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WSJ article on best buys - Printable Version

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- hotwine - 04-06-2001

There's a good column in today's Wall Street Journal about bargain wines for $10 or less. And they give high marks to some of those we've mentioned here, including Rhones, Beaujolais, Shiraz and Riojas. See the print edition, or the WSJ subscription website.


- Drew - 04-06-2001

Gil, can you give us the URL? Wall Street Journal wine column has been suspended according to the web site.

Drew


- winecollector - 04-06-2001

Drew- If you like, I can scan it for you and e-mail it. Let me know.


- hotwine - 04-06-2001

Drew, I just noticed this morning that the WSJ weekly wine column is now only available to subscribers of WSJ Online, or from a copy of the print edition.


- Innkeeper - 04-07-2001

Also noticed that this article did not make it to the Wine Press. Have seen other WSJ articles there. Not sure of the technicalities, but maybe if WC got it to Jackie, she could post it there.


- RAD - 04-07-2001

Here you go, gang:

RAD

For Troubled Times,
A Best-Case Scenario
By DOROTHY J. GAITER and JOHN BRECHER

Just because your portfolio is under siege doesn't mean you should give up wine. Quite the opposite. A bottle of wine with dinner makes even the most modest meal appear elegant. Wine can even make life feel normal under trying circumstances. All in all, this seems like a good time to revisit some of the best wines we've found under $10.


Remember, price and value are very different things. No matter how little a wine costs, it's a bad value if it doesn't taste good. On the other hand, some expensive wines are good values because they offer very special experiences.

There are excellent wines for $10 or less, and we've written about many of them during the past three years. It's important to broaden your vision beyond California, though. California produces some bargains, of course, but if you narrow your search to California, you're doing yourself a disservice. Many great deals right now are coming from Australia and Chile and other countries. Even within the U.S., some of the best values are from states other than California, such as Washington.

Buying by the Case

Here's a mixed case of good wine under $10. One piece of advice: Think about buying an entire mixed case. It may seem extravagant, but it's not. When you run into your wine shop after work, tired and rushed, you probably don't take time to make a value-oriented choice. You probably end up spending too much. Not only that, but you can often get a 10% or 15% discount on a case. We've tried to be more specific than usual here because we suspect you may not be in the mood to browse. And we've tried to focus on wines that are widely available.

Freixenet Cordon Negro from Spain. This lovely Cava is still about $8 a bottle. Sparkling wine goes well with many foods, especially with cream sauces and some grilled dishes, and it's just plain good to come home to. There's nothing to make you feel like times are still fat than a nice, lean bubbly.

Lindemans, Jacob's Creek; Hardys or Alice White Chardonnay from Australia. These are not only delicious bargains, but they have a round, woody plumpness that's especially comforting. And these pay a dividend: They are so big and chewy that they keep fine in the refrigerator for a couple of days after opening, so you can stretch your bucks. You don't have to be very choosy among Australian Chardonnays -- most are good buys -- but these are always good to look for.

Muscadet from France. This light, charming white wine from the Loire Valley of France is perfect with seafood and usually available for around $8. Buy the youngest you can find, chill well and drink. Look for Sevre et Maine on the label -- that's the best area -- and you'll be fine.

Estancia, Bogle, Gallo of Sonoma or Beringer Chardonnay from California. Everybody loves Chardonnay, and there's no reason to give it up now. Yes, many inexpensive Chardonnays taste like they were made in a lab from lemon, water and wood chips, but many don't-these four, for instance. And, by the way, now that money is tight, it's a good time to get over your notions about Gallo and try a bottle of Gallo of Sonoma, which is making wines of real value.

Chateau Ste. Michelle or Hogue Sauvignon Blanc from Washington State. Sauvignon Blanc, with its crisp, grassy taste, makes any meal come alive. It's also a great wine to perk you up when you come home after a hard day of watching your stocks sink. Chateau Ste. Michelle is widely available and always a great deal. Hogue is particularly crisp and fun. If you're willing to take a little bit of a risk-but after the dot-com crash, maybe you're not-try an even less-expensive Sauvignon Blanc from Chile, South Africa or New Zealand. They often have a great deal of varietal character, and are more affordable because they're not widely known.

Bogle, Beringer or Fetzer Merlot from California. There's no reason to give up your Merlot because you're downsizing your wine purchases. All three of these are delightful, easy to drink and filled with character.

Cotes-du-Rhone from France. This is the big, earthy red wine from the Rhone Valley. The soulful tastes are perfect for times like this. Need a big hug? This is a comfort wine, appropriate to comfort food like meat loaf. You should be able to find a good one for about $7, sometimes even less.

Rosemount or Banrock Station Shiraz from Australia. Shiraz and various combinations, such as Shiraz/Cabernet, are among the best buys at your wine shop. Shiraz has deep, peppery, earthy, blackberry tastes. Expensive Shiraz can be delicious, but it can also be quite challenging. When you're feeling a bit beat up, what you need is mellow. The less-expensive stuff is easy to drink and homey. You'll have good luck with just about any Shiraz, but these two are reliable and generally available.

Dallas-Conte or Concha y Toro Cabernet Sauvignon from Chile. Some of the best values in red wine are coming from Chile. The wines taste different, with an interesting hint of herbs and spices, which makes them special. These two are good, but Chilean reds, in general, are worth looking for.

Georges Duboeuf Beaujolais, 1999, from France. We've said it again and again: Beaujolais is one of the world's great wine buys. It's classy, easy to drink, reliable, fun and inexpensive. Not only that, but the most ubiquitous Beaujolais, from Georges Duboeuf, is often the best in our tastings. Get a simple Beaujolais-Villages, chill slightly and enjoy.

Marques de Riscal or Marques de Caceres Rioja from Spain. These light Spanish reds are happy wines, good with a wide variety of food. It's hard to go wrong with just about any inexpensive Rioja. These are widely available and very consistent.

Santa Cristina Italian Red from Italy. Italy is home to all sorts of great buys in red wine. This wine, from the famous Antinori family in Tuscany, is certainly one of them. It's made mostly from the Sangiovese grape, with a little Merlot, and is a very lively, classy wine for $8 or $9. Sangiovese is the grape that makes Chianti, which reminds us: Don't rule out inexpensive Chianti. Unfortunately, many Americans think of inexpensive Chianti as a bad wine from their youth, but it's actually one of the most delightful, life-affirming wines around for the price.

Now is a good time to take chances on inexpensive wines that you've overlooked in the past, from countries you might have ignored. Not only will they make you feel better, but your guests need never know they were so inexpensive. They'll think you must have gotten out of the market at the top.


- mrdutton - 04-08-2001

RAD, thanks for posting the article!


- winecollector - 04-08-2001

I just finally had a chance to scan the article this morning for you guys, oh well! Thanks Rad.

Anyway, a footnote at the end of the article, says "Unfortunately, current economic conditions have dictated that we suspend our Web site, wine.wsj.com. But you can still contact us anytime at wine@wsj.com, and the full text of our recent columns continues to be available in the Journal's online edition, WSJ.com, which is available by subscription."


- chittychattykathy - 04-08-2001

After spending this last week with my new Spainish friends, I feel very safe in mentioning that Freixenet is one of the most "made fun of" wine by folks in the Spainish wine industry. There are several better alternatives for about the same cost and up. A few to look for:
Codorniu, Vallformosa, even Rene Barbier.
As for almost all of the winesin this story, (I do not want to sound like someone we're maybe enjoying a bit of a rest from), but really, how mainstream can you get???
Is Chateau Ste. Michelle or Hogue really all that be had back east?


- Innkeeper - 04-08-2001

Other than Columbia, and Columbia Crest, no until very recently. Although I've ordered some from afar, saw my first Covey Run locally today even though it's owned by a bigee.

[This message has been edited by Innkeeper (edited 04-09-2001).]