Champagne on a beer budget

As a wine lover, I often find that there are so many wines I want to try but never enough money in my account to afford them. I firmly believe that wine needs to be part of my daily ritual so I have been relentless in the search for quality inexpensive wines. I have found the need to look to other wine regions outside of the one I live in to accomplish this. California does many things right but its does not do cheap and good at the same time. Most "bottom-shelf" California wine tastes like watered down vinegar. My quest has taken me to the vineyard covered country of Italy. Italy produces so much wine that even the mass produced stuff can taste pretty good. Now these are not age-worthy wines of note but for a daily table wine they more than fit the bill. As some of you may know, the wines of Europe are classified by quality. In Italy the order from lowest to highest quality is:

Vino da tavola- literally "table wine". This wine can come from anywhere in Italy and made from any varietal. The most basic of wines with little to no regulation.

Indicazione geographica tipica (IGT)- regional wines. These wines have a place of origin listed on the label which gives some promise to the consumer of where the vines are grown. No restrictions on permitted grape varietals.

It is within this category that I have found some real gems. I will confess that all the wines I am about to mention come from Trader Joe's, which is the ultimate store for wine lovers on a budget.

2011 Archeo Nero d'Avola $3.99

Rich, plummy wine with hints of spice and tar.

Smooth tannins that compliment a variety of foods.

Comes from Sicilia IGT (Sicily). 

2011 Epicuro Aglianico $4.99

Smoky, dark red fruit with a pleasing pepperiness. 

Hearty and gutsy.

Comes from Beneventano IGT (Campania).

2011 Roccalta Sangiovese $3.99

Plum and peppercorns

Dark Chocolate shavings

Surprisingly light on the palate

Mocha made with cocoa powder

Black licorice

Freshly cracked pepper

Cinnamon and clove

*just had this wine last night, so it is still fresh in my mind, can you tell??*

Comes from Puglia IGT (Apulia).

The next step up in quality is denominazione di origine controllata (DOC)- basically controlled place of origin. This level has many more standards that are quite strict governing grape varietals, winemaking, yields, and aging. 

For only a few dollars more than IGT these wines are worth seeking out. I have found that drinking these wines has taught me a lot about regional character. 

2011 Gaetano d'Aquino Montepulciano d'Abruzzo  $3.99

Light bodied with grippy tannins.

Dried cranberries and cherries.

High acidity which makes it perfect with antipasti.

2012 Gaetano d'Aquino Orvieto Classico $4.99

Peachy aromas with hints of ripe lemon and ripe pear

Slightly oily on the palate with more ripe pear and fresh peach dressed with lemon.

Blend of Grechetto and Trebbiano. 

There is one more quality level yet to explore which I will discuss another time. For now, revel in the fact that you can drink delicious, quality wines for less than $5! 

What is your favorite everyday drinking wine? Like me do you go to a region or do you sort by varietal? 

Le Corton

Today guildsomm posted a good question on twitter: What is the largest Grand Cru in Burgundy? Now for some reason the answer to this question is one of those random bits of information I have managed to file away yet always have readily accessible. In honor of little victories I have decided to dig a little deeper and explore this cru and why some people may think the correct answer is Clos de Vougeot.




Located within the Cote de Beaune, le Corton grows both of Burgundy's signature varietals: pinot noir and chardonnay, although it is more known for its reds. One important aspect to keep in mind when studying about Burgundy, is that many villages append their names to include their famous vineyard. A kind of vinous publicity stunt. In this case you may have heard of Aloxe-Corton which is one of the villages that the vineyard happens to be a part of. Le Corton is not only the largest Grand Cru in Burgundy but it is also the only red-wine Grand Cru in the Cote de Beaune. There are 20 climats (subordinate vineyards) that may hyphenate their name to the Corton AOC.

Moving right along, lets talk about another mega-producer: Clos de Vougeot.


This is a 123 acre site which is considered massive by Burgundian standards, although the output of Corton is more than twice the volume produced here! The site produces only reds and of variable quality. It seems that in Burgundy size really does matter. The smaller producers seem to be able to make better wine due to their limited output whereas the larger sites tend to over produce, perhaps trying to capitalize on their hallowed location.

I realize this is a mere snippet of a much larger story but when it comes to taking on the goliath that is Burgundy, I find it wise to focus on a few key details at a time in order to retain the information.

Maybe that's how I remembered the answer this morning!

Let's try this again

I let virtually everything distract me from writing. Usually its work or studying or tv (most common problem). I am finding now that writing is the best way for me to share my love of wine. The last few years have been crazy: i've worked at least 4 different jobs and moved 3 times. The present tense finds me living in the North Bay and working in Napa. I do manage a winebar, which is closer to my dreams, but its within a movie theatre...baby steps I guess. This position makes me realize how much I want to write and educate. I have even started a wine class at work which I plan to blog about here.

Where to begin???
Well like most wine lover's I have been lovin me some rose this summer! The hot Napa days practically scream for it and with so many to try in the market right now its a particularly fun time to try new roses.

2012 Le Galantin Bandol Rose


Lots of mineral aromas: wet stones, scraped slate, sea water
Fresh cut watermelon and sweet grass
Salted watermelon slices on the palate
Light and refreshing yet lingering
Lime salt bite like you find on a margarita glass rim

$18.99 @ Whole Foods


NV Shramsberg Mirabelle Brut Rose


Upon opening a strong aroma of fresh yeasty dough
Like bread rising
Fresh raspberries, jam
Danish
Lively raspberry on the palate
Finish of toasted hazelnuts and croissants

$23.99 @ Safeway

2012 Robert Hall Rose de Robles


Ripe strawberries, juicy watermelon, and red cherries
Round and full on the palate with a spicy dry finish
Blend of mostly syrah with grenache, mourvedre, cinsault, and counoise
Fun Rhone ala Robles

$6.99 @ Trader Joe's


Questions? Comments? Recommendations? Send em my way!

Cheers!