Our panels tasted 1,646 new-release wines for this February 2005 issue, and singled out a range of inexpensive wines for the value they offer. W&S critics Tara Q. Thomas and Patrick Comiskey then tasted these wines and rated them for their quality-price ratio. These ten wines - designated "Good Value" or "Exceptional Value" - represent the best overall quality for the lowest price. Suggested national retail prices have been quoted by the winery or importer, but prices in your area may vary considerably. If you shop carefully, you may be able to find these wines at a significant discount to the price listed here. |
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WHITES
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| GV I |
Pepperwood Grove
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$9
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2003 California Chardonnay
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Here's a voluptuous value, full of peach and orange blossom flavors with a clean citrus finish.
Don Sebastiani & Sons, Napa, CA
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| EV I |
Roshambo
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$12
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2003 Dry Creek Valley Sauvignon Blanc
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Like lime juice for a ceviche, the green herb and lemongrass tones of this
sauvignon offer a savory counterpoint to raw shellfish.
Roshambo Cellars, Healdsburg, CA
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| EV I |
Villa Maria
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$12.99
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2004 Marlborough Private Bin Sauvignon Blanc (New Zealand)
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There's simple elegance in the grape-based aroma of fresh lime,
then the wine is a clean gloss on melon and gooseberry flavor. It finishes tart, a spritz of lime zest for fatty tuna sashimi.
Vineyard Brands, Birmingham, AL
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| EV I |
Matetic Vineyards EQ
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$14
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2002 San Antonio Valle del Rosario Sauvignon Blanc EQ (Chile)
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This wine's powerful structure needs time to reveal its silky texture and firm acidity.
Intriguing petrol scents evolve into ripe peach and quince aromas.
A good choice now with foie gras.
Calkins Group, Novato, CA
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REDS
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| EV I |
Altos Las Hormigas
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$7.50
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2003 Mendoza Colonia Las Liebres Bonarda (Argentina)
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From 30-year-old vines in Mendoza, this is a massive red with a roasted black fruit aroma,
firm, tense tannins and vibrant acidity. A hedonistic pleasure, and a steal for the price.
Michael Skurnik Wines, Syosset, NY
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| GV I |
Glass Mountain
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$8
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2001 California Cabernet Sauvignon
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This wine's concentrated blackberry
flavors with a subtle black pepper spice would pair well with roast beef.
Markham Vineyards, St. Helena, CA
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| GV I |
Echelon
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$10
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2003 Central Coast Pinot Noir
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Juicy black cherry flavor balanced by a lean black-tea finish calls out for a smoky pasta alla carbonara.
Echelon Vineyards, San Luis Obispo, CA
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| GV I |
Viu Manent
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$11
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2003 Colchagua Valley Secreto Syrah (Chile)
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Ripe, smooth blackberry and cinnamon flavors cover the palate with generous, spicy sweetness;
tannins support the fruit and give it strength.
Chile Gourmet Wine & Food Consulting, Hingham, MA
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| EV I |
Sagelands
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$12
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2002 Columbia Valley Four Corners Merlot
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This simple wine has broad red cherry flavors, offset by a soft grainy texture that
keeps it in balance. An aperitif merlot, or measure up that tannic spine with pulled pork.
Sagelands Winery, Wapato, WA
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| EV I |
Carmen
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$14.99
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2002 Valle del Maipo Garrido Estate Nativa Cabernet Sauvignon (Chile)
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With air, the scents of black cherries and blueberries in this solidly built red melt into the oak.
The tannins are generous; a juicy cut of beef will balance their power.
W.J. Deutsch & Sons, Harrison, NY
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There are times when you want to splurge on a bottle of wine - birthdays, anniversaries, celebrations of any kind. But for a casual dinner, or a picnic in the park, those times when wine is simply a part of your life, it seems crazy to spring for a big-bucks bottle, especially when there's so much good wine out there at such reasonable prices. Doubtful? Trust us. Here are 51 brands that regularly manage to produce great wine for under $15 a bottle - 20 American and 31 imported. Every winery listed here had at least two-but more likely four and up to nine- wines for $15 or less that W&S recommended over the last 12 months. These are names you can rely on when you walk into an new store or glance down an unfamiliar wine list, or simply when you want lots of bang for your buck. There's something for every occasion, from light-hearted sparklers and spaghetti reds to whites with four-star class and reds that can go mano a mano with a Porterhouse steak. Buy a bottle or two; or a case or two, for that matter. Why not?
Click here for reviews |
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