Wine for Real People

2004 Falcon Ridge Lodi Zinfindel

wine4folks — Tue, 25 Jul 2006 17:58:40 +0000

I always have high hopes for Zinfandel’s. Dollar for dollar, I find that Zinfandel gives me more bang for the buck than just about any other wine. I love the fruity, spicy flavors and aromas. This particular Zinfandel, while smooth and drinkable, was a little muted. It might be OK for an inexpensive, drinkable wine for a party but this wine generally doesn’t deliver.

Bottom Line:

Cost: $6

Recommendation: Drinkable and smooth but muted for Zinfandel. There are better choices out there.

2004 Westport Rivers Rose’ of Pinot Noir

wine4folks — Mon, 24 Jul 2006 20:37:09 +0000

We bought this wine for it’s color. We were looking for a Provence style rose’, saw this one and decided to give it a go. Deb took the first sip and her lips immediately pursed and her cheeks hollowed as though she’d guzzled some lemon juice. I was just hoping her face wasn’t going to stay puckered like that - she looked a bit like a fish. “Tart,” was her one word review. Indeed, this Massachusetts wine is an intensely tart, thin wine. I suppose if you like wines that reviewers say have lots of “green apple” flavors, you might find this enjoyable. I don’t. I might go well with…. I can’t actually think of anything this moment.

Bottom Line:

Cost: about $6

Availability: Probably mainly in the Northeast

Recommendation: We wouldn’t buy this again but if you like tart, thin, acidic wines or just want to see your guests pucker their faces like a blowfish, give it a try.

2004 Charles Shaw Chardonnay

wine4folks — Mon, 24 Jul 2006 20:22:54 +0000

I thought I’d start with a wine that’s widely available and reasonably popular. If you’re not already aware, Charles Shaw wines are sold exclusively by Trader Joes across the U.S. These wines have been nicknamed “Two Buck Chuck” because, in the west, Trader Joes sells them for $1.99 a bottle. Not every Trader Joes carries wine or Two Buck Chuck. Here in the Northeast, Two Buck Chuck sells for $2.99 a bottle. In any case, the 2004 Chardonnay we’ve tasted (repeatedly) is a simple, easy to drink wine that’s great for a barbecue or just by itself. There is almost no oakiness, a little vanilla, and moderate to low acidity. Because of the low acid, it’s not ideal for food but, hell, it costs $2.99 – I can cut it a little slack. This wine isn’t going to win any awards for subtlety or complexity but a glass after work is quite nice.

Bottom Line:

Cost: $1.99 to about $3.50, depending on where you live

Availability: Trader Joes nationwide

Recommendation: Buy a few bottles and keep them in the refrigerator for every day use but if you’re headed to a dinner party, reach for something a little nicer.

Wine for Real People

wine4folks — Mon, 24 Jul 2006 16:54:43 +0000

I’m passionate for great food and wine. Sometimes really good food or wine is equated with “expensive”. Now, I’m as happy with a complex, expensive meal at Le Bernardin as the next person but most days I eat relatively simple food that I cook myself and I like to drink simple, inexpensive wine to go with it.

If you read enough wine reviews, you start to notice that the highest rated ones are often expensive. These are fine wines if you are trying to build a wine collection that you’re going to age in a cellar. But, I think it’s silly to spend $30-$50 or more for a bottle of wine to go with your burger after work. Many of us can’t afford or justify this kind of wine every day or even once a week. Who cares if the wine will be perfect, complex, and smooth in 25 years? We need something drinkable and tasty for dinner tonight!

There are great traditions in Europe around drinking, simple, very inexpensive wines for most occasions. Here in the U.S., inexpensive wine is often equated with bad wine. Deb and I were in a Trader Joes in Cambridge, MA a couple weeks ago and saw a couple standing nearby shopping for wine like we were. The woman picked a bottle off the shelf and handed it to the man, “what about this one?” He replied “No, it’s only five dollars. It’s not going to be any good.” I think he missed an opportunity to learn something. The wine may have been good or maybe it wasn’t, but the price is no gauge for determining quality.

I decided to start this blog to talk about the many, very drinkable, less talked about simple wines available for around $10 or less. Of course there will be plenty of them which are less drinkable than others, but this is true of all price categories.

Rob