Bottom Feeder Wines of the Major European Regions

WINE TALK
21

Looks like $10-15 is a good price point. Obviously, champagne isn’t possible at that price.

It’s all about getting as low as possible whilst having a wine that is well made and enjoyable for wine nerds.

22

Loire red has to be Guion Bourgueil. Domaine & Prestige for < $15, and Deux Monts for < $20. They age well, too…

23

Loire Chenin - I’d go the Marc Bredif Vouvray Classic. Should be widely available for $15-20 USD all over amernica. It was the first Chenin I ever cut my teeth on in the early 2000s and it’s still widely available and well priced. It ages for decades as well.

24

Dr L vs Donnhoff isn’t really fair, since Dr L is $10 and Donnhoff is $20. But Dr L is Top 5 All Time QPR so gets my vote.

LAN Crianza is dope for $12. Marques de Riscal’s Reserva for $18 is also good. Agree too on the Caceres and CVNE entry levels.

Domaine Wachau GV for $15

Jadot Macon-Villages for $12.

Trimbach Riesling for $15.

25

Updated list:

26

Villa Antinori Toscana - $13 and doesn’t feel like slumming it.

27

Red Burgundy - Domaine des Moirots Bourgogne Rouge $20
White Burgundy - Moreau-Naudet Petite Chablis ($25) or Moirots Bourgogne Blanc ($20) or Louis Michel Chablis ($25)
German wine - Leitz Dragonstone ($16)
California - Marietta Old Vines Red ($12) or Ridge Three Valleys ($25)
Sicily - Various wines from Alcesti ($10-20)

28

I would drink Inama Soave all day. Just got a case from Empire Wine for $11/bottle.

29

For regular pricing, rather than discounts, I’d add:

Loire Muscadet - Pepiere Sur Lie or Jo Landron Muscadet (about $15)
Loire Cab Franc - Guion Prestige ($15); Baudry Granges ($18)
Sicily - Calabretta Cala Cala ($15); Gulfi Nerojbleo ($18)
Piedmonte Nebbiolo - Vallana Campi Raudii ($14 - Thanks for this recommendation Sarah K!!!)
Langhe - Vajra Nebbiolo Langhe ($18ish) and Langhe Rosso ($14)
Oregon - Evesham Wood WV ($18) or Cameron WV when it can be found
White Burgundy - JM Brocard Ste. Claire ($16)

30

This is one subject I’m not qualified to give any ideas for - so I’ll go ahead and bore the pants of you all anyway (NB GB and US pants)!

With transport costs and taxes, what is dead cheap for me is not always for you.

Loire C/F - Both the Guion and the Granges sound fine, but I wonder what this costs in the US: Lame Delisle Boucard Domaine des Chesnaies Bourgueil 'Cuvee Prestige
I get it for around 7 or 8€ and it’s worth a great deal more. Just an idea.

Loire Sauvignon/Chardonnay - one of my daily drinkers is Château de la Ragotière (Frères Couillaud) Muscadet who also produce a very good Chardonnay and Sauvignon VDF cuvées for around 3 or 4 euros. I don’t know if you have these in the US. Otherwise one of Vincent Ricard’s cuvées?

Loire chenin - Damien Pinon “Tuffo”? Otherwise Marc Brédif’s stuff is always good, I agree.

31

Yes, that’s fine, although their Vina Real bottling is good too, and only a few bucks more. Rioja in general is a strong contender in this segment since they make tons of wines, and there is no collector fervor for 1mm bottle production.

Their are tons of smaller Bordeaux that are also good at the $15 pricepoint, beyond Senejac but availability will be less consistent (US tends to buy big years) and given how well even smaller houses age, it can be ok to load up on good years. (ignore that if one is a speculator or storage constrained). Plenty of good threads to search on for more names…

[Julian - Ragotiere muscadet is available in our supermarket in California, prices bounce between $8-$15 depending on promotions + which cuvee it is]

32

I was afraid that might be the case - for $15 the Pepière or Landrons are better value, no question.

33

No Blue Nun?

[pwn.gif]

34

Here are a few off the top of my head that I don’t think are listed yet (all should be available in the USA though at higher prices in most cases – like Julian I am fortunate to buy locally):

Loire SB – François Chidaine Touraine €9
White Burg – Terres Dorées (JP Brun) Beaujolais blanc €11-12
Southern Rhône – Franck Balthazar Côtes du Rhône €12-15
Northern Rhône – Jamet IGP Collines Rhodaniennes €19 (admittedly it flies off the shelves at that price)

35

True dat! and as I tap away, I’m sipping a 19 Pepiere. It still tastes pretty good even if I cannot summon up the umlaut, because of my keyboards defects. And I like it better, but its not an ‘on the shelf’ thing here.

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(and not directed at my 2nd favorite Parisian, after Johnny Depp) I feel like a lot of the bottlings being suggested on this excellent thread - while meeting price point objectives - are really difficult to find for those of us in flyover America. I’m not sure it makes a ton of sense to be shipping $10-$15 bottles, unless you are rounding a case, or have something like a glorious LibraryPass etc.

36

Chianti Casa Emma.
Dao Quinta do Sobral Reserva both Branco and Tinto or Quinta de Saes.
Douro Niepoort Twisted both Branco and Tinto.

37

I disagree. Shipping a $15 wine makes great sense precisely because it’s much better than what you’ll find on the shelf for $18 in flyover country. There are also a lot of ways to get free shipping these days.

38

I paid $100 for WineLibrary free shipping. I buy wine for 3 of my coworkers. Charged them $3/bottle until each had chipped in $25. LdH Cubillo is $34 in my market, but $22 or $23 on WL. Produttori Barb normale is $40-50, but 35 on WL. Everything is somewhere between 10 and 40% cheaper shipped.

39

It’s eerily polite on this thread. [rofl.gif] You know you can disagree as long as you aren’t rude.

We are still missing a few catagories and need to choose one wine for the others. Remember it must be quite easily available, traditional and, above all, a great drink, given its price - and cheap! $10 would be great. $15 fine. $20 is a bit high for this category and $25 the absolute limit if really necessary (eg. champagne.)

I won’t include the brilliant suggestions of European posters without a US poster confirming price and availability.

Updated list:

40

Rhone - 17 Chave Mon Coeur is stunning for the price point, otherwise I like Charvin’s CDR as well.