“Fill every glass, for wine inspires us, and fires us, with courage, love and joy,” John Gay, 1685-1732, The Beggar’s Opera II, air 19.
Recently, I was warmly awakened in the middle of the night, recounting incredibly high-quality and fairly priced wines that I’ve tasted for my columns – pure oenological joy (pronounced “eenological” at the risk of sounding snobbish). All of these weren’t necessarily bargains, but they were memorable, and many are available at nice local wine shops such as Discount Liquors, Downer Wines, Grasch’s, Otto’s, Ray’s, etc. Here’s a recap of some of the best, from whites to reds:
Whites
– New Age NV, Argentina, $8.99: Cute label on the front with an upbeat reverse side of a funky female. Frizzy with a lightly flowery nose, a light middle and a delightful finish. Mon Dieu – a joy!
– Chateau St. Michelle Horse Heaven Sauvignon Blanc 2008, Washington, $15.99: Slightly spritzy with an elegantly flowery nose, this beauty has a light to medium body with nice notes of perfume and light spices.
– Crane Lake Chardonnay (this label also bottles Merlot), California, various vintages, $3.99: Priced at only $1 more than its sibling, Two (now three) Buck Chuck, this presents true value and quality!
Reds
– Cline Zinfandel 2007, California, $7.75-$8: Light, elegant and an absolute pleasure to sip or quaff.
– Elsa Bianchi Malbec 2008, Argentina, $7.99: A possible taste of the future trend of red wines in the world, this beauty had nice fruit, good body and a jammy, deep character. A bonus: Instead of messing with corks, this beauty has a screw cap, which is a far more sensible way to practically prolong your enjoyment.
– Monltipulciano D’Abruzzo, Italy, $4.99-$8.99” An ideal quaffing “Pizza Wine.” Also suitable for a panoply of other occasions.
– Johan Pinot Noir 2007, Oregon, $34.99 at Otto’s and other nice shops: This is a lusty, rocking chair wine with deeply fruity Burgundian notes. Not cheap but very nice.
– Expression 44 2008, Oregon, $25: Dark and deep with brooding, spicy notes and great depth. Practically poetic.
– Cavit Pinot Noir, various vintages. When I recently saw this accessible, soft red wine at Otto’s, I thought that my glasses were broken. Normally, this winning wine retails for $7.99-$9.99 around town, but Otto’s is selling it for a feasible $5.99. I called Otto’s to confirm the price, and they told me I wasn’t going blind. Run, don’t walk, for this beauty!
A final note: My grades, as well as the “scores” of wine pundits in the likes of the Wine Spectator, Robert Parker, the Wine Enthusiast, etc., should be regarded as guides, not gospel. In my book, the key is to learn to enjoy wine on your own terms, knowing that wine fits beautifully into the tapestry of a healthful, moderate and complete life. Cheers!
