Tag Archives: Shiraz

Experts’ weekend wine bargains: From ‘fantastic’ Chilean to ‘expressive’ Aussie

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Comparing the picks: A survey of recent selections from popular wine experts, spotlighting bargains and best values among other choices at their websites.

2005 Viu Manent Reserva Chardonnay Casablanca Valley, Chile:
Natalie MacLean — Winner of the Gold Medal at the 2006 Concours Catad’Or Grand Hyatt Wine Awards, it’s a “fantastic value” from Chile’s cool Casablanca Valley region … “with ample oak and aromas of ripe apples and pears.” Her best value white. $12.95

Château Les Tuileries 2005 Bordeaux Rouge:
Beverage Testing Institute — Sports a garnet violet color with “spicy plum pie, sandalwood, and floral talc aromas.” A best-buy selection. $10.99

Cape Mentelle, Margaret River (Western Australia, Australia) Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot “Trinders” 2003:
Michael Franz — You will not have expected to have paid $18 for this “very concentrated and intense” Australian. “Extremely expressive aromatics start with a big shot of eucalyptus up front.” $18

2006 McWilliam’s Hanwood Estate Shiraz, South Eastern Australia:
Jerry Shriver — Another Australian, this one is a “pleasant, no-brainer burger wine that delivers spicy blackberry flavors and an earthy finish.” Though you might quibble with the body. About $12

Göttelmann, Münsterer Pittersberg Riesling Kabinett trocken 2007 Nahe:
Jancis Robinson — The low-price winner among three (non-Burgundian) 2006 Pinots. “… promises well for the crystalline qualities of the latest vintage.” £9.69

López de Heredia’s Viña Gravonia (white):
Edward Deitch — “Beautifully complex with aromas of cut flowers and butterscotch that are joined in the mouth by pear and lime, vanilla, honey and minerals.” $19

Tip: Print out this list and bring it to your local wine shop — even if a specific favorite isn’t available, ask the salesperson to recommend something similar. Or try browsing the latest wine reports from this custom collection of hundreds of news websites — filtered for bargains, continuously updated, and quick and easy to scan:

  • Reds (from Beaujolais to Zinfandel)
  • Whites (from Chablis to Sauvignon Blanc)
  • Organic (red, white, in between)

To hit closer to home, try WNR’s Smarter Wine Search tool and see what wine finds local columnists and wine experts may be writing about in your area. Once there, just type in your city and state (within quotation marks, as in, "Napa, California"), to get results ranked by relevance.

Or scroll down to the bottom of this page and dig into top wine lists from a variety of sources. You’ll also find links to everything from a food-pairing database to websites for comparative wine ratings.

The Web is about community. So take a moment to comment about your experience with a particular wine — to help steer others to or away from it. And of course, have a great weekend!

Experts’ weekend wine bargains: From a ‘vibrant’ Cab to a playful Tuscan

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Comparing the picks: A survey of recent selections from popular wine experts, spotlighting bargains and best values among other choices at their websites.

2005 Markham Wines Glass Mountain Chardonnay Napa Valley, U.S.A. – California:
Natalie MacLean — A promise of "good balance … with green apples and oak." Her best value white selection. $13.95

Penfolds, South Eastern Australia (Australia) Shiraz “Koonunga Hill" 2005:
Michael Franz — "Tasty and expressive, but not over-the-top, this delicious wine features fresh berry fruit with hints of both red and black fruits." One of several Penfolds reviewed. $11

Fortant de France 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon, Vin de Pays d’Oc:
Beverage Testing Institute — A "supple, yet vibrant entry" that offers a "dry-yet-fruity medium-to-full body of tangy cassis, crunchy red apple, and delicate cocoa-spice flavors." A best buy. $7

2005 Screw Kappa Napa, Napa Valley Zinfandel:
Lynne Char Bennett — A two-star pick among a long list of Napa Valley Zinfandels. "Smoked bacon and dried thyme wrap around its restrained purple fruit." $14

2005 Cecchi "Bonizio” Sangiovese di Maremma, IGT, Tuscany, Italy:
Jerry Shriver — Described as playful, meaning "full of pleasant dried-cherry and spice flavors, its light-to-medium texture dances on the tongue." About $9

Mochel Torino Malbec Calchaquí Valley Rosé 2007:
James Molesworth — Seen as very tasty and something to drink now … "really bright and juicy, with ebullient cherry and strawberry fruit." $12

2004 Chateau La Grange Clinet:
Edward Deitch — For a Bordeaux, this is a classic red that "won’t break the bank." It boasts "elegant fruit with notes of blackberry, cassis and black and red cherry, along with cedar and tobacco." $10

Terre del Nero d’Avola (Rossetti) 2005:
Dorothy J. Gaiter and John Brecher — The best value among a group of Sicilian Nero d’Avola selections. "Nicely crisp, somewhat peppery and very interesting, with real life." $9.95

Castello Banfi, Col di Sasso 2006:
Dave McIntyre — This is a Cabernet Sauvignon/Sangiovese blend that "offers fruit and heft at a price rarely seen in a red from Tuscany." $10

Tip: Print out this list and bring it to your local wine shop — even if a specific favorite isn’t available, ask the salesperson to recommend something similar. Or try browsing the latest wine reports from this custom collection of hundreds of news websites — filtered for bargains, continuously updated, and quick and easy to scan:

  • Reds (from Beaujolais to Zinfandel)
  • Whites (from Chablis to Sauvignon Blanc)
  • Organic (red, white, in between)

To hit closer to home, try WNR’s Smarter Wine Search tool and see what wine finds local columnists and wine experts may be writing about in your area. Once there, just type in your city and state (within quotation marks, as in, "Napa, California"), to get results ranked by relevance.

Or scroll down to the bottom of this page and dig into top wine lists from a variety of sources. You’ll also find links to everything from a food-pairing database to websites for comparative wine ratings.

The Web is about community. So take a moment to comment about your experience with a particular wine — to help steer others to or away from it. And of course, have a great weekend!

Need help picking a Thanksgiving wine? These top experts make it easy

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You haven’t yet decided what Thanksgiving wine to serve. Or you’re unsure about the selections you’ve made. And time is short.

The anxiety!

At The Washington Post, wine writers Karen Page and Andrew Dornenburg know full well the pressures we’re under choosing wines for this annual feast.

“Even avid wine lovers can be struck with a temporary case of oenophobia — fear of wine — around Thanksgiving,” they say, with the wisdom of being award-winning wine authors. “The prospect of choosing a bottle that will please all of your guests and complement all of your dishes can perplex the most confident holiday host.”

But don’t despair. There’s a rich bounty of tips and picks across the Web, just waiting to be harvested.

Page and Dornenburg, for example, serve up a batch of ideas “to help calm any oenophobic tendencies.”

Among their several selections, a couple that caught my eye were the Australian sparkling Shiraz “bursting with berries and bubbles” and the Napa Valley Merlot that’s sure to come alive “with impressive blackberry and tart cherry flavors.”

Meanwhile, at epicurious, Natalie MacLean follows up on her earlier suggestions for Thanksgiving pairings with a list of “10 Top Thanksgiving Wines,” ranging from a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc and a German Riesling to a French Pinot Noir and an Italian Valpolicella.

All chosen because they’re “generous, juicy, fruit-forward wines that will both moisten the turkey and complement many of the side dishes on the table.”

Several full Thanksgiving menus accompany wine selections at Bon Appétit, leaving little guesswork about what goes along with everything from a country-style menu to a vegetarian feast.

For example, the Prosper Maufoux 2005 Beaujolais, Burgundy, a “food-friendly” wine boasting “plum and cherry flavors” seems a nicely priced country crowd-pleaser at $12.

Even Martha Stewart has some advice — a pocketbook-pleasing tidbit from bygone years: “Mid-priced is best. It’s not necessary to splurge on wine for Thanksgiving. That’s because the traditional menu has a lot of sweet elements, such as cranberry sauce and sweet potatoes, that aren’t flattering to complex and subtle wine. A well-made wine with more straightforward character will likely taste better.”

And the best advice of all comes from Page and Dornenburg: “After all is said and done, don’t sweat it. Thanksgiving ultimately is not about the wine, but about being grateful for the love of those you’re with.”

Let’s drink to that.