, France - The Champagne folks have done a pretty good job of persuading us that their product is second to none. But as we know, French Champagne can get costly. Here's a very respectable alternative from the Loire Valley, France's largest sparkling wine region outside of Champagne. Marquis de la Tour Brut is a blend comprising 50 percent Chenin Blanc, 25 percent Sauvignon Blanc and 25 percent Chardonnay. It has a crisp tartness that follows through on the finish.
Panarroz Jumilla, Spain - This wine is an amazing value from Jumilla, one of Spain's hottest wine regions! Panarroz is a brand created by Hand Picked Selections and bottled at Bodegas Olivares, one of the leading wineries not just of Jumilla but all of Spain. A blend of Mourvèdre, Grenache, and Syrah, this unoaked red offers plummy, blackberry aromas, with bold fruit, spicy, peppery notes and silky tannins on the palate. It's perfect with grilled meats or vegetables.
Francis Coppola Presents Bianco Pinot Grigio, California - Most of us know Francis Ford Coppola as a five-time Academy Award winning American film director, producer, and screenwriter. But did you know that Mr. Coppola is also a magazine publisher, hotelier, chef and vintner? This Pinot Grigio from the Coppola Presents Rosso & Bianco Winery in Sonoma County (the former Chateau Souverain Winery) is fermented and aged in stainless steel to preserve its fresh fruit aromas and flavors. A small amount of Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay are blended in to add complexity. It's perfect to have around for an afternoon of relaxation or a casual meal. Try it with Caesar salad, pan-roasted chicken, and pizza topped with goat cheese.