2017 Feudi di San Gregorio ‘Rubrato’, Irpinia, IT $16.80
Made of 100% Aglianico, unmarred by any barrel aging, this rustic and ripe Southern Italian wine is inexpensive enough to be your pizza wine and interesting enough to serve to, well, some snobbish wine writers. The name, Rubrato, is a homage to the color of the wine (ruby) which, of course, tells us nothing about the wine.
2019 Tascante ‘Ghiaia Nera’, Etna, IT $18
This is another wine of a little known grape, Nerello Mascalese. The name of the wine translates to ‘black gravel’, referencing the volcanic soil of Mt. Etna (yes, that Mt. Etna). This is a light and fresh wine that nonetheless has grip and intensity and brings to mind the famed Kermit Lynch quote about judging a wine based upon its weight is like judging a book based upon its length.
2017 Mas de Boislauzon ‘Les Deux Chênes’, Cotes du Rhone Village, Orange, FR $16.80
This wine is a blend of about 70% Grenache, 20% Syrah, and 10% Mourvedre, from vineyards north of Chateauneuf-du-Pape. I say ‘about’ because the now 6th generation of the Chaussy family to manage the estate can’t quite understand why precise information regarding the grape blend is meaningful. It’s the wine, oui? Anyway, rich and broad with dark fruit and underlying herbs, its textbook Cotes du Rhone, oui?
2019 Bodegas Bhilar Tinto, Rioja, Elvillar, SP $15.20
There’s a school of thought that suggests that only a handful of wines are ‘natural’ and the rest are manufactured in some factory where the only goal is increased production. This is false, of course, but also ridiculous nonsense. Producers like David Sampedro and Melanie Hickman have been going backwards in time, first ridding their soils of any chemical additives, farming biodynamically and most recently, re-introducing horses in place of tractors in the vineyards. A blend of Tempranillo, Garnacha and Viura, perfectly balanced with lovely berry flavors and crisp finishing acidity, its nature in a bottle.
2018 Churchill’s Estates Red, Douro, PT $16
For the record, if it’s not made in Portugal, it’s not a Port. But Portugal brings more to the table than just Port (just Port? What am I thinking?), producing wines since about 2000 BC. (Port, on the other hand, is only about 300 years old. But I digress). So, the modern age of Portuguese wine is in the future, as committed young winemakers are rediscovering their roots and making stunning (not at all sweet) wines from indigenous grapes like Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca and Tinta Roriz. This is a full and ripe and juicy and delicious wine that all fans of sun-washed Californian style wines will enjoy. What’s it like? It’s like…really good wine.
2019 Domaine Lafage ‘Cuvée Nicolas’ Côtes Catalanes, Perpignan, FR $15.20
This wine is all about pleasure. No pretense, no soaring prose; one drinks this wine because it really, really tastes good. (Well, that and the alcohol). 100% old vine Grenache from the French side of the Pyrenees, the famille Lafage has been dry farming the steep vineyards for 7 generations. Despite residing (legally) in France, the wine is imbued with the Catalan spirit of alegria!
2019 Château La Mothe du Barry, Bordeaux Supérieur, Bordeaux, FR $12
The rub on Bordeaux is that it’s way too expensive. And that’s true, except when it’s not. This wine from the hardest working man in Bordeaux, Joel Duffau, is 100% Merlot (stop it! Miles was a jerk!) fermented and aged in stainless and is fresh and rich and full of very classical Bordeaux flavors and aromas (where Merlot is the largest planted grape varietal). And it’s way cheap.
2015 Colutta Refosco dal Peduncolo Rosso, Friuli Colli Orientali, Manzano, IT $16
Refosco is, of course, another barely known grape. Legend has it coming from ancient Troy and it’s the largest planted indigenous (if it is indeed that) in Friuli Colli Orientali (the eastern hills of Fruili) which is a significant wine region in northeastern Italy. This strain of Refosco (dal Peduncolo Rosso) is named due its red stems, which also adds pigmentation to the wine. It’s kinda like Nebbiolo, with tart cherry, fresh acidity and notable tannins. And like Nebbiolo, it ages well (due to its natural high acidity and tannic structure. Not a voluminous wine, it seeks the company of food, again, like Nebbiolo. Ok, if you like Nebbiolo, you’ll like this wine
2019 Deloach ‘Heritage Reserve’ Pinot Noir, California, Sonoma, CA $10.40
Pinot Noir, being a famously persnickety grape, is difficult to find as an under $20 wine. I really should say, good Pinot Noir is hard to find…so this one is pretty impressive. Deloach has long been a Sonoma standard and although sold to the French house, Boissot, they still make stolid wines. This is a remarkable value, as it actually tastes like Pinot Noir should, bright cherry, solid but not juicy or particularly viscous, it’s a steady performer.
2019 Broadside ‘Margarita Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon, Paso Robles, Santa Rosa, CA $15.20
Paso Cabernet suffers when compared to Napa but only, perhaps, by reputation. The consumer who tries a mid-priced Paso cab is often wowed by the concentration and freshness and simple likeability of the wine. This wine is a case in point; ripe, juicy, friendly, inexpensive and (relatively) vintage stable, much like Napa but at a lower price point. Paso leads the way in Tuesday night cabs!