This week we opened several good reds which fell into our Everyday and Once or Twice a Week categories. The best was very good and the worst was still pretty good, so call it a successful week of cork pulling. These serve further notice that you don’t have to spend a ton of money to drink good wine, which really means that if you’re drinking really expensive wine it is because you want to and can. While there’s nothing wrong with that, it’s an approach that leaves most of the people out of luck, so I am very glad there are plenty of good bottles the rest of us can enjoy. Here are the wines and the notes. To summarize – the $20 bottle (Finca Sandoval 2007) is really yummy and highly recommended, the other two are also recommended but are not in the same class and will cost you less money. The Ste. Colombe is a good way to try the 2005 Bordeaux vintage without breaking the bank and the Santa Alicia is a very nice value for an everyday wine.
The wines!
The notes!
Wine: 2010 Santa Alicia Reserva Cabernet Winery Location: Chile
Tasted By: Neil and Cheri Date: Jan 5-11, 2013
Tasting Notes – This is an excellent buy as an everyday wine. The wine is a little restrained upon opening, but it is young. The second day or after a half hour in the glass it really opens up. A nice deep red color and round, smooth flavors of black and red fruit. This is an everyday pleaser. Some length to it as well. Average rating on wine-searcher was 84 – we think it’s better than that.
Price Point – $6.95 on Wine-Searcher.
Would We Buy It? – Absolutely. This is a great value and makes an excellent everyday wine. Recommended.
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Wine: 2005 Ste.Colombe Winery Location: Bordeaux
Tasted By: Neil and Cheri Date: Jan 5-11, 2013
Tasting Notes: Classic Bordeaux flavor profile in a medium+ bodied wine. It’s smoothed out at this point and drinks nicely. If you like Bordeaux this is a great wine to drink frequently due to it’s price point. If you’d like to try Bordeaux this is a good entry point. It will give you the flavor profile and wont break the bank. It’s not as big as most from this vintage but this is Cru Bourgeois, not a ranked Chateau. We bought a case of this as futures for a song and it was well worth it.
Price Point – Widely varied on Wine-Searcher. From $10 – $25 a bottle. This reflects the fact it was inexpensive on release (out futures were $8 a bottle) but is a good wine from a great vintage, and drinks like something much more expensive.
Would We Buy It? – Yes. We have and will again. Especially at $10/bottle. Recommended.
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Wine: 2007 Finca Sandoval Winery Location: Spain
Tasted By: Neil and Cheri Date: Jan 5-11, 2013
Tasting Notes: This is really excellent, deep red/purple color and a nose of black fruit. It oozes fruit. There are a lot of other complexites and nuances going on as well. Mouth coating fruit on the palate with some mineral/spice/wood flavors underneath. Long and delicious. A blend of mostly Syrah with Mourvedre and Bobal, a Spanish grape you don’t see everyday. Lot’s going on here and a very excellent wine. We got it for $16 on sale and wish we could find a case again at that price.
Price Point – $20 on Wine-Searcher
Would We Buy It? – Absolutely. We have and will again. This is a great bottle of wine and worth the $20.
A votre sante!
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