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woman on wine with amy reileyThere are a lot of recommendations out there right now for inexpensive wines, but I don’t want to drink a wine just because it’s the best of the under $10 crowd. What I like to look for in times of the tightened belt are good value wines. They may come in at a price point under $10, but they also may be $40 Pinots that drink like $120 Burgundies. So even if you decide to splurge on your Valentine this year – and we all do deserve a splurge – make sure you’re getting the most for your money, not just the best wine for the price. |
Ehlers Estate
2005 Estate Merlot
This is a $45 Napa Merlot that doesn’t drink like those hot climate, fruit bomb $45 Napa Merlots This one tastes like the Right Bank of Bordeaux, only at an overripe Napa Merlot price. Best of all, 100% of the proceeds from the sale of every bottle goes to medical research under the Ehlers Foundation.
Epiphany Cellars
2007 Grenache Blanc
At $23, this wine took best white at the 2008 SF International Wine Competition. A delicate, dry and delightfully balanced wine, it is a pretty wine suitable for romancing the prettiest of girls.
Loredona
2006 Pinot Grigio
Normally, cheap P.G. is a miss for me, but this lovely little wine tastes anything but cheap. Aromas hint at stone fruit and spice with flavors leaning more toward pears and it has a crisp, clean finish. It would make a suitable partner for a sexy seafood supper.
Martin Codax
2007 Rias Baixas Albarino
Skip the flowers and pop the cork for one of the most lovely bouquets you will find this Valentine’s Day. Clean and fresh with a sophisticated hit of minerality on the finish, this lovely white delivers far more than you dare to imagine for under $15.
Susana Balbo
2005 Nosotros
An amazingly huge, rich, sensual wine, this little Argentinian could knock the socks off a lot of cult classics. But because it hails from Mendoza, you get this limited production, spicy little Malbec blend for about $80 – the going rate for your average, American boutique Cab.
