Wine Bargains for You!



By John ~ August 28th, 2009.

Over the past two years, we have devoted a number of posts to great value bargain wines.

You can buy great value wines for under $20 (some under $10)
Great Value Wines
Super Bargain Wines for Tough Times
Super Bargain Wines in the $10 to $25 Range

Since our last post on this topic, we’ve discovered several more gems that you might like to try before summer is over.

Sandhill WineryThe first is a closeout, and one of the best wine buys I’ve seen anywhere. We discovered Sandhill Winery, recently bought out by Corliss Estates and thus the closeout, early this summer on a trip to Red Mountain. We thought their 2003 Merlot was a good buy then at $24.99. At the current price of $9.99, it’s a steal.

2003 Sandhill Merlot (Red Mountain, WA): Dark red with dark fruit and earthy aromas. Blackberry, licorice, black plums, and spice come through on the palate. Full-bodied with high, drying tannins, and a long finish. Big and bold, yet well-balanced.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Esquin Wine Merchants (Seattle), $9.99; Madwine (Washington), $9.99

Next is the 2007 Parejas Cellars Rosé, a wine we first discovered in one of our Seattle wine bar date nights. It was our favorite when we visited the Local Vine. Later, it was the consensus winner at our Washington Rosé tasting dinner…and it’s less than $10 a bottle.

2007 Parejas Cellars Rosé (Yakima Valley, Washington): 34% Viognier, 66% Mourvedre. Pale salmon in color. Lots of green, vegetal aromas. Flavors of strawberry, watermelon, and herbs come through on the palate. Crisp, smooth, and slightly fizzy. Very flavorful and refreshing with a long finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: The Local Vine (Seattle), $9

2008 FishEye Pinot GrigioIn the Live Blogging segment of the Wine Bloggers Conference in Sonoma, we found a California Pinot Grigio, the 2008 FishEye, which was surprisingly good for $7 a bottle.

2008 FishEye California Pinot Grigio (California): Apple, pear, melon. Very crisp, fresh. Amazing value for a summer sipper.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Madwine (Washington), $4.99; K&L Wine Merchants (California), $4.99

Earlier this year, we had a tasting dinner featuring South African Red Blends. The best combination of quality and price was the 2007 Spice Route Chakalaka.

2007 Spice Route Chakalaka (Swartland, South Africa): 57% Shiraz, 20% Grenache, 17% Mourvedre, 6% Carignan. Ruby red with aromas of smoke, cedar, and vanilla. Plums come through on the palate. Medium-bodied, medium tannins, and a long, crisp finish. Slightly bitter but softens with food.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Wine Exchange (California), $14.99; Available elsewhere, $15 to $20

And finally, at the Rhone Rangers event in Seattle, the standout bargain was the 2007 Cline “Cashmere” Red Blend.

2007 Cline “Cashmere” Red Blend (California)
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Wilbur’s Total Beverage (Colorado), $14.99; Fine Wine House (California), $15.98

For more wine bargains, stay tuned for our upcoming post on Washington Wine Month (September this year), when the Washington State Liquor Stores as well as many independent retailers run their once-a-year specials on a big selection of Washington State wines.


Filed under: American Wine, California Wine, Five-Bangs For Your Buck Wines, Merlot, Pinot Grigio/Pinot Gris, Red Wine, Rose Wine, South African Wine, Washington State Wine, White Wine, Wines Under $10, Wines Under $15, Wines Under $20, Wines Under $25

Reader's Comments

  1. Jennifer Linsdale | September 3rd, 2009 at 7:59 am

    Hi –
    I really enjoyed the bargain wine reviews>

    I was wondering if you could possibly review Americans wine by state – it’s always nice to find a surprise!

    Thanks,
    Jen

  2. John | September 3rd, 2009 at 9:06 am

    Thanks for the compliment, Jen. If you will look through the “Categories” column on the right hand side of the page and find the state or states you are interested in, you’ll find every post we’ve written about wines in that state(s). Hope this helps.

  3. Rich Brisco | September 5th, 2009 at 10:31 am

    Trying to set up wine pairing at my restaurant(Uptown Blanco).Need to Know about liability. etc
    cell 210-393-9614.
    Thanks,
    Rich.

  4. John | September 5th, 2009 at 2:23 pm

    Rich, Thanks for commenting. Could you clarify what you are asking? I’m not sure that I understand your question.

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