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Best wine for under $40

DCDeac said:
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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Good timing on this! Last Bottle (https://www.lastbottlewines.com/) has a mystery Cab today that is almost certainly the Hamel Family Isthmus from 2016. Available for only $30 if you want to roll the dice, but with the clues provided this one seems pretty straight forward. I also have a referral code if anybody wants to sign up for the site and hasn't: essentially one bottle a day that normally discounted, or at least not overpriced. Heavy on California stuff generally but I've found some great stuff over the years.

Referral for a $10 credit upon signing up: https://www.lastbottlewines.com/invite/b0084a787e7d0ceb1c4c.html
 
Random contribution but I had a red from Sancerre at a restaurant up in Canada. Was interesting- not too fruity and bit of a mineral Rhône vibe. It was $150 cdn (expense account natch) so would probably < $50 usd retail
 
Wakeforest22890 said:
Good timing on this! Last Bottle (https://www.lastbottlewines.com/) has a mystery Cab today that is almost certainly the Hamel Family Isthmus from 2016. Available for only $30 if you want to roll the dice, but with the clues provided this one seems pretty straight forward. I also have a referral code if anybody wants to sign up for the site and hasn't: essentially one bottle a day that normally discounted, or at least not overpriced. Heavy on California stuff generally but I've found some great stuff over the years.

Referral for a $10 credit upon signing up: https://www.lastbottlewines.com/invite/b0084a787e7d0ceb1c4c.html
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Missed the Hamel one but I meant to sign up for this a while back and just completely forgot about it. Thanks!
 
Pouring a $20 Portuguese rose today in the shop from Touriga Nacional grapes. First I've ever had of this grape and maybe the first sparkling rose from Portugal. Since the grape generally goes into Duoro blends that are bigger and bolder, I never really thought of diving into a rose style. Pleasant for the price though, raspberry and strawberry - pretty fresh fruit overall. For the price obviously you're not getting into any creamy or more complex character, but definitely an easy drinker that is reasonably priced.

Sold a couple magnums earlier of Hure Freres Champagne and a delicious Franciecorte that wouldn't get picked out as an intruder in a blind Champagne tasting (blancs de blanc, round, creamy, absolutely delicious).
 
Got to try the 2005 Krug 161 Edition last night at a holiday party. It was still very fruit forward. Delicious of course, but could still easily use 15-20 years. Not under the $40 mark but was the first time I'd tried this one so figured it was worth sharing.
 
I had some Alamos Malbec left over from a little party--I usually buy cheap stuff for informal get togethers with neighbors. Drank it last night with lamb chops, mashed potatoes etc..

Not bad at all.
 
Alamos Malbec has had it going on for a long time. We had a formal blind wine tasting some 20 years ago and Alamos was the winner vs some big time juice.

Amazing how drinking a bottle from a brown paper bag changes opinions.
 
Coupla bottles of Chateau Montelena Cab Sav 2017

Followed up with a bottle of Sequoia Grove Cab Sav 2019
 
DeacWatcher said:
Alamos Malbec has had it going on for a long time. We had a formal blind wine tasting some 20 years ago and Alamos was the winner vs some big time juice.

Amazing how drinking a bottle from a brown paper bag changes opinions.
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In my experience, most people can't differentiate an "excellent" $100 bottle from a "great" $20 bottle if they can't see the label.
 
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One of Herdade do Pesos more well known options. A 2019 red from the Alentejo. I tend to give this a mid 4 stars on the old Vivino. Good mouth feel. Numbers this is my last one, so if you have a connect, lemme know.
 
I’m intrigued by the Portuguese non-Porto reds

Trying my first ever bottle of Meiomi tonight. I’m a big fan of Caymus and Red Schooner, but Meiomi is not my jam. Too sweet for me.
 
thatguy2016 said:
I’m intrigued by the Portuguese non-Porto reds

Trying my first ever bottle of Meiomi tonight. I’m a big fan of Caymus and Red Schooner, but Meiomi is not my jam. Too sweet for me.
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Lot of good Alentejo and Lisbon reds out there. Most are blends so it’s about finding the one you like best.
 
I haven't had/seen that one Timmy. There's a lot of good value out of Portugal just like Spain. I'm a fan of Esparao, Grous, and Adegamae (who makes a fantastic white in the white Burgundy style with plenty of aging potential). Like most Portuguese wines, most of these are blends. Grous does have Moon Harvest Alicante Bouschet that I surprisingly enjoyed as that style isn't normally in my wheelhouse.

Opened the 2010 Mastrojanni Brunello last night. Super tart cherry/cranberry on open and after 90-120 minutes in the decanter it really opened up into round cranberry, some light prune, and then a nice balance of ripe/dried fruit. It definitely needs more time overall, probably just entering it's prime drinking window in the next year or two and will be able to go for another 10-20+ years.
 
thatguy2016 said:
I’m intrigued by the Portuguese non-Porto reds

Trying my first ever bottle of Meiomi tonight. I’m a big fan of Caymus and Red Schooner, but Meiomi is not my jam. Too sweet for me.
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Yeah definitely has a high level of residual sugar alongside tons of jammy fruit. These types of California wines aren't really my favorite overall and I haven't had the Red Schooner (is that the one that they make with grapes from South America?)
 
Wakeforest22890 said:
Yeah definitely has a high level of residual sugar alongside tons of jammy fruit. These types of California wines aren't really my favorite overall and I haven't had the Red Schooner (is that the one that they make with grapes from South America?)
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yep, Malbec from Argentina. Now Caymus is doing the same thing with Shiraz from Australia and calling it Transit.
 
I had the 2019 Dry Creek Vineyard Cab Sav blend last night from California (retails for $29 or so) and it was excellent. I don't know if it was just the mood I was in or what since I normally am not a big fan of bigger, bolder California Cabs, but even with extended maceration time and a lot of extraction it was delicious. Juicy and ripe without being sweet and a pretty solid finish with some mocha/cocoa/vanilla from the oak presence. Definitely an excellent wine for a dinner party where folks would want a Cab.
 
we get their wines through a membership and Dry Creek makes some really good stuff. I'm a fan of their zins; the club wine is much better than what we get through distribution in NC>
 
My son was invited to a dinner party and asked to bring a wine. They were serving some sort of mushroom risotto so we settled on a Barolo that he could find at Wegman’s. He brought this and got some good feedback.

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