Sunday, January 01, 2006

Red Wine Recommendations Under $10

La Vielle Ferme Red 2006 (PB)

Usually around $6-8 this is a value red that you will enjoy. (See entire review)

Cline Zinfandel 2006 (PB)

This wine is well made with a solid bouquet of spice and berries galore with just a hint of alcohol.In the mouth it is full of rich, ripe plums, and big berry flavors and a slight layer of chocolate emerges with a little warm up finishing with rich blackberry notes and a touch of caraway mid palate. Less than $7 at Sam's clubs.

Torres de Anguix Barrica 2003 wine review by (PB)

Some of the best wine values today are coming out of the Ribera Del Duero! This one is no exception at $7. It is really intense in color of black cherry right to the rim with heft in both hue and aromas. The Tempranillo wine is full of deep dark fruit and ripe dark berries.


Concannon Merlot "Select Vineyards" 2004 (PB)

At $6, you just can't go wrong; fruit forward, actually tastes a bit like Merlot vinified in the slightly sweeter style. Well made and very drinkable!

Casillero Del Diablo Carmenere 2004 (PB)
This new world fruit bomb is tasty with dark berry fruit and chocolate. Another Chilean success and all for about $8!

Santa Digna Cabernet Sauvignon Rose 2006 (PB)
This Chilean delight is a gorgeous pink watermelon tourmaline color with a wonderful BIG bouquet that is perfumy and full of fruit. In the mouth this wine is pretty much the same with solid acid and marvelous flavors of citrus with a pink grapefruit finish. $8!

Feudo Arancio Nero D'Avola 2003
For $6 on sale this is hard to beat with dusty fruit and cranberry/cherry flavors. Worth looking for!

Feudo Arancio Nero D'Avola 2004

This wine is a pretty cherry red with bready notes in the bouquet with plenty of fresh red fruit and a nose with a touch of spice? Eucalyptus? and definitely licorice!

In the mouth right on opening this wine is well made with a slightly sweet impression with loads of fruit, cedar notes, and fine tannins. It is nice right now!

With some air, it gets only better. It is still bready with gobs of fruit, nice structure, and is just a plain GOOD wine. Buy this NOW! I paid $6 for it!

Columbia Crest Two Vines Cabernet Sauvignon 2002
A bargain wine full of flavor and structure and at its peak right now. This is a rare Cabernet that is this good at this price.

La Vieille Ferme Rose 2005
This is a classy rose you must try and be sure to read my review of it. At less than $6, it is a must try!

Fusee Syrah 2003 (PB)
It has pipe tobacco aromas, with cherries and berries galore and is just made well. It is actually quite luscious and at $7, you cannot do better!
Raise a glass!

Hacienda Merlot 2003 (PB)
The bouquet is yeasty, fruity cherry and berry nose. In the mouth this wine is steely like a Sangiovese with a slight sweetness and loaded with fruit and berry flavors. Tasty, juicy exuberant and an inexpensive solidly made wine. Raise a glass!

Fusee Merlot 2003 (PB)
Another super wine value from the folks at Sebastiani.
This wine is loaded with dried cherries in the nose and a hint of green peppers in the rear. On the palate it is full of flavors of dried fruit, and vanilla. this wine will run you $4-$7. Either way, buy it! (See complete review)

Panarroz Jumilla 2004 (NW)
Spanish wines under $10 can range from delicious bargains to unfortunate mistakes. This wine delivers, and has wonderful layers of fruit and a juicy core. An excellent buy at $9 and loved by Robert Parker, Jr.

Camelot Pinot Noir 2003 (PB)
This previously reviewed wine is an absolute must to seek out and find. It is rich in raisins on the palate and just does not get any better than this for this price and much more. It actually tastes like Pinot Noir should and at $6 you CANNOT pass it up! Go now! Git!!! Find it; buy it; drink it!

Feudo Arancio Nero D' Avola 2003 (PB)
Classic old world Sicilian red with dried cherries galore and a hint of anise. Breathe for an hour and enjoy the mouth watering tannins. All for $8!

Gallo of Sonoma Pinot Noir Reserve 2003 (PB)
This inexpensive Pinot Noir is a great value and wonderful example of the grape. Don't miss this one if you are ignorant of what classic Pinot aroma and taste is like. At $10, knock yourself out and raise a glass!

Concannon Petite Syrah 2003 (PB)
This wine is so intense in deep purple color it leaves pigmentation on the glass after you swirl. It has a unique nose that is deep and inky with a hint of milk chocolate. In the mouth this gorgeous wine is big with humongous but finessed tannins. Deep dark berry fruit is central with a subtle layer of anise. At $10 it is a find!

Rancho Zabaco Dancing Bull Zinfandel 2003 (PB)
Fruit filled with black cherries opening to a wonderful fruity wine with solid tannins and a rich flavor of hay and watermelon and little spice. At $8.50, give it a whirl; have I steered you wrong yet?

Camelot Pinot Noir 2003 (PB)
Read the complete review but don't waste time doing that before you run out and buy some of this bargain creation fro around $7! It has some complexity, great flavors and pairs well with a variety of foods. At this price, it's hard to beat!

Columbia Crest Grand Estates Cabernet Sauvignon 2001 (PB)
It is deep and dark in the glass with raisiny and ripe blackberry aromas. Flavors are quite large with prunes and ripe fruit though hot on opening. A nice chocolate finish gives this $9 wine a shot at greatness. One of the best value wines of the year.
Concannon Petite Syrah 2002
Recommended back in March and now recommoneded again. check out the review and then go buy a couple bottles of this inexpensive, ($10) big wine!


Hahn Cabernet Sauvignon 2002 (PB)

Rich with intense berry flavors and lush tannins with licorice and raisiny notes with a nice flavorful finish. At $10 this is another great bargain!

Nobilo Sauvignon Blanc 2003 (PB)
This New Zealand creation is golden with a bouquet of kiwi fruit and pineapple. After a few minutes another layer emerges of classic Sauvignon Blanc grassiness. Because I believe it is readily available and because it is such a good example of the grape, I have to recommend this. At $9.50, you can raise a glass or two.

Chateau Du Donjon Grande Tradition 2003 (PB)
A nice surprise in an unknown red and for $8.50 a fresh, delightful guzzler. See complete review in recent posts.

Concannon Petite Syrah Selected Vineyards 2002 (PB)
This wine is rich with currant aromas, and dried raspberries. In the mouth it is wonderful, and big and tannins finish with a real finesse. Wow! At $10 you have to get this one--seems to be widely available.

2 Brothers Big Tattoo Red 2003 (PB)

Another winner from Chile. 50% Cabernet Sauvignon and 50% Syrah is fruity with olives and yeast on the nose. It is amazingly big and balanced with an initial cocoa tease giving way to dried cherries. Good tannins make for a nice finish. At less then $10 this is a keeper. I would score this an 87.

Bodegas Escorihuela Malbec Mendoza Don Miguel Gascón 2000 (PB)
I paid $10 for it; tasted 1-10-05 This Argentinian is youthful in color and deep. Bouquet is nice but not huge. It is lively in the mouth with a unique bitterness and tartness neither of which is "bad" just intriguing. Even structure and nice tannins with cherries. This is well made and a good all around wine. Possible buy again. Wine Spectator gave it a "Best Buy." My reveiw was not as strong as theirs. They gave it an 88; I might give it an 84.

Camelot Pinot Noir 2002 $6.50 (PB)
On the pour it is really light; almost enough to conclude that this couldn’t possibly be any good. In the glass it has light scents of currants and too much alcohol. But...with twenty minutes or so of air time, there was a thrilling though fleeting moment of dill which gave way to some pretty definite flavors of dried cherries and currants. At $6.50 where I bought it, how can you go wrong? I can’t wait to find the 2003! By the way, the 2001 of this same wine was equally good though more intense on raisins! Now put aside your scepticism and raise and a glass!

3 comments:

  1. Anonymous10:12 PM

    I tried the Ranch Zabaco Dancing Bull Zinfandel 2004 - for a sub-$10 zin, it's not bad at all. I found it to be jammy and relatively complex.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous11:37 PM

    How old is this list? Most recommendations are between 2001-2003 (reds). How much of that is still around?

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anonymous10:39 AM

    How about Gnarly Head Zin? Now that's a darn good bottle of wine for $10.00 Check it out. You can follow me on twitter @shewinesocial

    ReplyDelete