Tough Economy Leads To Finding Value Wine

Tough Economy Leads To Finding Value Wine – Episode #554

October 8, 2008

Gary Vaynerchuk tries 4 wines under $13 to see if he can find any values. All of the wines Gary has on the show today are scored 90 points or higher by major press!

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Comments on this episode(214) Leave a comment ›

“You can get pretty decent Rieslings for under seven dollars in Seattle…” by Sean
“BRING MOT BACKKKKK…” by Mikeeeee
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Wines tasted in this episode:

2007 Valdesil Montenovo GodelloOther Spanish White Wine
2006 Milbrandt Riesling Columbia ValleyColumbia Valley Riesling
2006 Pillar Box RedAustralian Red Meritage
2005 Lengs & Cooter The VictorAustralian Shiraz/Syrah

Links mentioned in todays episode.

214 Responses

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October 18, 2009

Sean
You can get pretty decent Rieslings for under seven dollars in Seattle and Tacoma. They’re all from the Columbia Valley. The better ones you have to actually go East to get in Chelan AVA and other smaller craft oriented vineyards. Its a shame more people don’t grow them in Puget Sound AVA, though the few efforts are promising. Check it out!
August 15, 2009

Mikeeeee
BRING MOT BACKKKKK
August 2, 2009

Phil G
GV – just tried the Godello and agree, it is delicious! Thanks for the recommendation…
February 16, 2009

Mike P
I had a Chateau Bonnet (Entre-Deux-Mers blanc) the other day for $10.59: 50% SB, 40% Semillon, 10% Muscadelle. It brought a little thunder, just a flash– not too complex but solid and easy-drinking like the Martin Codax Albarino is.

Still working my way through old episodes! When are you coming out to Sonoma next?
January 23, 2009

Dessert Wine Nerd
Thanks for trying to bring some value once again to the show. I know its something I need to look into even though I dont mind dropping $50 on a bottle. Too bad it was a 1-4 day. We’ll call the one hit a walk-off home run so everyone is happy. QOTD: Dont recall drinking too many wines under $13 recently. I still need to start catalouging the wines I drink.
December 8, 2008

dcpatton
Trying the 2006 Pillar Box Red now. It is ok. For less money, I might go with a 2007 Anakena Carmenere from Chile. I’m still searching for a good full-bodied red that is under $10.

http://twitter.com/dcpatton
November 11, 2008

yowens
Solid
November 4, 2008

Ray Barnes
Another excellent episode. First of all having seen Episode 552 I was very intrigued to see Gary’s remarks about the Anne-Francoise Gros Pommard and that he liked it – since I have purchased a 2002 Vosne-Romanee Aux Reas by the same producer, and that wasn’t cheap either.

I am definitely going to look out for that first Spanish wine – sounded great.

QOTD – the 2005 Chateau Pech-Latt from Corbieres and (I hope this is right) 2005 Chateau St. Eulalie La Liviniere from Minvervois. Both wines were blends of syrah, grenache, mourvedre, and carignan, and priced at $12.50 since southern French wines are a tough sell (both 50% off). Too bad, they were both worth their original price. Nice and warming, lots of structure and fruit, complexity, and great with hearty food (in this case minestrone soup). When it gets cooler outside, it’s hard not to love a nice full-bodied red wine.
November 3, 2008

Ryan Mullins
Hacksaw Jim Duggan!!!! One of the best analogies I’ve heard in a really long time! Braves were everyone’s team in the early 90’s because of the worst to first years. I had those holograms on everything!

QOTD: Under $13 steal! Antis Malbec from Mendoza! I had a bottle of 02 Neal the night before I tried the Antis and it really had many of the qualities the Neal was showing. I did allow the Antis to open up for about 6 hours before drinking it. Dark Fruit wrapped in the smell of a forest after a hard summer rain, really well integrate oak, and long chained silky tannin. The Neal was much more balanced and complete but its still hard to justify the 500% price difference.

Keep up the good work Gary!
October 30, 2008

MattUD
Felt the same way about the Pillar Box red, not amazing, but at least it didn’t break the bank.
October 29, 2008

Logan
Hey Gary cool show, keep up the value stint!

QOTD: Being in Japan it’s tough to find good wines for cheap- it often seems like you need to start around 1600-2000 yen (~$15-$19) to get anything serious; however I was pleasantly surprised by the 2006 Montes Alpha Chardonnay from the Casablanca Valley in Chile, which set me back only 880 yen; my girlfriend loved the acidity and spiciness- definitely not your run-of-the-mill Chardonnay- and the substantial weight and heat on the back end slayed me (unlike you I’m a sucker for the heat!).
October 22, 2008

Kristen
Ahhhhhhh! The Oak Monster!!!!!! He’s one scary dude- I had a scary experience just recently too…I feel your pain.

QOTD: I’ve had a lot since being in France, even with the euro- dollar exchange. Wine is so inexpensive here that it’s even cheaper than Coke!
October 21, 2008

YoungDave
QOTD: Trinitas 2005 Old Vine Cuvee, Contra Costa CA.
October 18, 2008

TimCub
QOTD: Lately I’ve really been enjoying Torres Vina Brava 2007 Tempranillo, which my local grocery store carries for less than $8. I also really like Twin Vines 2007 Vinho Verde for $6, mainly because it’s got bubbles. I’m cheap that way.
October 17, 2008

Matthew L
I’m just catching up on episodes. Great show. Given the market’s nose dive, value/economy wines are always good to have in the stable.

QOTD: Mas de Guiot Grenache/Syrah. About $8
October 16, 2008

Harry
Well, nothing great under $13 in the last month, but I had two favorite $13 wines last year – Tres Picos 05 (the 06 is a bit sweeter and not as appealing to me) from Boraso Spain, and Gruet, my favorite everyday sparkler. Normally both are around $15, but you can find for $13 if you try.
October 14, 2008

Dan-o
Good show! I am going to have to try and find that Spanish white.
I have had the Pillar Box on several occasions and in several different vintages, I can’t keep it in the house ling because my wife drinks it all up. It has great parents – Henry’s Drive which makes a standard and reserve wine – real good stuff.

QOTD – I had a Cotes du Rhone recently that was fairly decent for the price, it was either the Perrin, or the Chapoutier.
October 14, 2008

wannaBconnoisseur
Value wines can be hard to find!

Q-Had a Cotes du Rhone that was quite good, forget the name, sorry.
October 14, 2008

Andrew D
Thanks Gary

In Hong Kong my two favourite under US$13 wines are

Mont Tauch Fitou (http://www.mont-tauch.com/)- the whole range is exceptional value.
Peter Lehmann Barossa Semillon (http://www.peterlehmannwines.com.au/) – Barossa ledgend and maker of outstanding wines. Barrosa Semillon is one of Australia’s under-rated bargains.

Both are commercially avaliable and both are excellent.

Cheers
Andrew
October 13, 2008

Tom
Tonight, I tried Stonecap Cabernet 2004 from Columbia Valley, WA, just bought at the PA LCB for $7. Color is just starting to amber, nose has a touch of pomegranate and tar, medium/light body with flavors of vanilla and cocoa bean, short finish.

I suspect this is a closeout price on a wine that won’t age well much longer, but drinks like a bargain now.
October 13, 2008

Janik
Great wines under $13 I had lately:

white:
Biegler, Rotgipfler Ried Satz 2006 (Austria). Unique and autochtonous varietal that combines new world fruit with old world elegance. Great nose, full-bodied, 88 points from me. At $11 an awesome value.

red:
Chateau Pierrail, Bordeaux Superieure 2004 (France): a smooth and delicate Merlot dominated Bordeaux, that is drinking extremely well right now. 88 points from me. About $13. Great Bordeaux value.
October 13, 2008

MannyPants
Thorn-Clarke Shiraz
October 12, 2008

Kezza
QOTD: The 2006 Galus Costieres Du Nimes rocked me! http://winelibrary.com/reviewwine.asp?item=39979 I think it was featured on free.winelib recently. So good, I might just have to order some more soon
October 11, 2008

ChiroGuyDC
QOTD: I love Cycles Gladiator Merlot, $13.99 and worth it!
October 11, 2008

Darcey and Cliff
ERG … COOL! Economy recommendation group! We like it! The videO stopped just be4 your great QOTD, so … we dunno what it was.

As you have had us drinking better and better wine (YET ANOTHER thank you for that) we ALSO want shows that showcase $20-$30 wines that show better (bring more thunder; e.g. the Mayers Grenache we so enjoyed, the Tensley wines, etc.) than their $50-$80 counterparts as THESE are the wines that Darcey and I look for for special occasions, weekends, and the like. Don’t get me wrong, we STILL want and NEED the $12-$15 value-driven high QPR wines, BUT we want some recommendations for the $20-$30 groups as well. Mid-priced recommendations = MPRs.

Thanks, as always … you are still our wine hero!