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Discover great wines for under $12
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You can enjoy drinking excellent wine without draining your wallet, according to three guys in the wine business.
“There are some really good wines for under $10,” said Doug Due, director of wine at Grocery Outlet in Berkeley. “The down economy has had an impact on the industry but you can still drink well if you hunt for the best deals.”
“Two Buck Chuck”, the Trader Joe’s wine phenomenon, lead the charge into cheap wine and many scoffed. But, Fred Franzia, its Modesto-based producer, is laughing all the way to the bank.
“That $1.99 wine got people to start drinking wine and he began with pretty decent California juice,” said Chad Richard of Furthermore Wines(www.furthermorewines.com) “It made wine more assessable. For some it’s a good wine and for others it never was and never will be.”
Speaking before the Commonwealth Club in San Francisco, the panel also tackled the thorny of question: “Is it acceptable to bring a $6 bottle of wine to a party?” The consensus: it depends on the party.
“There’s nothing wrong with bringing an inexpensive bottle of wine to a party,” Richard said. “Wine drinking is all about sharing and if you bring something unique you’ll be a hero.”
However, all agreed that if you are meeting your girlfriend or boyfriend’s parents for the first time you night want to consider something pricier. They might recognize the label and your frugality.
As to the subject of recommendations for good wines from California under $10 the panel had some suggestions.
“My favorite is ‘Red’ a blend produced by St. Francis Winery in Sonoma,” said Dorian Kendall of www.budgetvino.com. “It’s a great meld of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Zinfandel. And, best of all it’s under $12. Another blended favorite is Cellar 8 from Sonoma County.”
Although Richard said he could not recommend a California Pinot Noir for under $10, he did have two other suggestions for around $12 – Castle Rock Pinots from Monterey ($11.99) and Parker Station Pinots from California Central Coast ($10.99 on sale at BevMo).
They all agreed on one thing: once you start to educate your palate you can’t go back.
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