The Paring: A Quality Wine for $25 per Bottle
Many people equate quality with price. While it may be a fair assumption sometimes, it does not hold up under all circumstances. In fact, one quest for wine enjoyers could be to find the best wine for the best price. Price, for many, is a hurdle that gets in the way of enjoying many different wines.
Herein lies the opportunity: The Paring is a well-crafted, modestly priced wine to enjoy anytime. The vineyards are located in Santa Ynez in Santa Barbara County. The winemaker is Matt Dees who skillfully makes JONATA, The Hilt, and The Paring. (For my Midwest friends, he is from MO.) This property is a “sister” to Screaming Eagle as both wineries are owned by the same individual. Matt brings great skill to his craft and delivers on quality. I have enjoyed wines from all three labels for which he is the winemaker and have written about all three labels on the blog before (here, here, and here). The price and quality of The Paring bear repeating.
French Wine for $25!
Yes, it is well worth it. The 2016 Chateau Malescasse is comprised of 53% Merlot, 38% Cabernet Sauvignon and 9% Petit Verdot. It will pair nicely with roast lamb or steak. A great option when you think about a nicely seared T-Bone on the grill.
French wine is glorious. That goes without saying as they have a history and a reputation that is held up by the wine laws that govern the wine practices in France. You have undoubtedly heard the terms “Old World” and “New World.” The French set the mark and established the practices that set-in motion the “Old World,” a term that typifies and places emphasis on the terroir, less alcohol, greater acidity and more earthy flavors with less intervention by the winemaker.
Value Wines to Look for in a Wine Store Near You
Many times, I am asked for recommendations for wine. In particular, many folks are often looking for some modestly priced, well-crafted wine that they can enjoy drinking. To make the case that these wines are available in many locations, I perused the shelves at Binny’s during a recent trip to Bloomington, Illinois.
Whether you are planning a party or just looking for good value wines, here are some of my favorites that I have enjoyed in the past. Many will be available, based on production numbers, in stores near you, such as Total Wine – or Binny’s!
OMG! $26 and 1¢ shipping!
I’m excited to share this with you! This wine, made by Amici Cellars’ sister winery Olema Wines has been named by Lisa Pierotti-Brown as one of the three best values out of the 2016 vintage. Ms. Brown is a Master of Wine, which carries with it a rich experience and a lot of credibility. I once said that I would not recommend a wine until I tasted it, yet I will make an exception in this case. I loved the wine at Amici and trust someone like Lisa Pierotti-Brown who is able to discern the balance of a wine — whether it is well crafted with alcohol, fruit, tannins, and acid in balance. For the small price of $26 for a bottle of Cabernet? What’s not worth a try with 1 cent shipping?
Horse Heaven Hills Red Blend: A $15 Winner
This is an easy drinking, crowd-pleasing wine. I initially looked for the 2016 Cabernet, yet found this lovely bottle at my local grocery store. This wine is ready now with plush fruit flavors and soft tannins. This is the 2014 Horse Heaven Hills Red Blend Les Chevaux from Columbia Crest.
Horse Heaven Hills is the AVA (American Viticultural Area) where the grapes come from that go into this wine. This is the 3rd largest AVA (based on the acreage planted with vines) in Washington State, and many of the highly rated wines of Washington come from this area.
A Great Bargain Wine: 2015 Bodegas Alto Moncayo Veraton
The 2015 Bodegas Alto Moncayo Veraton is a great bargain wine! It delivers in every way what a more expensive bottle would deliver — with fruit, depth of flavor, and pure quality. This is an excellent sipping wine, which pairs well with many foods. It’s a Grenache that truly delivers on fruit with strawberry, black cherry, and raspberry. It has medium tannin and bright acidity.
I have purchased this bottle from two outlets: one is the Grape Tray out of Fresno, CA; and the other is The Wine Consultant in Citrus Heights, CA. Both locations can ship, yet you would need to check on inventories and the ability to ship to your state. Otherwise, it is definitely worth a call to your local store. I recommend that you act quickly, as the inventory usually moves quickly. This bottle sells for $30 or less!
Great Value: Columbia Crest Grand Reserve Cabernet, 2014
The tree is put away, the lights have been taken down (hopefully), and the bills from the holidays need to be addressed. Where is that value wine when you need one most? Well, for those experiencing the need for a good drinking, modest priced Cabernet – I have one for you.
I recently read a review in Wine Spectator regarding the Columbia Crest Grand Reserve Cabernet, 2014. It was tasted and awarded 91 points. Interesting start… Then, they listed the price for $12. This gets more of my attention. For me, that’s an invitation to see if I can find it and taste it myself.
The Paring: A Great Value!
The ‘Holy Grail’ of wine buying is quality at a modest price. This one fits that bill! One of the ‘top notch’ wineries of Southern California is Jonata. Their wines are deep, rich and textured. The Paring is their second label that competes with many wines. I recently received an offer that I wanted to share with you. This offer is definitely worth considering given the portfolio and cost – just $25 per bottle for wines that are well rated. Purchase a case, and the shipping is only $1.
This is a value that I never pass up. (Even my friends in Pennsylvania can now have wine shipped to them.) Check it out here:
How Great Can a $25 Wine Taste?
Pretty darn good! Just opened a beautiful bottle of Garnacha from Spain. Specifically, this was a 2013 from Bodegas Alto Moncayo, located in the area covered by the Campo de Borja Denominacion de Origen (DO, wine quality standard). They don’t just meet the standard, they exceed it. This is a winery that has been on my radar for several years, and I have been enjoying the consistent outstanding quality of their wine.
Party Time: Excellent Red for $12!
This 2013 Horse Heaven Hills Cabernet Sauvignon hails from Columbia Crest in Washington state. Several months ago, I posted about their ’12 Red Blend, and the ’13 is again a noteworthy buy. This is Cabernet that is approachable when young with deep fruit flavors, round dusty tannins and a smooth finish that lasts. In fact, it was surprising how long the finish was given the price per bottle.
This is the wine’s description from the winery’s website: “This bold Cabernet opens with flavors of black cherries and blackberries with a touch of currants and vanilla, complemented by earth and mineral notes. Deep berry flavors lead to a soft tannin cocoa finish.”