Hi everyone - I’m planning a virtual tasting for a group of friends across the country and am trying to decide which wines to pick. I was hoping I could tap the collective Berserker Brain for some ideas.
Here are the details:
I need to pick two wines, one red and one dry white
$20 max per bottle
The wines need to be sufficiently widely available that I can place two-bottle orders that can be shipped to DC, Virginia, Maine, Oregon, Colorado, and California. I know, the shipping will be a pain, but that’s ok.
All of the participants like wine but none apart from me are “wine people”
So, essentially, the question is, “What are your favorite sub-$20 wines that are widely distributed?”
Any recent vintage of Columbia Crest or H3 Cabernet Sauvignon for under $15 a bottle is a great choice for your red. With the few extra quid per bottle you save on the red, you can add it to your $20 per 750ml budget to get 2014 Drouhin Vaudon Chablis as your white wine.
Thanks for the suggestions! Yeah, in some cases people would be able to pick up the wines themselves (and one or two might anyway), but, you know, a lot of people are going through a lot at the moment and I want this to be an easy, fun, relaxing thing that people can just show up for.
Oh yeah, the Bogle Cab is decent, too, at probably $10.
I do like the idea of skimping on one wine and going a bit over on another. It can be a real a-ha moment when someone realizes that for $3-$4 more they can drink something that elevates the palate. But it might be best to save this trick for when y’all can taste 3 bottles of the same variety.
For me, red is actually tougher because it depends more on personal tastes, whether food is involved, and choosing something that shows well when young. The white is a no-brainer.
White: Pepiere Muscadet Clos de Briords (2017 > 2018; Sokolin NY shows $18 for the '17, but '18 will be more widely available). Their “sur lie” bottling is less expensive, and is also more widely distributed but the Briords is a significant step up in quality.
Red: Lanessan. Not actually my favorite sub $20 wine, but one that I like, is widely available, and would appeal to a broad audience. Other solid options include Thivin’s Brouilly Reverdon, Senejac (mentioned above), and Goodfellow Willamette Valley Pinot, which I believe falls into this price range with the sales currently going on here and from several retailers.
I’ll second Antinori Villa Toscana, it’s a great QPR at $15, and you can find it at Costco for $13 sometimes.
Substance Cab is also a fine choice.
For something different, Guigal Cote du Rhône and Chateau St. Cosme are pretty easy to get and decent under $20.
For a white, I’d look at an entry level Chablis or German Riesling for something interesting, but my personal favorite sub $20 white is the Kirkland Brut Champagne. My wife would recommend the Conundrum white blend - despite “Caymus” it’s decent and $12 at Costco.
My first thought was Thivin Cote de Brouilly, but in looking, it starts at $22 these days. That would kill the category if it had made it under the bar. Including with non-geek tasters.
Pedroncelli Mother Clone Zinfandel. I think you can get it for $12-15 most places.
2nd for Seghesio Sonoma County.
Marietta Vineyards OVR
Las Rocas Garnacha