2019 Ridge Vineyards Pagani Ranch Zinfandel just got some of this for $30 a bottle locally. Hard to beat that price.
The vast majority of what I buy is under $50, heck under $35. Yes, some things that used to be in that lower range have escalated, but $50 is still a good number.
Bedrock OVZ and their Cali Syrah, as well as the Desire Lines Winds of Change are things I am loading up on.
German Riesling has been mentioned above, and outside of some the the crazy stuff (Keller, MĂŒller), most of it is under $50, and really under $30 is easy to come by scads of delicious wines. Merkelbach, Spreitzer, Steinmetz, Hexamer, Strub, Ludes, Vollenweider, Jakob Schneider, St. Urbans HoF, Loewen, and so on. Some delicious Austrian Riesling and GrĂŒner Veltliner hits the mark.
Chianti, Ramey Fort Ross Seaview Chardonnay, so many Oregon wines that I lose track, Thivin Cote de Brouilly, Chateau Lanessan, Cantemerle, BaudryâŠand so on just from wines in my cellar!
There have been some threads of late where well intentioned discussions about value turned into debates on the merits of $400 wines, but thatâs not the majority of what gets posted about. Itâs just whatâs sucking the air out of the room for the moment. Itâll change.
the 18 Ridge Pagani was really delicious, even as a PnP when it really deserved a good decant. I can imagine the 19 is similar, but might be a better PnP (though I would probably guess it would also do better with a decant as well)
St. Urbans Hof now we are talking!!! My late friend was the one to introduce it in the Twin Cities.
Not so long ago I realized there were a number of wines $40 and under I reviewed 90 points or higher, and spun off a digital mag that covers them. Not surprisingly, the one from Napa was pretty thin. Value is what most of us looked for when we first started enjoying wine and some still recoil at anything that approaches triple digits. As David mentioned, there are lots of value wines in Oregon (as well as Central Coast*) *Sorry, Larry Schaffer!
I know I should hold these but at $25 hard not to drink them on a Tuesday night. I need to buy a case for drinking and a case for cellaring.
2018 Cristom Pinot Noir Mt. Jefferson Cuvée - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Eola - Amity Hills (2/22/2022)
Day 1: Cranberry, exotic floral notes, spices, minerals, strawberries, lavender and dust. Medium plus finish. This is off the charts for the value and from my friends at Thomas Liquors in St. Paul. 92 points
2018 Cristom Pinot Noir Mt. Jefferson Cuvée - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Eola - Amity Hills (2/5/2022)
Day 2: Much better than day one and this is a long term ager. Cranberry, ripe strawberries, floral, dust, minerals and spice. Very complex offering for the price point. Good acidity. (Natural cork) 92 points
Day 3: This is even better. Truly exceptional value. Ripe strawberry, cranberry, minerals, spice, floral and and iron. Medium plus finish and good acidity. Really hard to find a better value at $25.00. 93 points
Recommendation: Buy and this will age nicely for five to ten years. Decant 4 hours if you are looking to consume on day 1. (93 points)
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2017 Duroche Champ ($47.99 from twc)
7th or 8th bottle from a case; this was the first one that wasnât fully open on pnp. A strong streak of acidity was noted with somewhat reticient red fruits, which came back after about an hour in glass. Super pure and focused with a nice finish.
You drink wines under $50? 
Rarely; I think this cuvée is like 80-90 now
2019 DeLille Cellars Chaleur Estate Blanc - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley (2/23/2022)
Adding a 3 minute tasting review on this one. Best white wine value in the last 3 years. Honey suckles, minerals, apricots, spice and floral notes. Wonderful wine. 93 points
$23.99!!!
Where did you source? Mailing list?
Local wine shop. Thomas Liquors in St. Paul. They have 20% off a case or more. One of the better shops in the Twin Cities.
this thread just cost me a small fortune
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2016 Maison Albert Bichot Santenay 1er Cru Clos Rousseau
Was gifted this bottle and donât know anything about Maison Albert Bichot except that the bottle was suggested to the gifter by a shop owner that normally suggests very international styled wines when Iâm in there. With that in mind, it actually turns out its a really drinkable wine to receive as a gift. the nose definitely hits pinot, but I would probably guess colder location Cali pinot before Burgundy if I was blinding it. My coworkers actually typically do a pretty good job with gift wines, which I feel exceedingly fortunate about!
Cost: technically free for me but CT costs look like theyre running just over $40.
Better than a large fortune.
The âhigher-endâ zin producers (Carlisle, Bedrock, Bucklin, etcâŠ) are hard to beat under $50.
If you are asking me for one, Iâd probably say Carlisleâs Carlisle Vineyard Zin.
Agree and I would probably also add Zinfandel from Ridge. Their zins are always very good (especially the one from Pagani Ranch) and below $50.
Ridge Zinfandel from Pagani Ranch and Carlisle Zinfandel from Montafi Ranch are 2 of my favorite zins below $50 (and somewhat higher too, i think)
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We have some great shops in MN and pick up a 2016 Carlisle Syrah Papaâs Block for $30 recently.
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Well here is a winner and a great transformation over 3 days.
2018 ChĂąteau Mongravey - France, Bordeaux, MĂ©doc, Margaux (3/5/2022)
Day 1: Light style Bordeaux with chestnuts, sour cherry, spice, gravel and damp earth. A simple but well made wine. Nothing to get over excited about. 88 points
Day 2: I have had this wine form previous vintages and disappointed I am. This features Christmas spices, chestnuts, muted fruit, mild spice and a thin finish. Serious lack of complexity for the price point and based on day 2 not sure this will age well. 87 points
Day 2.5: Again why I do 3 day wine review. Amazing difference on this wine than earlier in the day. More concentrated and will see what this does on day 3. Not 98 as one reviewer suggested (James Suckling on steroids). More concentrated featuring Christmas spices, minerals, cherry, plum, chestnuts, gravel and blueberries. Medium plus finish and good acidity. 91 points
Dau 3: Wow this is a nice surprise and transformation for sure. Gravel, cherry, plum, minerals, spice, tobacco, spices and earth. Really a nice transformation and I love to see an initial impression proven wrong. 92 points
Recommendation: Well this is a nice surprise. Went from ok to really great value and age this up to a decade. Buy. (92 points)
2019 Louis Michel Montee de Tonnerre
Delicious and well balanced. there is good acidity here but with a creaminess or chalkiness that keeps it from being purely linear. would age further easily but is a great wine to go with food now. this is 1er cru white burgundy that deserves the title, class, and name, but for like $40 or something? killer!