Now, now.

A connoiseur though I may be, I haven't the income to indulge on really expensive wines.

So while many of you out there may be dismayed over my choices, keep in mind the following:

No matter how much you pay, it's still fermented grape juice.

Price and quality aren't necessarily related.

And, when you imbibe the stuff almost everyday (like I do), you want to keep the costs down.

So most of the wines I'm listing here cost between $7 and $14... I've arranged them by country/region.

AUSTRALIA

Jacob's Creek

They've produced some nice stuff. I recommend the Chardonnay and Merlot. Especially the Merlot. The Shiraz had an unpleasant finish and would have gone better with olive oil and salt, tossed in a bowl of Arugula...

They also have some special reserve wines which I've heard good things about, but haven't tried 'em personally.

Lindemans

The thing about Lindemans is that they've all these different bins. Bin 455. Bin 666. Bin 911. It's confusing, frankly. And I'm having trouble remembering specific wines. Some are better than others. None are as memorable as the Rosemont Estate (see below) selections.

Penfolds

These folks make a bunch of different wines, all of which pale in comparison to Rosemont Estate (see below). You'll pay a few dollars more for the Rosemont, probably, but it's well worth it. Penfolds do have a nice Chardonnay, though. Citrusy.

Rosemont Estate

Great vinter. They seem to be flooding the market with a bunch of inexpensive, award-winning wines. While I tend to think they invent some of the award competitions just to be able to put the sticker on the bottles, many of these wines are truly exceptional... Especially these:

Shiraz 2001, 2002
Shiraz Cabernet 2002
Chardonnay 2002
Pinot Noir 2002

Wyndham Estate

I just tried a bottle of the 2001 Shiraz. It's well worth the $8 you'll pay for it. Rich. Supple. Intense.

McWilliam’s (Hanwood Estate)

Alright. I’m still a sucker for a good, Australian Shiraz. And this is one of ‘em. The 2002, more specifically. A little more acidic than my fave, Rosemont Estate, this McWilliam’s has hints of plums, raspberries, and cloves in it. All very “civilized” flavors. Which makes it hard to believe that Australia was originally a nation of hooligans…

 

CALIFORNIA

I guess it's about time I put up some yank choices; even if there is something decidedly 'less exotic' about American wines, you can't dismiss them. Here are two I've enjoyed lately:

Avalon

The Cabernet Sauvignon stands all on its own. No food required. Many an evening, I've retired to the bedroom with a bottle of this and drank myself into a happy, boozy stupor. It's much better than Prozac!

Raven's Wood

Their Red Zinfindel is a wine to be reckoned with. Always a crowd pleaser, it's big 'n bold, and, like the Avalon cab, is probably a fine alternative to any psychotropic drugs!

 

CHILE

Conch Y Toro

I can't tell you a bunch of specifics about various Conch y Toro grapes and vintages, but it's usually inexpensive and tolerable. It's the kind of wine to take to a party, or to the house of an aquaintence. It's also the kind of wine to drink when you know you'll be downing several bottles.

Odfjell

The 2002 Rojo (Valle del Maipo Cabernet Sauvignon) is a great buy for any underpaid person who happens to harbor a certain proclivity for Cabernet Sauvignon. I drink this at least once a week!

Calina

Carmenere is an amazing grape that virtually become extinct in Europe, despite having been used to make French wines for centuries. Turns out the terroir in Chile is perfect for it, and it seems the Chileans have picked up where the froggies left off. I originally discovered Carmenere from another Chilean wine called ONA. The flavors are big, bold, sublime; this is what red wine is meant to be.

FRANCE

JP Chenet

This vinter's a bit inconsistant. The Chardonnay, priced at around $7 is a great value. Just drink it COLD. Very cold. The Shiraz-Cabernet is also quite good. Plummy. And also around $7. Stay away from the Merlot, however. Its bouquet smelled vaguely of sweaty socks.

Domaines Perrin

They do a great white Côte du Rhône, a region that's undeservedly less celebrated than, say, Bordeaux. While this white is great, I also recommend trying a bunch of Côte du Rhône reds, regardless of the vinter.

Barton & Guestier

Don't miss their 2001 Chardonnay. It's one of the best French Chardonnays you'll find in this price range. With hints of melon, apple, and citrus, it can easily take the place of fruit salad.

Roussy de Sales

The 2001 Chateau de la Chaize is an interesting wine. It's a light red, with lots of fruit flavors. It'd be perfect on a picnic with sandwiches and cheeses, but I doubt it'll hold its own against heavier foods.

Joseph Drouhin

I'm drinking this as I write... It's a 2001 Burgandy from Macon Villages. I won't remember it tomorrow. But then again, what will I remember tomorrow? It went well with the veal I had tonight, but I'd be happier with a Rosemont Estate Chardonnay.

Red Bicyclette

This vinter has gone to great lengths to promote itself to all of the local hooch mongers here in New York. And while they do a bunch of different wines -- Shiraz, Merlot, and Chardonnay, if I'm not mistaken -- the very best offering is the 2004 Rose. It's cheap, and absolutely tolerable over the course of several bottles!

 

PORTUGAL

Lately, I've reaquainted myself with what the Portuguese call Vinho Verde. Which means Green Wine. But this stuff is actually white, not green; they just call it green because they drink it young. Here are two Vinho Verdes that I've enjoyed lately. Both are crisp, light, and effervescent, and go great with breakfast (or brunch, at least).

Casal Garcia

At $7 a bottle, an absolute bargain. It's very citrusy and light. And very similar to Freixenet, the cheap Spanish campagne. Only lighter.

Pavão

This is virtually identical to the Casal Garcia, except in price. I think it's a few bucks more. But, at under $12, still a bargain. E a qualidade desse vinho mostra que talvez os portuguêses não sejam tão burros quanto os brasileiros dizem! (Sorry about that. Brazilian joke. The Brazilians, you see, have made the Portuguese the brunt of all their "stupid" jokes. So as Americans use the Polish, and Canadians use the Nova Scotians, and the French use the Belgians, the Brazilians use the Portuguese. Has something to do with colonial resentments, I suspect. Or at least the Portuguese accent...)

Gazela

Another vinho verde, this. A little pricier than the others, but just as light ‘n crispy. Nice looking bottle, too.

Varanda do Conde

And yet another fine vinho verde… Same deal: Light. Crispy. Gentle. Delicate… An interesting blend of grapes, too. But all this complimentary blather is getting boring, quite frankly. It’s much more fun to insult wines than to bestow praise…

SPAIN

I'm such a huge fan of Rioja, that I try just about every one I can afford. Here are a few of the best affordable ones...as well as a few to avoid:

Marqués de Cáceres

They make a great Rosado, along with a decent Blanco and outstanding Tinto (or however you say Red in Spanish) which smells just like violets.


Fausto VII

Another nice red Rioja. And at $9 a bottle, cheap.



Marqués de Arienzo

Good, cheap. But make sure you eat something with it.



Campo Viejo

Non-memorable. Try the Marqués de Cáceres instead.



Visconde de Ayala

Absolute skunk juice. Stay away from this one.



Borsao

This is my new favorite... The 2002, Campo de Borja. So good was this, that I bought an entire case. If I get sick of drinking it, I can always add some brandy, mangos, and 7up and turn it into Sangria...

Vega Sindoa

The 2002 rosado. This is a worthy opponent to things like Paella, fruit salad, and lemony chicken concoctions. And it rivals Marques de Caceres in price AND taste. Which, when you think about it, is kind of absurd since they’re both utterly cheap and totally expendable!

Codorniu

This is a fine example of Spanish Cava sparkling wine. It's made from Pinot Noir, but done as a rosado. Fucking delicious and worthy of buying by the case! (It's closer to $15, to be totally honest....but who cares?) My oldest and best pal Adam Penn became a huge fan of this when we served 'im a couple glasses a few weeks back. Trust me when I tell you he's total schtickler for quality: not only did he teach me the term "lager lout", I never once stayed in a youth hostel on account of his discriminating (and impeccable) taste!

Marqués de Riscal

There's a 2003 white Rueda that's definitely worthy of sampling. If you can get it for less than $8, even better.


Ramon Cardova

This is a perfect (and Kosher) Rioja. If you don't end up drinking it with a nice ribeye or picanha, make sure you bring a case or two to your next Sedar.


Tres Picos

This is a Campo de Borja Grenache that you'll quite like. Mario Batali has it on his Casa Mono wine list, where it's marked-up a good 300%. Buy it from your friendly, neighborhood hooch house and spend only about $12, or $13. It's a really good buy; and if you do find yourself at a table at Casa Mono, it's still one of the fairest priced wines on the list.

Las Brisas

Another Rueda white, this. Exceptionally citrusy and perfect for these hellish New York summers. Drink it with seafood, chicken, or potato chips, even. (Lay's potato chips, please!)

El Chaparral

Vega Sindoa produces this is old vine Grenache, from the Navarra region. (I'm referring to the 2002, by the way.) It's a really nice wine, if you can find it. I originally had it at Batali's wine bar, Jamon, where I became a total devotee. I'm saving a bunch of bottles at home; for what, I don't know. But rest assured I'll break open a bottle if I ever manage to produce a TV spot at my new gig!