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Best wine for under $40

With absolutely nobody asking, I decided it was time to unveil Numbers Wines of the Year (TM). Most of these are in what I would consider reasonable price. I had the opportunity to try higher end wines through work, but largely it's hard - for me at least - to consistently compare current vintage releases that are higher end with "everyday" type wines. In addition to just "best" overall wine, I've included points for value in creating the list. Approximate retail prices included. In no particular order:

Racines Sta. Rita Hills 2017 Chardonnay: lemon curd, baked apple, vanilla. Oak is present but not overwhelming so plenty of fruit still comes through for a great balance. $45-50

Alois Lageder Natsch 4 (Schiava): annual limited release from an Alto Adige winery. New generation of family winemakers here are putting out a Comet series each year where they experiment with barreling, skin contact, lees, grape styles. Very light in glass, red cherry, good minerality with a spice in the mid-palate. I'd drink this all day but it would be excellent with any pasta and red sauce. Quite limited availability. $60

Billecart-Salmon Brut Rose NV: perhaps my favorite wine of the year. Candied strawberry and cherry on the palate, vibrant fruit with creamy mousse, too easy to drink and probably my favorite overall experience of the year. Getting tougher to get hands on this though. $90

Bibi Graetz Casamatta Rosso 2020: 100% Sangiovese in stainless steel, the regular entry level release from Bibi Graetz who has vineyards across Tuscany. Medium body, red cherry, cranberry, raspberry with a little bit more acidity than you'd find in a Chianti. Value buy of the year. $20

Arpepe 2020 Valtellina Nebbiolo: rose petals, cherry, about as aromatic and intense a wine as you'll find. Smells like Barolo but made in a more restrained style. Tannins are present but not overwhelming and while this will age just fine over the next few years, it's fine to drink now. $33

Lopez de Heredia Vina Gravonia 2012: believe this is the second-to-current releases from Heredia's white line. Honeysuckle, rich white fruit, well balanced vanilla with some oak notes. Opened up over several hours and showed more white flowers and peach with a yogurt type mid-palate flavor. One of the more unique wines I tried this year. $40 (if you can find it...these get snatched up by collectors by the case when they enter the market).

Besson Chablis Premier Cru Mont de Milieu 2017: I'm a sucker for chablis and this has a little age on it which put it right in my wheelhouse. High acid with a medium body. Waxy, white flower, marigold,, lemon, green apple, white peach and a classic seashell/salinity note I love from the region. $35

Roy Prevostat & Fils Chablis Premier Cru Les Lys 2006: Honeysuckle, marigold, almonds, grapefruit, lemon and pair with salinity/minerality. This is one of the more recent estate releases from a producer who loves putting out backvintage options that they've aged. $50

Sarrazin Givry Champs Lalot Premier Cru 2020: Surprised by how approachable this was for a premier cru from Burgundy that I was expecting to need a lot of time. Fruit forward, red cherry, raspberry, baking spice, roses, and a little hint of vanilla. Great with food and improved after being open for a couple hours. $45

Catena Zapata Adrianna Vineyards White Bones 2019 Chardonnay: Never experienced a wine that tasted like this before. Ripe honeysuckle and apple, but a distinct white pepper and rosemary note screaming for a roast chicken pairing. Full body with some oak presence. Out of Argentina, Catena Zapata only makes good wine and this is no exception. Smaller release and price matches. $140

Honorable Mention on Library/Higher End Wines:

2012 Chateau Musar Blanc
1986 Chateau Musar Blanc
1999 Chateau Musar Rouge
2020 Terre Nere Calderara Sottana Etna Rosso
2018 Penfolds Grange
2012 Billecart Salmon Blancs de Blanc
2007 Chateau Montalena Cabernet Sauvignon
 
Have enjoyed this one lately. Gonna knock back half (or more) of this before going out to dinner.

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Went with this tonight. I still have two bottles left of the original 15 I brought back. No idea what it costs here but it was a steal at 5 euros. D4B9F157-6127-4B0E-BF48-4D3A47373C43.jpeg

Numbers do you mess with Vivino? I’d be interested to see what your weekly is.
 
I don't see that wine listed in America on winesearcher.

I do have Vivino and have like 40 ratings but I generally just use it to plug in specific wines I want to remember or wines that stood out to me so I'd guess that it's skewed towards "better" wines that I try. I go through phases using it too. I'll probably try to use it more this upcoming year just to better keep track of everyday drinkers too. My user name is just my name. I'll shoot you a message with my name if you don't know it (I can't keep track of who knows who I am in RL/who I've met and who I haven't lol)
 
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Grabbed these two tonight after sampling a bunch of biodynamic/natural/organic stuff
 
There were tons of good picks, if you’re ever in DC, Domestique is a great spot for finding unusual stuff.
 
It's a little pricy for a regular bottle ($65), but the 2017 Occhipinti Frappato is excellent if they still have that in stock. Just looked through Domestique's stuff and that's such a fun collection.
 
Got a 2010 Mastrojanni Brunello from my boss for the holidays. Had a pick between that, a 2019 Guigal Condrieu, and a 1998 Cantine Colli di Catone Colle Gaio (link here - very interesting wine overall, apparently drinks like some older Spanish Viura https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2178690). If I were just drinking it myself I would have gone with the Colle Gaio, but my wife isn't a big fan of the sherry type notes that come with oxidative white wine styles so I figured I'd stick with something that was in her wheelhouse. I've had recent entry level Mastrojanni releases, but haven't had any of their Brunellos, much less 2010 which was a great vintage across Tuscany up there with 2016.
 
Went to a party tonight where some SHIT wine was served. I brought a nice zin and we ended up drinking some shitty $9 blend
 
I like being at the early stages of developing an appreciation of something like wine. My $13 2016 Spanish red was :chef's kiss: while cooking last night. Good enough for me

eta: It's a tempranillo, aged 3 years
 
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Hitting that Meiomi pinot hard over the holiday. Don't know if wine people think it is good or bad, but to me that shit is crack and they put an addictive chemical in it that makes me crave buying a case fortnightly.
 
I’d say most wine people do not believe Meiomi is good but if you like it that’s all the matters.

Most criticism surrounds: 1) additives, 2) mega purple, and 3) it’s nominally Pinot but doesn’t carry most (many?) Pinot characteristics. It’s probably right at the 75% cut off for Pinot under California rules and 25% Syrah or something else with more body. My real complaint comes in the last of the three because folks drink pinot from other parts of the world and California and complain that it doesn’t taste like Meiomi. Forgot to add: Meiomi almost certainly has way more residual sugar than most wines and either is not fermented completely dry or, more likely related to number 1 and or 2 adds sugar to the product.

I wouldn’t be super surprised if they just start calling it Meiomi red blend in the next few years.
 
Definitely not under $40 but a friend broke out an old Hamel Family Wine blend that was incredible last week. Goddamn.
 
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