Would you like a quick suggestion for a good wine to drink tonight (or this weekend) that won’t break your budget and is widely available? Many of our readers have said this is something they would like, so here is this week’s selection, the 2006 Altas Cumbres Malbec from the Mendoza region of Argentina.

Our selection criteria include:

• A very good Quality rating of >=3.5 stars (out of 5)
• A price tag of <=$15
• Must be widely available

Malbec is a varietal that is getting more and more attention and appeals to a wide variety of folks. It has a lot to offer. It is not as tannic as Cabernet Sauvignon but is spicier than Merlot and goes well with a number of different foods.

Lagarde produces Altas Cumbres Malbec. We have tasted this wine several times; it is very good and delivers excellent QPR at less than $10 a bottle. We’ve found it to be a very consistent wine, so even if you can’t find the 2006 vintage, I wouldn’t hesitate to purchase whichever vintage is available. Lagarde was founded in 1897 by Jose Angel Pereira and is located in the upper Mendoza River region of Argentina. Don Luis Menotti Pescarmona and his family bought the winery in 1975 and still operate the winery today under the direction of Sofia Pescarmona, the third generation of the family to be involved in the winery.

“Intense red colour with blue and violet tinges. Fruity flavours where most significant are red fruits. Harmonious and elegant. Ideal for: Any kind of meat, chicken, duck and any kind of pasta, too.” –Winemaker Juan Roby Stordeur on the 2008 Altas Cumbres Malbec

2006 Altas Cumbres Malbec (Mendoza, Argentina): Dark red and very aromatic. Dark fruits, oak, vanilla, and blackberry cobbler come through on the nose. Dark, fresh fruits and honey show through on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with medium tannins and a long finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Esquin Wine Merchants (Seattle, Washington), $9.99; Available elsewhere, $8 to $10 [2007 and 2008 vintages are currently available]

Washington is the largest Riesling producing state in the United States. And, Washington State’s own Chateau Ste. Michelle is the largest Riesling producer in the world. Since Riesling has become known as Washington State’s signature white variety, I have been looking forward to having a wine tasting dinner featuring Washington Riesling for some time.

Fortunately, this was a fabulous tasting and lived up to my expectations. All six wines were very good and received a Quality rating of 3.5 stars (out of 5) or higher. In addition, all six received a QPR rating of 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5) or higher.

The winner, the 2008 Eroica Riesling, is exceptional. Eroica is a joint venture between Chateau Ste. Michelle of Washington State and Dr. Loosen of Germany. Winemakers Bob Bertheau and Ernst Loosen work together every step of the way to produce a world-class Riesling from Washington State grapes. The partnership launched in 1999, and the 2008 vintage is Eroica’s 10th vintage. Eroica is named for Beethoven’s Third Symphony.

One common misconception about Riesling is that it is always a sweet wine. While some Rieslings are in fact sweet, others are not. All six of the wines in this tasting are considered off-dry. I have included the Residual Sugar percentages in my tasting notes below.

One of the great things about Riesling is its versatility. Rieslings are excellent sipping wines but are also fabulous food wines. All of these Washington Rieslings paired extremely well with Mom’s dinner of curried corn soup, arugula peach salad, seared scallops with crispy leeks, rice au gratin, braised kale, and cider-poached apples with crème fraîche and toasted pecans for dessert. This was one of the absolute best food/wine pairings I’ve ever had!

If you don’t see your favorite Washington Riesling on this list, let us know in the comments. If we get enough recommendations, we just might be persuaded to have another Washington Riesling tasting dinner later this year.

From 1st to last in the group consensus rankings:

2008 Eroica Riesling [Chateau Ste. Michelle & Dr. Loosen] (Columbia Valley, Washington): Pale, almost watery, straw yellow in color. Very aromatic with gorgeous citrus, particularly lemon, aromas. Lemon, lime, lemon zest flavors come through on the palate with some river stones on the back end. Off-dry, light-bodied and very crisp with a long finish. Well-balanced and complex. Excellent with food. Residual Sugar: 1.77%
Quality: 4.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Fred Meyer (Seattle, Washington), $21; Available elsewhere, $12 to $25

2008 Trust Cellars Riesling (Columbia Valley, Washington): Pale, almost watery, straw yellow in color. Floral aromas dominate the nose; apricot, peach, and pear flavors come through on the palate. Off-dry, light-bodied and crisp with a long finish. Well-balanced and smooth. Residual Sugar: 2%
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Full Pull Wines (Seattle, Washington), $14

2008 Poet’s Leap Riesling [Long Shadows] (Columbia Valley, Washington): Pale, straw yellow with green tinges. Nose is a bit tight at first but as it opens up, mineral, petrol, and hay aromas come through. Flavors of tropical fruit and apricot. Off-dry, light-bodied, and lively acidity with a long finish. Good acidity comes out with the food. Residual Sugar: 1.43%
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Cellar 46 (Seattle, Washington), $19; Available elsewhere, $16 to $24

2008 Nefarious Cellars Riesling (Columbia Valley, Washington): Pale, straw yellow. Takes a while for the aromas to open up. Citrus, particularly lime, flavors come through on the palate. Off-dry and light-bodied with a long finish. Residual Sugar: 1.6%
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Full Pull Wines (Seattle, Washington), $16

2008 Cave B Estate Winery Riesling (Columbia Valley, Washington): Pale, straw yellow with green tinges. Petrol and mineral aromas on the nose; petrol, citrus, and hay on the palate. Off-dry and light-bodied with a long finish. More viscous than the others. Residual Sugar: 2%
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $18

2008 Columbia Crest Two Vines Riesling (Washington State): Pale, almost watery, straw yellow in color. Very aromatic with lime and floral aromas. Pear and honey flavors. Off-dry and light-bodied with a long finish. A bit plain at first, greatly improves with food. Residual Sugar: 3.35%
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Fred Meyer (Seattle, Washington), $8; Available elsewhere, $7 to $10

As I reflect on meals that I have enjoyed in the past, baked ham has always been a favorite. It is a popular holiday or special occasion menu item and is usually one that many people enjoy. As I think about ham menus, I am reminded of the menu my mother-in-law used many times for our holiday meals. We were served ham, green beans, a macaroni/tomato side dish which John and his sisters affectionately called “noodle goop,” and a layered gelatin and cream cheese salad.  While this combination was always enjoyed by everyone, I thought I would alter the menu a little and experiment to determine what wines would work best with it.

For this challenging wine pairing meal, my menu included mixed greens with raspberries, spiral baked ham, corn on the cob (a favorite of my 2 year old granddaughter), and baked creamed spinach. Once again, I referred to my favorite reference book, What to Drink with What You Eat, to select my wines for the meal. After reading their recommendations, I decided to try a Beaujolais Cru and a Riesling. As in some of our previous challenges, I thought it would be fun to see if a red or a white wine paired better with the ham.

The two wines that I selected were the 2008 Dominique Piron Morgon Cote du Py Cru du Beaujolais and the 2008 Efeste Evergreen Riesling. We enjoyed both wines; however, the overwhelming favorite and the unanimous choice of what paired best with the meal was the Riesling.  The crispness and floral flavors of the Efeste Evergreen Riesling were exceptional and married well with the sweet and savory flavors of the food.

Bon Appétit!

2008 Efeste Evergreen Riesling (Columbia Valley, Washington): Pale, straw yellow with green tinges. Gorgeous nose with aromas of peach, honey, and flowers. Flavors of peach, pear, apricot, and lemon tart. Dry, light to medium-bodied, and crisp with a long finish. Well-balanced.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Fred Meyer (Seattle, Washington), $14.99; Available elsewhere, $16 to $17

2008 Dominique Piron Morgon Cote du Py Cru du Beaujolais (Morgon, Beaujolais, France): Grape: Gamay. Ruby red and aromatic. Strawberry, boysenberry, earth, leather, and faint feed lot aromas lead to red fruit flavors, particularly cherry. Medium-bodied and lively with soft tannins and a long, smooth finish.
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 1 bang for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Esquin Wine Merchants (Seattle, Washington), $22.99

Washington State, in general, makes outstanding Merlot. Washington Merlot is bigger, more complex, and has higher acidity that most Merlot produced elsewhere. Recently, we had what turned out to be a Washington Merlot showdown in one of our double blind private tasting dinners featuring two wines from the 2006 vintage, the 2006 Fielding Hills Merlot and the 2006 Januik Winery Klipsun Vineyard Merlot. For a more complete description of how we set up these private tastings, please refer to How We Taste.

Fielding Hills Winery is a small, family-owned winery located in Wenatchee, Washington. Owner/winemaker Mike Wade (our Best Washington Winemaker of 2009) and his wife Karen are longtime apple and cherry growers who have turned a middle portion of their orchard near Mattawa into a vineyard. Their Riverbend Vineyard, planted in 1998, is in the Wahluke Slope AVA. They source all of their fruit, including the fruit used to produce this Merlot, from Riverbend Vineyard.

Januik Winery, located in Woodinville, Washington, was founded by owner/winemaker Mike Januik in 1999. Mike is one of the most respected winemakers in Washington State. Prior to starting his own winery, he was the head winemaker for Chateau Ste. Michelle for ten years. In addition to his work at Januik Winery, Mike also serves as winemaker for Novelty Hill. Novelty Hill and Januik Winery share a state-of-the-art production facility in Woodinville. Since this tasting featured one of his Merlots, I found it interesting to learn that he was once named as one of the world’s ten “Masters of Merlot” by Wine Enthusiast magazine.

Both of these wines are very good and are good representations of the quality Merlot that Washington State produces.

2006 Fielding Hills Merlot (Wahluke Slope, Washington): Dark purple in color. Very aromatic with raspberry, earthy, and floral aromas. Flavors of black cherry, chocolate, and spice with a hint of pepper on the back end. Medium to full-bodied with medium to high tannins. Well-balanced and smooth with a long finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $36; Avalon Wine (Oregon), $38.95

2006 Januik Winery Klipsun Vineyard Merlot (Red Mountain, Washington): Deep red and very aromatic. Blackberry and licorice come through on the nose; black plum, leather, and baker’s chocolate on the palate. Medium to full-bodied and lively with medium to high tannins and a medium finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 3 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: The Grape Choice (Kirkland, Washington), $40; Available elsewhere, $42 to $55

This week’s Wine Word of the Week is canopy.

Official definition from Jancis Robinson’s The Oxford Companion to Wine:
Canopy is the part of the vine above the ground, formed by the leaf and shoot system. It includes the trunk, cordon or canes, shoots, leaves, and fruit.

Layman’s terms from Kori:
Canopy is the part of the grapevine that is above the ground in the vineyard.

First, the bad news. When the stock market leaped forward last year after horrific declines, many thought that the economy would quickly follow suit. So far, that has not been the case. In fact, yesterday, we learned that retail sales unexpectedly fell in December, leaving 2009 with the biggest yearly drop on record, indicating that there are still significant hurdles facing the economy as it struggles to recover from the deepest recession since the days of the great depression in the 1930’s.

As we reported last fall, the wine business, especially the higher-price segment of the wine business, has suffered along with the economy and continues to be less than robust today. So the big question is: What does 2010 hold for wine sales?

To give you some educated thoughts, I’m going to share excerpts from Silicon Valley Bank’s Preliminary Findings for their 2010-2011 Annual State of the Wine Industry Report. Silicon Valley Bank’s Wine Division is the leading provider of financial services to wineries and vineyards in the western United States, with over 300 winery and vineyard clients, so their findings are widely circulated and well-respected.

Here’s what SVB says:

• The economy will not return to the market experienced during the past decade.
• Distribution has all but ended as a viable sales channel for small wineries.
• A rapid and full recovery in high-priced wine sales is not in the cards at this time.
• Add in predictions from restaurateurs that 2010 will be another difficult year.
• For many Boomers, a $50 bottle of wine is now permanently outside of their budgets.
• It’s common to see wineries that two years ago sold out 100% of their production ahead of the next release, discounting significantly to move their product.
• We do believe that we are in the midst of a price reset in fine wine that will lower the wannabe cult wine prices and collapse brands into narrower pricing bands below $50.

That’s a pretty sobering forecast for wineries, isn’t it? However, for the wine consumer, it is good news, because it means more and more good deals on great wines. While sales of wine here in Washington State actually increased slightly last year, it was mostly the lesser expensive wines that were selling.

As far as the better higher-priced wines go, my suggestion is to make a list of some of the wines you’ve dreamed of owning. Then, keep in touch with your favorite local retailer and tell her what you are looking for, scan online resources like Wine-Searcher.com regularly, and be ready to buy when the price fits your budget. As I’ve said before, it is definitely a buyer’s market, and it may get even better.

If you haven’t already, we hope that you will take a few minutes of your time between now and Saturday night to answer our short reader survey:

Click here to take the 2010 Wine Peeps Survey

As an added incentive, if you answer the survey and provide us with your name and email address in the last question, we will enter you into a drawing for a chance to win a copy of the book, What to Drink with What You Eat by Andrew Dornenburg and Karen Page.

Thanks!

Would you like a quick suggestion for a good wine to drink tonight (or this weekend) that won’t break your budget and is widely available? Many of our readers have said this is something they would like, so here is this week’s selection, the 2007 Michele Chiarlo Nivole Moscato d’Asti (semi-sparkling wine) from the Piedmont region of Italy.

Our selection criteria include:

• A very good Quality rating of >=3.5 stars (out of 5)
• A price tag of <=$15
• Must be widely available

Our first experience with Nivole came by accident. We were dining at one of the premier steakhouses here in Seattle on a special occasion when the server accidentally spilled a bottle of red wine at our table, splattering everywhere, including all over my husband’s pants. After apologizing profusely to Colby, replacing the wine with a fresh bottle, offering to pay for cleaning the pants, and comping us on the meal, the manager had a bottle of Nivole sent to our table as a dessert wine.  It hit the spot then and has continued to hit the spot for us since that time.

We’ve tasted and reviewed three different vintages of Nivole, the 2004, 2005, and 2007. We’ve given each an excellent quality rating of 4 stars (out of 5). So even if you can’t find the 2007 where you live, I wouldn’t hesitate to purchase the 2008 or whichever vintage is available. Nivole’s low level of alcohol (usually 5.5-6%) makes it particularly light and fruity on the palate and great for drinking after dinner when higher alcohol wines have already been consumed. The name Nivole, which means “clouds” in the Piedmontese dialect, fits the wine’s light, elegant quality.

Coming from a line of seven generations of grape growers, Michele Chiarlo founded his namesake winery in 1956. Today, Mr. Chiarlo is a leading figure in the Piedmont wine industry. Michele Chiarlo is definitely a family business with Mr. Chiarlo’s sons, Alberto and Stefano, now playing key roles. Alberto directs marketing and sales while Stefano manages vineyard operations and serves as co-winemaker.

2007 Michele Chiarlo Nivole Moscato d’Asti (375 ml): A clear, bright, straw-colored semi-sparkling wine. Exhibits fresh, sweet aromas of apricots and Satsuma oranges. Lots of apricot comes through on the palate. Sweet but not sickeningly sweet. Very crisp and refreshing. The perfect dessert wine (with or without any dessert).
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Esquin (Seattle, Washington), $12.99, Available elsewhere, $10 to $16

New World wines have dominated our tastings recently so I was really excited when we had what turned out to be a showdown between two red Bordeaux wines in one of our double blind private tasting dinners featuring two wines from the famed 2005 vintage, the 2005 Chateau Lanessan and the 2005 Chateau de la Cour d’Argent. For a more complete description of how we set up these private tastings, please refer to How We Taste.

The 2005 vintage in Bordeaux has been referred to by many as the “vintage of a lifetime.” While such praise sent already high Bordeaux prices through the roof when the 2005’s were released, the wonderful thing is that the fabulous growing season meant that great quality wines were not limited to the First Growths but were found all across Bordeaux. So while some 2005 Bordeaux prices are absolutely out of sight, there are many excellent wines that can be found at reasonable prices as well. In fact, both of these wines received QPR ratings of 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5).

While we thought both wines paired well with Mom’s Cappellini Puttanesca, all four of us slightly preferred the 2005 Chateau de la Cour d’Argent. We had not previously had either of these wines. We bought the Lanessan on an email recommendation from The Wine Exchange in California, and we learned about the Cour d’Argent from reading Gary Vaynerchuk’s 101 Wines book in which it was his #91.

“If you want to experience Bordeaux without spending a lot of money, I promise this wine will deliver everything you want and it is drinking tremendously right now. While your wine bully buddies are waiting for their trophy wines to mature in the cellar, you can be drinking bottle after bottle of these delicious basic Bordeaux and still have enough money left to get the premium cable package and maybe even a few pay-per-views. These are the wines that make 2005 so very special.” –Gary Vaynerchuk, Gary Vaynerchuk’s 101 Wines, on the 2005 Chateau de la Cour d’Argent

2005 Chateau de la Cour d’Argent (Cotes de Castillon, Bordeaux, France): 95% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. Dark red and aromatic. Cotton candy, newspaper, and a hint of soap come through on the nose; cranberry, black licorice, and earth on the palate. Medium-bodied and smooth with soft tannins and a pleasant finish. Well-balanced and complex. Improves with food.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Esquin Wine Merchants (Seattle, Washington), $15; Available elsewhere, $12 to $15

2005 Chateau Lanessan (Haut-Medoc, Bordeaux, France): 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Deep red in color. Nose is a bit tight at first, then earth and mothball aromas come through. Tastes a bit like Kool-Aid on the front end, but it gets better the longer it is open with red fruit flavors, especially raspberry and strawberry, and a hint of cocoa powder on the finish. Medium-bodied and smooth with soft tannins.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: The Wine Exchange (California), $20; Available elsewhere, $20 to $30

This was a great tasting. Both are excellent values that are worth a try if you see them on the shelf at your local wine shop.

In 2005, we took the trip of a lifetime to Australia. We fell in love with the country, the people, and the wine. We especially enjoyed the time we spent in Sydney and in the Barossa Valley. While we were there, we visited Penfolds and really liked their entire lineup of wines. However, we did not have an opportunity to taste Penfolds Grange on that trip. Penfolds Grange is Australia’s most famous wine and one of the most sought after wines in the world.

Shortly after we returned home, unbeknownst to me, Mom and Dad decided that they would like to buy a bottle of Penfolds Grange from the 1976 vintage (my birth year) to give to me on my 30th birthday in January 2006.

Dad began searching for the wine, starting with domestic sources. When he didn’t have any luck, he decided to call a wine shop in Sydney that we frequented on our trip, Australian Wine Centre, to see if they could help him locate a bottle. The good news was that they did have a bottle, but the bad news was that it was going to cost a fortune to ship it to Seattle. I have to give them credit for having excellent customer service. They worked out a deal with an importer to send along this one bottle for Dad with their next shipment to the U.S. When it arrived in California, the importer then forwarded it to Dad.

Dad knew that he was taking a big chance on a 30 year old bottle of wine. Who knows how it had been stored over those years? And would it still be good at that age anyway?

I was absolutely ecstatic when I opened my present from Mom and Dad at my birthday party and found this bottle of 1976 Penfolds Grange. What a fabulous surprise!

I decided not to drink it immediately but to hold onto it for another special occasion. A couple of months after my daughter Sydney was born in early 2007, I decided that it was time to pull out my prized bottle to enjoy with a family dinner. Mom cooked one of her fabulous meals, and we opened the wine. The good news is that after all of the hype, the effort to find it, and the expense, the 1976 Penfolds Grange was well worth it. It lived up to and exceeded our expectations. Hands down, this was the best wine that I’ve ever had.

Since I drank this wine before we started Wine Peeps, I did not take detailed tasting notes. However, I do remember it being very dark, inky, full-bodied, extremely well-balanced, and it had great fruit for a 30 year old wine. And it did not taste like it was anywhere near the end of its life. The bad news is that we don’t have another bottle.

1976 Penfolds Grange (South Australia, Australia): 89% Shiraz, 11% Cabernet Sauvignon.
Quality: 5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 1 bang for your buck (out of 5)
Where we purchased it: Australian Wine Centre (Sydney, Australia), $613

What is the best wine you’ve ever had? Please share your memories of the wine and any stories that go along with it in the comments.

Cheers!