Category Archives: Wine Recommendations

Stay Warm with these Classic Wine Movies

The weather is getting colder and more dreary, which is driving me indoors and under a comfy blanket in front of my TV. (I am so NOT a cold-weather person!). If you’re looking for an indoor activity that will keep you as warm and comforted as your glass of wine, here is a list of my favorite wine movies that are informative, influential and most of all, entertaining.

My Favorite Wine Movies:

Sour Grapes

(Netflix, Amazon Prime, iTunes, YouTube)

Sour Grapes is a crime documentary about wine fraudster Rudy Kurniawan, who scams wealthy wine collectors and experts out of millions by flooding the American wine market with fraudulent super-premium wines.

Somm

(Amazon Prime, Hulu, iTunes)

Somm spurred a series of additional movies about the lives of sommeliers. This original movie made the term “sommelier” a household name, and gave it a sexy connotation. It follows four sommeliers in their attempt to pass the prestigious Master Sommelier exam, a test with one of the lowest pass rates in the world.

Bottle Shock

(YouTube, Amazon Prime, iTunes)

Bottleshock is based on the true story of the 1976 Judgment of Paris wine tasting competition that put Napa Valley on the world stage, when California wines beat out the best French wines in a competition judged by European wine experts.

Sideways

(YouTube, iTunes, Amazon Prime, Hulu, Starz, Cinemax, Sling)

Sideways is the movie that changed the face of the California wine market, and the fate of Merlot, for decades to follow. The “Sideways Effect” has been extensively researched and studied. If you haven’t seen this pivotal movie, now is the time to watch it. It follows two middle-aged men on a week-long bachelor party trip in through Santa Barbara’s wine country.

The Scandalous Wine Classifications of Saint-Emilion, Bordeaux

When you see “Grand Cru” on the label of a bottle of Saint-Émilion wine, what does that really mean? I’ll give you a hint – it’s not the same as the Cru system used in Burgundy. The classification system in Saint-Émilion can not only be confusing to consumers, but it has been fraught with controversy, scandal, legal battles, and criminal convictions!

For those unfamiliar with the nuances of this case, let’s dive a little deeper into Saint-Émilion, its wines, and its controversial classification system.

The Wines of Saint-Emilion

Bordeaux is split in two by the Gironde Estuary, which then splits into the Dordogne and Garonne rivers. To the right of the Gironde is the Right Bank and to the left of the Gironde is the Left Bank.

Saint-Émilion is located on the Right Bank of Bordeaux where clay and limestone soils are found in abundance. This soil type does a good job of retaining moisture while also draining excess water. Due to that water content, it also stays cooler, which means it is best planted with grape varieties that don’t need a ton of heat. As a result, Cabernet Sauvignon, which needs long periods of warm temperatures to ripen, doesn’t do quite as well here. Merlot, on the other hand, thrives on these cooler, wetter soils, as does Cabernet Franc.

These clay soils, along with the varietal character of Merlot, result in wines that are softer and fruitier with lower tannin and acidity than the Cabernet-driven blends of the Left Bank. They tend to be more approachable when young, although the better wines can certainly be cellared.

Saint-Émilion Classification System

So now that we’ve established that Saint-Émilion is on the Right Bank and produces softer, fruitier Merlot-driven wines, how do you know what bottle to buy when you walk into your local wine shop? Saint-Émilion’s wine council tried to help consumers with this question by establishing a classification system for wine quality.

The Saint-Émilion Classification system was established in 1955 with four increasing quality levels:

  1. Grand Cru (hundreds of estates)
  2. Grand Cru Classé (63 estates)
  3. Premiere Grand Cru Classé B (15 estates)
  4. Premiere Grand Cru Classé A (4 estates)

Quality Criteria

A number of different criteria are used to evaluate the quality of an estate (called a Chateau in Bordeaux). These criteria are then weighted and scored, with those weightings varying based on the classification level being sought. An example of some of the assessment criteria includes:

  • Sampling of an estate’s wines from the previous 10-20 vintages
  • Terroir (location, soil, geography, topography, etc.)
  • Estate reputation
  • Promotional activities including social media
  • Presence of public tasting rooms and involvement in wine tourism
  • How the wines are distributed and priced
  • Technical production of the wines for quality production

Pros and Cons

The benefits of having a classification system are primarily:

  1. To help consumers make better purchasing choices and give them confidence about the quality of the wine on which they spend their hard-earned money.
  2. To contribute to the reputation of an estate, and allow producers at the upper classification levels to charge higher prices for their wines.

However, not all classification systems are created equal, and not all meet these goals. Sometimes these systems end up creating even more confusion. For example, in Saint-Émilion, Premiere Grand Cru Classé estates are essentially the First Growths of Saint-Émilion. However, in contrast to Burgundy, which places “Grand Cru” at the top level, Saint-Émilion places “Premiere Cru” at the top level and Grand Cru as their lowest level, causing a fair amount of consumer confusion.

Also, there has been some debate as to why things like social media presence and the existence of a tasting room are used to assess the quality level of an estate’s wines, which has only led to the ongoing dispute over this classification system.

Further, unlike the Left Bank’s 1855 Classification system, which was established 150 years ago and is pretty much etched in stone, the Saint-Émilion classification was meant to re-evaluate estates every 10 years. As a result, it was updated in 1969, 1986, 1996, 2006, 2012 and 2022. However, it has been fraught with controversy and scandal for the past several decades, mainly driven by producers who have been unhappy with how they have been classified.

Let’s take a look at the timeline of controversy, where the classification system stands today, and whether consumers can actually trust this classification when buying a bottle of wine from Saint-Émilion.

Timeline of a Controversial Classification System

Sept 2006: The 2006 Saint-Émilion classification was challenged in court by four producers who had been demoted in quality level. The legal dispute claimed several members of the assessment panel had conflicts of interests (e.g. were involved in business dealings with some of the estates), and thus could not be impartial.

March 2007: A tribunal suspended the 2006 classification indefinitely due to the court case.

Nov 2007: The French supreme court overturned the suspension, reinstating the 2006 classification. However, this ruling essentially only determined that the case brought by the four estates should not void the entire classification. A hearing was still to proceed on the suit brought by the four estates.

July 2008: The court ruled that the wine tasting process used in the 2006 classification was not impartial, again invalidating the entire classification. It was determined that appealing this ruling to try to reinstate the 2006 classification would take about two years with an uncertain conclusion. Therefore, upon request by the French regulatory body for wine, INAO, the French Government used emergency powers to reinstate the classification by extending the validity of the 1996 classification. As a result, the four demoted estates that brought the suit were able to keep their classification, but other estates that had been promoted in 2006 were not. This created not just ill will with those producers, but potentially hurt them financially and damaged their reputation.

Dec 2008: The French senate allowed the total of eight estates that had been demoted or had their promotions retracted to regain their promotions.

Jan 2009: The French government constitutional council overruled the judgment to promote the eight estates and demoted them once again.

March 2009: The French Court of Appeal made a final ruling that the 2006 Saint-Émilion classification will not stand and voided it.

May 2009: A law was passed clarifying that the estates promoted to Grand Cru Classé in 2006 would be able to keep their status and back date it to the date of the classification. As a result, the status of the classified estates of 1996, plus the eight chateaux promoted in 2006, was mandated by law until 2011.

June 2011: The Saint-Émilion classification was given permission to move ahead with the 2012 evaluation. The 2012 classification was conducted differently by outsourcing tastings and inspections to independent groups (e.g., wine professionals from Burgundy, Rhône, Champagne, Loire and Provence). There was also no longer a fixed number of estates that could be classified.

January 2013: Three estates that had been demoted or not promoted in the 2012 classification filed complaints, claiming there were procedural errors in the selection process.

April 2013: Those same three estates filed a criminal complaint of ‘illegal interference’ due to members of the assessment panel also being owners of estates that benefitted from the new classification.

Dec 2015: A tribunal upheld the 2012 classification as legal. The three complaining estates appealed the ruling.

Aug 2019: The owners of Château Angélus and Château Trotte Vieille were ordered to stand trial on criminal charges of having an illegal conflict of interest in the reclassification that saw Angélus elevated to Grand Cru Classé A and Trotte Vieille retain its Grand Cru Classé B, while both owners were in positions of influence in the organization that oversaw the classification system.

Oct 2021: The owner of the very prestigious Château Angélus, was found guilty of influencing the 2012 Saint-Émilion classification to benefit wineries in which he had financial interest or acted as an advisor. He was fined €40,000. The second defendant in the case, who owned Chateau Trottevieille and was a member of the assessment panel, was acquitted.

March 2022: A Bordeaux court of appeal dismissed the civil lawsuits brought by the three estates, re-establishing the legitimacy of Saint-Émilion’s 2012 Classification.

Jan 2022: The upcoming Saint-Émilion 2022 Classification process is currently underway, but has already taken an enormous hit to its reputation and potentially to its future. Three of the four ‘Premier Grand Cru Classé A’ estates from 2012 – Châteaux Angélus, Cheval Blanc and Ausone – have all independently said that they do not want to be part of the 2022 ranking process.

June 2022: The fourth ‘Premier Grand Cru Classé A’ estate, Chateau La Gaffelière, also announced their withdrawal from the Saint-Émilion classification.

So where does that leave Saint-Émilion’s 2022 classification? Saint-Émilion’s wine council said they are proceeding with the 2022 Classification, despite the high-profile withdrawals of the region’s top four estates. The final classification is slated to be released in September 2022.

What to Buy?

So as a wine consumer, where does this leave you? Should you even still buy wines from Saint-Émilion? Can you put any faith in the wine’s classification? The short answer is yes! Regardless of the politics involved in the classification process, many Saint-Émilion wines are delicious and worth seeking out.

The wines classified as Premiere Grand Cru A and B are reliably stunning, ageworthy and of the highest quality. They are, however, very expensive. For example, a bottle of Cheval Blanc will set you back at least $500.

Although there are definitely excellent wines that are in the Grand Cru category, there is a significant difference between Grand Cru and Grand Cru Classé. To achieve Grand Cru status, a vineyard just needs to be located in an area that has been classified as Grand Cru, and the producer must also meet some local rules and regulations. Over 200 vineyards are classified as Grand Cru, and estates using these vineyards are automatically granted this status without needing to apply for it.

Grand Cru Classé wines are from better vineyard sites, the estates must apply for this designation, and a committee assesses the quality of the wines via a blind tasting. In 2012, 63 estates met the established criteria for Grand Cru Classé. However, they are still going to set you back $40-$100+.

There are always exceptions to the rules and there are some excellent Grand Cru wines that meet or exceed the quality of some Grand Cru Classé wines. As with all wines, the safest option is to get to know producers and buy the ones that you’ve had a good experience with. Here are some that I have enjoyed:

  • Château Barde-Haut St.-Emilion Grand Cru ($35)
  • Chateau Troplong Mondot St.-Emilion Grand Cru ($45)
  • Clos de l’Oratoire Saint-Emilion Grand Cru Classé ($50)
  • Château Canon-La Gaffelière – St.-Emilion Grand Cru Classé ($90)
  • Chateaux Garcia Saint-Émilion Grand Cru ($125)
  • Clos Fourtet -Emilion Premier Grand Cru Classé ($125)

PRODUCER SPOTLIGHT: Lang & Reed, Napa Valley

What’s rarer than a cheerful teenager? A winemaker in Napa Valley that doesn’t produce any Cabernet Sauvignon! Meet Lang & Reed, a rare breed of Napa winery that focuses on the other Cabernet – Cabernet Franc, as well as Chenin Blanc.

When I was in Napa Valley a few weeks ago, I had time for only one winery visit. I had a plethora of well-known and highly regarded options to choose from – Opus One, Stag’s Leap, Far Niente, Chappellet, etc. Yet rather than booking a visit to those hedonistic Cabernet Sauvignon strongholds with their grand tasting rooms surrounded by stunningly picturesque vineyards, I went in a completely different direction. Instead, I chose to celebrate the completion of my wine exams with Lang & Reed in their quaint tasting room in a historic house located in the heart of St. Helena’s downtown.

I first had a glass of Lang & Reed Cabernet Franc in February 2021 at the California Grill restaurant in Disney World, one month before the world entered pandemic shut down. It was an unusual choice for me – I had never ordered a glass of Cabernet Franc before, which is why I chose it. I wanted to try something different, something not Cabernet Sauvignon, from a wine list dominated by well-known California labels. That glass stayed with me – it was medium bodied with light tannins, red fruit and a very distinctive earthy, dried leaf character. It was nothing like your typical rich, jammy, high alcohol California red. It made me want to know more about Lang & Reed.

When I walked in the door at Lang & Reed two years after that first introduction to their wine, I was immediately greeted by owner John Skupny. He led me to a cheerful tasting room where we proceeded to spend the next two hours chatting about his long and storied journey in the wine industry. A born and bred mid-Westerner, John and his wife Tracey spent decades working in the restaurant industry in Kansas City, which led to positions as wine stewards/buyers.

They eventually moved to Napa in the 1970s during the time of the “Judgement of Paris” and watched Napa evolve from a hippie farmer community to one led by elite, cult winemakers. John moved from restaurants to working at wineries and spent formative years working with Francis Ford Coppola, during the time Coppola was filming Godfather III. John helped convince Coppola to purchase the historic Inglenook winery, which solidified Coppola’s place in Napa history.

Ultimately, John decided to try his hand at winemaking without any formal training. He wanted to make something unique and expressive. Cabernet Franc was already planted in pockets across Napa as a blending varietal with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot for Bordeaux-style blends. However, John’s love of the Loire Valley, where Cabernet Franc is produced as a single varietal, inspired the creation of Lang & Reed. The winery is named for the middle names of his two sons, J Reed and Jerzy Lang.

John purchases grapes from partner growers to make his wines. However, sources of Cabernet Franc are limited in Napa. In fact, Lang & Reed produces some very special, extremely limited bottlings of which only 1-2 barrels were ever made! For example, the 2010 Franc de Pied was produced from bare rooted (rather than grafted) old vines that were producing very small yields of fruit, but fruit that was highly concentrated and complex. Only two barrels were made, and the 2010 is the last vintage of this wine since the ungrafted vineyard eventually succumbed to the ravages of the root louse, phylloxera, and no longer exists.

Lang & Reed’s Cabernet Franc bottlings are complex, intriguing and unique, but let’s not forget they also produce excellent Chenin Blanc, the other main grape of the Loire Valley. Their Chenin Blanc was the idea of John’s son, Reed, who partnered with his dad to produce this bottling. Sourcing Chenin Blanc grapes was exponentially more difficult than finding sources of Cabernet Franc, but they eventually found their ideal fruit in cool Mendocino County, north of Sonoma.

Lang & Reed is truly a family business producing wonderfully unique, small production wines. The Lang & Reed entry level Cabernet Franc can be found in larger wine shops around the country for $30. Their more unique, limited bottlings will need to be purchased on their website. Even better, make it a point to visit Lang & Reed the next time you find yourself in Napa Valley and need a break from Cabernet Sauvignon.

Cheers!

WINE SPOTLIGHT: Swartland, South Africa Chenin Blanc

A few weeks ago I Coravined a glass of the 2019 Mullineaux Quartz Chenin Blanc ‘Leliefontein’ from Swartland, South Africa in preparation for my WSET Diploma tasting exam to meet the “high quality Chenin Blanc” recommended tasting. It was so amazing that a few days ago I popped the cork and finished off the bottle, by myself! Then I bought a few more bottles from my fave wine shop.

So let’s talk Chenin and Swartland. Chenin Blanc is a grape that makes it primary home in The Loire Valley of France where it can be found in dry versions (Savennieres), off-dry to sweet versions (Vouvray), and even sparkling. However, its second home is in South Africa, which produces more Chenin than any place else in the world.

In South Africa, Chenin will always be dry and typically riper and fuller than in Loire (which will have more minerality and higher acidity) due to the warmer climate and different soil types. Chenin Blanc has a wide range of flavors, but generally tastes like yellow apples, pear, peach, ginger and passionfruit.

South African Chenin can vary in price and quality, with uninteresting, one-dimensional versions as low as $10/bottle, all the way through beautifully complex and rich versions, such as this Mullineaux in the $60/bottle range. The best Chenin Blanc in South Africa comes from Swartland, an area I am kind of obsessed with due to its new generation of young winemakers that have revived very old abandoned vines, and are producing wines with minimal intervention that reflect a true sense of place.

Swartland is located about an hour northeast of Cape Town. It is hot and dry, with infertile granite and shale soil, making any form of agriculture challenging. It was mainly a region for bulk wine, dominated by low quality co-operatives that essentially neglected the existing vines. Then, in the late 1990s, some young winemakers, led by Charles Back of Spice Route, purchased old vineyards in the area and started something amazing.

These winemakers saw the incredible value in these old, bush trained vines (grown into low bushes rather than upright on trellises) that were decades old and producing very low yields. These vines had learned to survive in a dry, hostile environment, completely neglected and without any irrigation. To find water, the vines had to develop deep rooting systems to seek out meager water being held deep in the soil. The result are vines that are hardy, drought resistant, dry farmed and producing very low yields of deeply concentrated fruit.

These winemakers wanted to express the uniqueness of Swartland and started an organization called “The Swartland Independent Producers Association”, made up of a small group of like-minded producers. They adhere to the following standards:

  • The wines must grown, vinified, matured and bottled in Swartland
  • At least 80% of a producer’s entire wine production must be under his/her own label, meaning no selling grapes to co-ops or large companies
  • The wine must be naturally produced with minimal intervention: only wild yeasts, no added acid, no added tannin, no chemical fining, no technological processing (such as reverse osmosis)
  • Only specific grape varieties are permitted, such as Syrah, Cinsault and Chenin Blanc – Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon are not allowed!
  • No more than 25% new oak barrels are permitted, so the new oak flavors don’t mask the character of the grapes and the land

The result are wines of intense concentration and complexity that are produced with tremendous care and respect for the land. Some excellent producers to look for from Swartland are Spice Route, Mullineaux, The Sadie Family and A.A. Badenhorst.

South Africa’s wine industry has been devastated by Covid-19, since they were restricted from selling wine five different times throughout the pandemic. Many wineries did not survive, and there is a glut of wine that has remained unsold. There is no better time to support South Africa’s wine industry than now. The export situation is getting better and we are starting to see better quality South African wines on the store shelves in the U.S.

If you do decide to purchase a wine from South Africa, spend the money on a better bottle. There aren’t a lot of “value wines” (meaning low priced, good quality). For South African wines, you get what you pay for, so if you can spend a little more, you won’t regret it. I am a huge fan of South African wines. Cheers!

Grape of the Week: Malbec

In a nutshell:

  • Fruity and smooth, not heavily oaked, with flavors of plum, blackberry and a chocolatey finish.

Where it is primarily grown:

  • Argentina
  • Cahors, France

Also Known As:

  • Cahors (in France)

Fun Facts:

  • Malbec is a highly drought-tolerant grape that loves the sun, so does very well in Argentina’s warm, dry climate
  • Argentina saved Malbec. The grape was mostly abandoned in France because it was prone to mildew in France’s cooler, wetter climate. It has thrived in Argentina where it now makes up 70% of the country’s vineyard plantings.
  • Mendoza is called “Land of mountains and Malbec”.
  • Malbec originated in France, where it was used mainly as a blending grape in Bordeaux. It is a single varietal wine in Cahors.
  • One of Malbec’s signature characteristics is its bright magenta rim in the glass and purple color.

Wine Texture:

  • Body: Full
  • Acidity: Medium
  • Alcohol: Medium
  • Tannins: Medium

Flavor and aroma profile:

  • Argentina Malbecs are fruit forward
  • Cahors Malbecs are more leathery, savory and spicy
  • Black cherry, plum, raspberry, blueberry, chocolate, coffee, leather, black pepper

You might like this grape if you like…:

  • Syrah
  • Merlot

Food Pairings:

  • Lean meats: bison, pork tenderloin, etc.
  • Blue cheese

Recommendations:

Bodega Catena Zapata 2017 – $16

Achaval Ferrer Malbec 2017 – $20

Luca Malbec 2016 – $25

 

Best Wines for Easter

Easter Sunday is fast approaching. Sadly, we won’t be able to share the holiday with extended family and friends this year. However, that doesn’t mean we can’t splurge a little on a nice  bottle of wine. In fact, this is the perfect time to treat ourselves after these past few weeks of social distancing, homeschooling and constantly watching cable news. So take a shower, change out of those pajamas, prepare (or order in) a special Easter dinner, and crack open a beautiful bottle of wine. Here are recommendations of excellent wines to pair with some traditional Easter dishes.

Lamb:

Perrin & Fils Châteauneuf-du-Pape Les Sinards 2017 ($37)

Chateauneuf-du-Pape (or CdP for short) is the renowned wine region in the Southern Rhone Valley of France, producing stunningly full-bodied, rich, yet elegant blends that are some of my favorites. Prices for CdPs generally range from $30 to well above $150 a bottle. These are arguably the closest wines you’ll get in France to those big, fruit-forward new worlds wines you may enjoy from regions like California. CdP red wines are based predominantly on Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre (GSM), but 13 different grape varieties are permitted. The Perrin & Fils CdP has flavors of ripe raspberry, plum, blackcurrant, licorice and smoke. It has enough body to stand up to roasted lamb, but has the elegance and smoothness not to overpower the flavors of the dish.

Glazed Ham:

Domaine Huet Le Haut-lieu Demi Sec 2017 ($28)

Vouvray is a white wine made from Chenin Blanc grapes produced in the Vouvray region of France’s Loire Valley. It is also one of my favorite white wine varieties. The Domaine Huet Demi-Sec Vouvray pairs beautifully with the lightly sweet and salty flavors of a glazed ham because it has just a touch of residual sugar, so this wine can easily hold its own against the richness of this dish. It is bursting with flavors of honey, apples, citrus and floral notes, all balanced with a streak of mouth-watering acidity.

Pork Roast:

Luca Malbec 2016 ($25)

Malbec is the national grape variety of Argentina, where it makes full-bodied, fruity wines that aren’t overpowered with mouth-drying tannins. The Luca Malbec has aromas of blackberry, plum and leather, with the fruit balanced by some earthiness. The softness of this wine works beautifully with leaner cuts of meat, like this roast pork.

Cheers, and Happy Easter!

Grape of the Week: Chenin Blanc

In a nutshell:

  • An incredibly versatile grape that can produce delicious white wines in a wide range of styles – dry and lean, rich and aromatic, sweet and luscious, and bubbly sparklers.

Where it is primarily grown:

  • Loire Valley, France
  • South Africa

Wine Styles:

  • Dry
  • Off-dry
  • Sweet
  • Sparkling

Also Known As:

  • Vouvray
  • Savennieres
  • Steen

Fun Facts:

  • Chenin Blanc is the most widely planted white grape variety in South Africa.
  • South African chenin blanc is almost always dry.
  • Savennieres (France) is almost always dry.
  • Vouvray (France) is almost always off-dry. If it’s labeled “Sec” it means it is dry. If it labeled “Demi-Sec” it is medium sweet. If it the label doesn’t specify, assume it is off dry.
  • French sparkling wines made with chenin blanc are called “Cremant de Loire”.

Wine Texture:

  • Body: Medium to Full
  • Acidity: High
  • Alcohol: Medium
  • Sugar: Dry to sweet

Flavor and aroma profile:

  • Dry: lean style with flavors of pear, quince, apples, ginger, and chamomile
  • Off-dry: ripe pear, ginger, jasmine, passion fruit, and honeycomb
  • Sweet: baked apple, honey, toasted almond, mango, ginger, and orange
  • Sparkling: quince, yellow apple, plum, ginger, and floral

You might like this grape if you like…:

  • Riesling (look for Vouvray and demi-sec styles)
  • Chardonnay (look for dry South African styles)
  • Champagne (look for sparkling Cremant de Loire)

Food Pairings:

  • Salads
  • Fish and shellfish
  • Chicken
  • Cream sauces
  • Spicy Asian cuisine (sweeter styles)
  • Lemon desserts

Recommendations:

Reyneke Chenin Blanc 2017 (Dry Style) – $26

Champalou Vouvray La Cuvée des Fondraux 2016 (Off Dry Style) – $22

Domaine Huet Vouvray Haut Lieu Demi-Sec 2018 (Medium Sweet) – $38

Domaine Huet – Huet Vouvray Haut Lieu Moulleux 2018 (Sweet/Dessert) – $42

Domaine Huet Huet Vouvray Petillant Brut 2014 (Sparkling) – $27

10 Best Wines to Stockpile Under $20

We find ourselves in a surreal, almost science fiction-like dystopian world right now, where businesses are shuttered, schools are closed, grocery store shelves are empty and we’re being told to stay home or keep our distance if we absolutely have to go out. All of these measures seem draconian, but are absolutely necessary right now to “flatten the curve,” reduce the burden on the healthcare system, and keep those most at risk safe.

While you are stuck at home, it certainly makes the time go by much more pleasantly when you have a good stockpile of wonderful wine to enjoy! Since you shouldn’t be out browsing through your wine shop right now, you should find a store that offers delivery service or shipping. One way to do this is to check out www.Drizzly.com, which is a site where you can purchase alcohol online that will be delivered to you within one hour. Many wine shops will also offer shipping if delivery isn’t available to your location.

Stocking up on wine also means you’ll probably want affordable wines so you can buy a case or two to get you through the coming days/weeks. To that end, here are my 10 favorite bottles under $20.

Domaine Des Nouelles Rosé D’Anjou – $10

Spring is coming, so it must be time to break out the rosé! Before you reach for those bottles of very pale pink, dry rosés from Provence, France, consider picking up a rosé d’anjou instead. Rosé d’anjou is a distinct style of rosé made in Anjou district of the Loire Valley, France. It is a lightly sweet style, where fermentation is stopped early, leaving a small amount of residual sugar left in the wine. These wines are frequently made from Cabernet Franc and Grolleau grapes. The Domaine Des Nouelles is just a tad sweet and very refreshing with flavors of fresh strawberries.

Pine Ridge Chenin Blanc/Viognier – $11

The Pine Ridge Chenin Blanc/Viognier is fresh and juicy with pronounced aromas and ripe characters of honeysuckle, pear, jasmine, orange blossom, pineapple and green apple. The addition of a small amount of Viognier adds a bit of creaminess and floral character to the ripe, tropical fruit flavors of Chenin Blanc. This wine is delicious and a fantastic value!

La Cana Albariño – $14

Albariño is a white wine from the northwestern Atlantic coast of Spain. This is a light-bodied wine that is both fruity and floral. It has lemon, lime, peach, and nectarine characteristics with a slightly bitter finish reminiscent of grapefruit. Due to its proximity to the ocean, the sea air imparts a slightly briney character on the wine. This wine is fresh and zippy and makes an excellent pairing with seafood.

La Battagliola Lambrusco Grasparossa di Castelvetrano DOC – $15

Lambrusco is a super fun and tasty sparkling red wine from northern Italy. For a long time, Lambrusco had a bad reputation because it was made in large volumes of overly sweet or too harsh wines. Nowadays, sensible producers are going back to quality winemaking, reducing yields and producing more complex wines in a dry style. This wine is dry with pronounced aromas of violets, strawberries, fresh plums and black cherries. It is fuller-bodied and higher in alcohol than other Lambrusco wines, it is also more tannic – Grasparossa has the highest tannin count of the Lambrusco varieties, which makes it robust enough to provide an excellent match for meats, cheeses and charcuterie.

Scarbolo Pinot Grigio Grave DOC “Il Volo” – $15

I am generally not a big fan of Pinot Grigio. I find that inexpensive examples tend to lack character and complexity. Then I tried the Scarbolo Il Volo and was blown away by how tasty it was. This wine has excellent body and structure, feeling fuller in the mouth than any other Pinot Grigio I have tried. It has nice tropical and citrus fruit flavors with a mineral backbone and vibrant acidity. To make it even better, this wine is produced from organically grown grapes. Dare I say, this is the best Pinot Grigio I have ever had!

Bodega Garzon Tannat – $17

If you are looking for big, bold red wine at an affordable price, don’t overlook this lesser known variety. Tannat is the most widely planted grape variety in Uruguay, producing wines with some of the highest levels of antioxidants. Bodega Garzon is one of the most well known and highly respected producers in Uruguay, making terrific wines at an excellent value. The Bodega Garzon Tannat is dark, rich and full-bodied, yet elegant and approachable. It is reminiscent of Cabernet Sauvignon, but at a much better price point. It has flavors of blackberry, plum and raspberry, with a long spicy finish.

Tikal Natural Malbec/Syrah – $17

The grapes for Tikal Natural wine are grown in one of Argentina’s most prestigious vineyard areas of Vista Flores at very high altitudes of 3,300 feet above sea level. These altitudes give the grapes high levels of sunlight for daytime ripening, followed by significant cooling overnight to retain vibrant acidity. The vineyard is certified organic and biodynamic, using natural winemaking practices. It is deep in color with fruity red cherry, raspberry and blackberry flavors with a light amount of medium-bodied tannins.

Dandelion Vineyards Menagerie of the Barossa GSM – $18

This wine is a blend of Grenache, Shiraz and Mataro (aka., Mouvedre) from Barossa, Australia. It is smooth, rich and delicious with ripe fruit flavors of blueberry, blackberry, red cherry, wild strawberry and vanilla with beautiful cinnamon spice undertones. A very tasty wines at an excellent value.

Shell & Shale Margarita Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon – $20

No top wine list would be complete without representation from one of my favorite wine regions – Paso Robles, CA. Representing Paso is the fabulous Shell & Shale Cabernet. This is a very fruit forward example of a California Cabernet. It is big, jammy and fruity with flavors of vanilla, sweet red cherry, cedar, coconut and tobacco. If you like your Cabs more fruity than tannic, this could be the wine for you.

Seghesio Zinfandel Sonoma County – $20

Seghesio is a one of the oldest (established in 1895), most respected and critically acclaimed Zinfandel producers in Sonoma. Their Sonoma County Zinfandel is actually a blend of 87% Zinfandel, 9% Petite Sirah, 2% Carignane, 1% Syrah and 1% mixed reds, which adds a beautiful complexity of aromas and flavors. It showcases blue, red and black fruits – blueberry, raspberry, blackberry and black plum – with sweet baking spices, licorice and silky smooth tannins. It is big, ripe and full-bodied.

Grape of the Week: Gewurztraminer

In a nutshell:

  • Produces an intensely aromatic white wine with notes of exotic spices and rose petals that is often made off-dry.

Where it is primarily grown:

  • Germany
  • Alsace, France

Wine Styles:

  • Dry to sweet white wine

Fun Facts:

  • The grapes have a pink to red skin, although it produces a white wine
  • Gewürz is German for “spice”

Wine Texture:

  • Body: Medium
  • Acidity: Low to Medium
  • Alcohol: High
  • Sugar: Dry to sweet, but often off-dry

Flavor and aroma profile:

  • Citrus fruit: grapefruit, lychee
  • Tropical fruit: pineapple
  • Stone fruit: peach, apricot
  • Herbs/Spices: ginger, incense, allspice
  • Floral: rose petals, honey

You might like this grape if you like…:

  • Riesling
  • Muscat

Food Pairings:

  • Asian, African, Indian, Middle Eastern dishes
  • Stinky cheeses
  • Foie gras
  • Apple-based desserts

Recommendations:

Chateau Ste. Michelle – Gewürztraminer Columbia Valley, $12

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Trimbach Gewurztraminer 2016, $22

Josmeyer Gewürztraminer Alsace Cuvée des Folastries 2015, $30

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Grape of the Week: Vidal Blanc

In a nutshell:

  • Produces fruity off-dry late harvest wines and sweet dessert wines called Icewine
  • Drink young

Where it is primarily grown:

  • Canada
  • New York State
  • Sweden

Wine Styles:

  • Off-dry to sweet dessert ice wine
  • Dry white wine

Fun Facts:

  • Vidal is one of the very few grape varieties that is an American hybrid. Almost all wines you drink today are European vines. Grape vines native to America generally make terrible wines, with Vidal being a rare exception.
  • Since Vidal is very winter hardy, it makes excellent Icewine. Icewine is made by leaving the grapes on the vine into winter, so they are harvested frozen. The sugars don’t freeze, but the water in the grape does, so when the grapes are pressed, the frozen water is removed, leaving behind a sweet juice that is then fermented to create sweet Icewine.

Wine Texture:

  • Body: Medium
  • Acidity: High
  • Alcohol: Medium
  • Sugar: Off-dry to sweet

Flavor and aroma profile:

  • Citrus fruit: grapefruit, melon, lychee
  • Tropical fruit: pineapple
  • Stone fruit: apricot
  • Floral: honeysuckle

You might like this grape if you like…:

  • Riesling

Food Pairings:

  • Scallops, crab or tuna
  • Spicy dishes
  • Fruit-based desserts
  • Panna cotta

Recommendations:

Tomasello Vidal Blanc Ice Wine 2016, $15

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Jackson Triggs Vidal Ice Wine Proprieter’s Reserve 2016, $18

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Inniskillin Vidal Gold Icewine 2017, $47

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