50 Flavorful, Affordable Wines from an article published in the Boston Globe

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50 flavorful, affordable wines

By Stephen Meuse, Globe Correspondent | October 19, 2005

Here are all the $10-and-under wines tasted, with notes for the whites and

reds that made the tasters' lists and others the group thought

interesting. Countries of origin are included in parentheses, followed by

the shop the wines came from (check your local store for availability).

WHITES

2004 Alamos Mendoza Valley Viognier(Argentina) Wollaston, $10. Clean,

fresh, lively, bright, and juicy; some modest varietal character.

2004 Belisario "Terre di Valbona" Verdicchio di Matelica(Italy) Vintages,

$9. Savory and earthy with a ton of character and wonderful freshness.

2004 Bodegas Campante "Vina Reboreda" Ribeiro(Spain) Curtis, $10. Fresh

and fullish; a whiff of sea breeze; some minerality.

2004 Ca'ntele Chardonnay Salento IGT (Italy) Vintages, $10.

2004 Caldora Trebbiano d'Abruzzo (Italy) Shubies, $10.

2004 Cantina di Custoza Lugana (Italy) Vintages, $10. Bright, juicy little

lemon-drop of a wine.

2004 Casa de Vila Verde Vinho Verde (Portugal) Shubies, $9.

2003 Castel del Remei Blanc Planell Costers del Segre (Spain) Vintages,

$10.

2004 Cave de Saumur, Saumur "Les Pouches" (France) Wollaston, $10. Lovely

rosemary aromatics; beautifully balanced, clean, fresh, and delicious.

2004 Chateau Le Payral Bergerac Sec (France) Federal, $9. Brisk, bright

sauvignon fruit and a nice stony-flinty-smoky edge.

2004 Colombelle Vin de Pays de Cotes de Gascogne (France) Wollaston, $7.

Distinctly grapefruity; refreshing, uncomplicated.

2004 Colosi Bianco Sicilia IGT (Italy) Vintages, $9. Clove/banana aroma

profile; a lime note; crisp and poised.

2004 Domaine de la Pepiere Muscadet Sevre et Maine sur Lie (France)

Curtis, $10. Fine Muscadet character here; lip-smacking acidity; brisk,

yeasty.

2004 Dr. Loosen Mosel-Saar-Ruwer Riesling (Germany) Curtis, $10. Modest

but distinctive reisling character; nice balance of residual sugar and

acidity.

2004 Flagstone Western Cape "Noon Gun" (South Africa) Wollaston, $10.

2004 Henri Bourgeois "Petit Bourgeois" Sauvignon Blanc (France) Curtis,

$10.

2004 Indaba Western Cape Chenin Blanc (South Africa) Shubies, $7.

2004 Ironstone Vineyards "Obsession" (California) Wollaston, $7.

2003 Kanu Chenin Blanc Stellenbosch (South Africa) Federa, $10.

2004 La Noble Chardonnay Vin de Pays d'Oc (France) Federal, $9. Some flesh

and weight; unoaked style; lemon-lime keynote.

2003 La Vigne d'Argent Bordeaux Blanc (France) Federal, $9. Nicely

balanced; a little resiny; appealing zesty sauvignon fruit.

2003 "Les Vignes Retrouvees" Cotes de Saint-Mont (France) Curtis, $10.

Fruity, but crisp and dry; some nice mineral elements; versatile.

2004 Quinta da Romeira Bucelas (Portugal) Shubies, $10. Super fresh and

grapey; some citrus notes; great zip.

2004 Terra Antiga Vinho Verde (Portugal) Federal, $7.

2004 Yalumba Unwooded South Australia Chardonnay (Australia) Shubies, $10.

Some smoky aromas; lots of earth and soil flavors; appealing unoaked

style.

REDS

2003 Alamos Mendoza Valley Pinot Noir (Argentina) Shubies, $10.

2004 Alamos Mendoza Valley Malbec (Argentina) Wollaston, $7.

2004 Andre Brunel Vin de Pays de Vaucluse Grenache (France) Federal, $10.

Lightish but refreshingly fruity; that big snootful of dirt is a bonus.

2003 Bodegas Fernandez "La Legua" Cigales (Spain) Curtis, $10.

2002 Bodegas Salentein "Finca El Portillo" Mendoza Valley Malbec

(Argentina) Shubies, $8. Sturdy, compact wine with good density and an

emphatic earthiness; softish but with good length.

2004 Bodegas Tikalo "Alba Liza" (Spain) Vintages, $9. Marvelous balance of

fruit, earth, and acidity; enough weight for richer dishes; a gem.

2002 Casa Viva Casablanca Valley Pinot Noir (Chile) Federal, $8.

2001 Castas de Santar Dao (Portugal) Shubies, $10.

2001 Columbia Crest Grand Estates Syrah (Washington State) Wollaston, $10.

A boatload of ripe, New World fruit; spicy oak and big, mouth-filling

sweetness; a bit rotund; commercial style.

2004 Cusumano Nero d'Avola Sicilia IGT (Italy) Vintages, $9. Big,

flavorful hunk; loaded with ripe fruits; good length.

2003 Domaine de L'Ameillaud Cotes du Rhone (France) Wollaston, $10.

Modest, even-tempered little red with some structure and a nice bit of

zip.

2004 Excelsior Cabernet Sauvignon (South Africa) Federal, $10. Big ripe

style; powerful smoky bacon-y profile; some chewy textures.

2003 Georges Duboeuf Shiraz Reserve Vin de Pays d'Oc (France) Wollaston,

$8.

2004 Ken Forrester "Petit Pinotage" Stellenbosch (South Africa) Curtis,

$10.

2003 Las Rocas de San Alejandro Garnacha (Spain) Federal, $8. Lush ripe

fruit, cushy texture, and a cup o' coffee to boot; tasty.

2003 Marco Real Navarra Garnacha (Spain) Vintages, $10. Red raspberry

keynote; a nice juicy bundle.

2003 Mas de la Garrrigue Cotes du Roussillon Villages (France) Vintages,

$10. What you want in a sturdy, French country red; an everyday workhorse.

2003 Memo Montepulciano d'Abruzzo (Italy) Curtis, $10. Unusual

concentration; good acidity; prince of a pizza wine.

2003 Molissimo Terre Degli Osci IGT (Italy) Federal, $10. Some lovely

sweet black cherry fruit, plenty of flavor, and a little complexity. A

find.

2004 Panarroz Jumilla (Spain) Shubies, $10.

2002 Red Diamond Winery Red Diamond Shiraz (Washington State) Shubies,

$10.

2004 Renzo Masi Sangiovese di Toscana IGT (Italy) Wollaston, $10.

2003 San Fereolo Dolcetto di Dogliani "Valdiba" (Italy) Vintages, $9.

Amazing aromas of fresh hay and sweet grass; fine zip; a juicy, satisfying

red.

2003 Verget du Sud Vin de Pays de Vaucluse (France) Curtis, $10.

Intriguing tarry aromas; lovely sour cherry fruit and lots of southern

French character.

2003 Vinha da Palestra Douro (Portugal) Curtis, $10. Flavorful and

balanced; some appealing smoky-spicy notes.

© Copyright 2005 The New York Times Company

 
wow. thanks. this will get printed small, folded and tucked...

in my wallet next to my prescription drug list.

 
I know, huh? I try to give good, cheap wines with every gift I give at XMas

and this article was a saving grace! It is a little, tiny bit long, though.

 
More to choose from. Thanks. This will be handy when I have my Julia Child night and French wines.

 
`I've been buying from this list for months and it's lots of fun. Salespeople are usually...

happy to join in my quest. It's a bit of a task to find the specific wines if you're not in Boston. I found only 8 at my local package store. Will have to expand my hunt.

 
You're right. Many are hard to find, but I'm in an area with lots of

gourmet wine and cheese shops and they carry quite a few of them, but usually at a heftier price. Still, pretty darn cheap for a good wine.

 
I belong to a ladies bookclub and I chose "My life in France" for my month. We all read it and

gather at my house in October for dinner and wine and discussion. Some of us use the foods in the books to make our menu, and what better menu than selections from Julia? I will be making some simpler items from some of her cookbooks and will have a selection of affordable French wines. Last year I chose "Angela's Ashes" by Frank McCourt and served Guiness and gingerbread made with guiness and oatmeal bread and Olga's sweet and snappy beef stew with mashed potatoes. Also had Bailey's for dessert.

 
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