2015: Top Ten Wines Under $15

What were some of my favorite wines of the past year?

As 2016 approaches, it's time once again to reflect upon the past year, to remember and savor many pleasant memories. As 2015 winds down, you'll see plenty lists of the Best and Worst of the past year. As I find value in at least the Best lists, I'll post my own series of Favorite Lists for 2015 over the next few weeks, covering food, wine, sake and spirits. These lists should provide a comprehensive summary of my favorites from this past year, allowing my readers to more readily locate such gems, the best of my recommendations.

My first Favorites List of 2015 is my Top Ten Wines Under $15. This list includes wines that not only did I enjoy, but which I also found to be particularly compelling for various reasons. They might be especially delicious, something more unique or just excellent values for the price. They all stand out, for some particular reason, above the other wines at this price point that I have tasted this past year.

This is a purely subjective list, based on my own preferences, and makes no claims about being the "best" wines out there. It is primarily the wines which spoke to me the loudest, even when they were subtle wines. These are all wines that I strongly recommend and which I believe many other wine lovers would also enjoy.

The wines are not listed in any particular order and each choice is linked to my more detailed prior review. All of these value wines are worth your consideration but please also note that the prices are approximations and the actual price may vary in your area. In addition, some of the wines might not be available in your local area, though you might be able to order them from the winery or an online store, dependent on your state's shipping laws.

1) 2013 Earthshaker Wines Pomp & Power Syrah ($14.99)
The people behind 90+ Cellars wines have created a few new labels, to better highlight wine terroir, and this Syrah is one such wine. From the Knights Valley in Sonoma, California, it is easy drinking but with complexity and character, making it a better value. Deep black fruit flavors, strong spice and restrained tannins. A perfect choice for lamb, a hearty Bolognese, or barbecue.

2) 2011 LangeTwins Family Winery Old Vine Zinfandel ($14.99)
From Lodi, California, a region well know for Zinfandel, this wine is produced from a blend of grapes from a 110 year old vineyard as well as much younger grapes. Inky dark in color, this is a rich, muscular and concentrated wine with lots of black fruit flavors, vanilla, and dark spices. Tannins are moderate and it is well balanced so that you won't notice the higher alcohol. For the price, you are getting a lot of wine, making it a very good value.

3) 2011 Castra Rubra Via Diagonalis White ($14.99)
The Castra Rubra ("red fortress") winery, located in Bulgaria, is a relatively new winery, with their first wines released in 2007.  This white blend consists of a melange of Sauvignon Blanc, Grenache Blanc, Sauvignon Gris, and Chardonnay. It is an intriguing wine with a complex blend of peach and pear flavors, with herbal accents and some minerality. It is crisp and dry, with a very satisfying finish. At this price point, I highly recommend this wine as it presents something more unique and tasty.

4) 2009 Castra Rubra Pendar Red ($11.99)
The Bulgarian winery also makes this interesting red blend of 55% Rubin and 45% Merlot. Rubin is an indigenous grape, a cross between Syrah and Nebbiolo. With lots of red fruit aromas and flavors, there is additional complexity with spice notes and hints of earthiness. The tannins are noticeable but restrained and there is a nice, spicy kick on the finish. This is an easy drinking wine with character, which could be enjoyed on its own though pairing it with food might be a better option. Highly recommended.

5) 2011 Quinta da Padrela Red ($12.99)
This Portuguese wine is a blend of Tinta Roriz, Touriga Franca, Tinta Barroca, and Touriga Nacional, and was aged for about 12 months in French oak barrels. This is a smooth, easy drinking wine but with the addition of some restrained tannins and spicy elements. There is plenty of tasty red fruit flavors, but also a bit of ripe plum. Though you could drink this wine on its own, I think it might be better paired with food, though again it only needs something simple, from pizza to tacos. This would also be an excellent BBQ wine.

6) 2011 DFJ Vinhos Vega Douro Red ($9.99)
The cheapest wine on this list is a Portuguese wine, which doesn't surprise me in the least. The Vega is a blend of three grapes, including Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca and Tinta Roriz. I found this wine to be smooth with bright red fruit flavors and a touch of vanilla. It possesses more character than many similarly priced wines, and I could easily drink it on its own. I also would pair this wine with casual meals. from burgers to pizza.

7) NV Fermi Bohigas Rossinyol de Moragas Extra Brut Cava ($14.99)
This Spanish bubbly is produced by Fermi Bohigas, which has been involved in working the vineyards for over 800 years. The wine is produced from a blend of traditional Cava grapes, Macabeo, Xarello and Parellada and is made in the Champenoise method. It is organic and low production, and at this price is an excellent value. With a nice golden color and plenty of tiny bubbles, this is a dry, crisp and delicious Cava. There are tasty flavors of apple and pear, with a tiny hint of toast. It is hard to find such compelling bubbly at such a low price.

8) NV Domaine Schoenheitz Edelzwicker ($14.99)
This intriguing wine is a blend of Chasselas, Sylvaner, Auxerrois, Riesling, Muscat, Pinot Gris & Gewurztraminer (with proportions that change every year). This white wine comes in a one-liter bottle as Alsatian law prohibits them from selling wine in a box. The liter bottle is less expensive and a good choice for restaurants, especially as this wine is designed to be something casual for food. This aromatic wine is light, dry and easy drinking with pleasant citrus and mineral notes. A very good wine at this price point, it has more character than many similarly priced wines from other regions. It is an excellent food wine too.

9) 2013 Bodega Garzon Sauvignon Blanc ($14.99)
Uruguay, with a strong wine culture, is exporting a small portion of their wines and I'm sure their exports will grow each year. They are a region to watch as they are producing many excellent wines. This Sauvignon Blanc appealed to me, being bright and crisp, with summery tastes of citrus and grapefruit. There were not any grassy notes and it was more on the leaner side, an excellent wine for seafood or a warm summer day. Nicely balanced, it had plenty of character for the price, and should appeal to many consumers.

10) 2013 Vincola Salton 013 Salton Classic Tannat Reserva Especial ($10.99)
Also from South American, this wine is from Brazil and is made from 100% Tannat, which is the signature grape of Uruguay. It is dark red in color with an aroma of chocolate and black fruit. On the palate, it is a bit rustic, with moderate tannins, and flavors of chocolate, blackberry, black cherry and some herbal accents. This is a wine that would benefit from pairing with food, especially burgers and BBQ. It is a good wine, just not as soft as many Uruguayan Tannats at this price point, but that is merely a matter of preference, not quality.

Seven countries made the list this year, as opposed to only four last year. California, Bulgaria and Portugal all have two spots on the list and Spain, Brazil, Uruguay and France (Alsace) each have one spot. A number of these wines were tasted at the Boston Wine Expo, and unfortunately I missed the Mohegan Sun Wine Fest, which usually uncovers a few value gems too, California wines don't make this list too often as I often don't find their wines especially compelling at this price point but there are always welcome exceptions. Keep an eye on the wines from Bulgaria, Brazil and Uruguay as you should start to see more of their wines on store shelves and they bear checking out. As for wine types, the list is also broken down into 1 Sparkling Wine, 3 Whites, and 6 Reds.

I have other recommendations for wines under $15 on my blog and you just have to search for them. You can find value wines all over the world, in every region, though some regions provide a greater range and diversity of value wines. It is important to remember that though wine stores sell plenty of wines in this price range, not all of them are of equal value. Wines in this price range do not have to be one-dimensional wines that all taste the same.

You can find wines of character and complexity, though you might need to spend a little more time seeking them out. Wine blogs can help you in that regard, pointing out wines that you might not otherwise know about. Tasting the wines before you buy them is another way to find such values. Or simply ask your trusted wine store staff for advice and suggestions. For more advice on finding value wines, please check out my prior article on the subject.

If you have some of your own recommendations for excellent wines under $15, please add them to the comments.

Brazilian Wine: Salton's Bubbly to Tannat

The wines of Argentina and Chile are already fairly well known to wine drinking consumers. Uruguayan wines are just starting to gain entry through the door, impressing those wine lovers who have tasted them. Brazilian wines have just started knocking at the door so what will you find if you open that door?

You probably would be surpassed by the scope of the Brazilian wine industry, with about 84,000 hectares of vineyards and over 1100 wineries, most which are small. The history of wine production extends back to 1532, when vines were brought from Madeira, though the initial vineyards fared poorly due to the hot climate. The environment would remain a constant challenge and most of the vineyards are currently located in the southernmost region of Brazil, away from the equator.

About 8 years ago, I tasted my first Brazilian wines at a Brazilian rodizio restaurant and I very much enjoyed a red blend. Since then though, I've had Brazilian wines on only two other occasions, including at another rodizio restaurant, though both experiences were pleasant. I rarely see their wines available at any wine store so I'm sure most people have never tasted a Brazilian wine.

I recently received a media sample of two Brazilian wines from Vinicola Salton, including a sparkling wine and a Tannat.  Vinicola Salton was founded in 1910, but its roots extend back earlier, when Antonio Domenico Salton moved from Italy to Brazil. He settled in the Italian Dona Isabel colony in Rio Grande do Sul and was an amateur winemaker. His sons, Paulo, Ângelo, João, José, Cézar, Luiz and Antônio, started Paulo Salton & Irmãos, growing grapes and producing sparkling wine and vermouth. Salton, which is now the oldest, continuously operating winery in Brazil, remains a family business and sparkling wine is still their specialty.

The Salton Intenso Sparkling Brut ($15-$17) is a blend of 70% Chardonnay and 30% Riesling that was produced using the Charmat method. With an alcohol content of 12.5%, the bubbly had an appealing nose of floral and citrus notes. On the palate, it was dry with a nice acidity, flavors of green apple and pineapple, and a mild creaminess. Very clean flavors, a moderately long finish, and with plenty of character for the price. It would be a good food wine, and is a nice option at this price point, rather than many of the sweeter sparkling wines you often find at this level.  If this is a representative sample of the potential of sparkling wine in Brazil, it would be great to see more of it available in the U.S.

I've tasted dozens of Tannat wines from Uruguay, so my personal bar for Tannat wines is high. I've seen its potential, at all price points, so I was curious to taste a Brazilian example. The 2013 Salton Classic Tannat Reserva Especial ($10-$12) is made from 100% Tannat, aged for a short time in American oak. With an alcohol content of 13%, the wine was a dark red in color with an aroma of chocolate and black fruit. On the palate, it is a bit rustic, with moderate tannins, and flavors of chocolate, blackberry, black cherry and some herbal accents. This is a wine that would benefit from pairing with food, especially burgers and BBQ. It is a good wine, just not as soft as many Uruguayan Tannats at this price point, but that is merely a matter of preference, not quality.

Let's hope we see more Brazilian wines coming to the U.S., to better explore their potential.

Wines Of the Southern Hemisphere: The Complete Guide

It is now autumn, with a brisk chill to the air, and the winter season will arrive in a couple months. We often don't think about the fact that in the Southern Hemisphere it is now spring, and they are looking forward to summer in a couple months. Near the end of our winter, grape harvest will begin in countries like Argentina and South Africa. How much do you know about the wine regions of the Southern Hemisphere?

You can learn more about these regions in a newly released book, Wines of the Southern Hemisphere: The Complete Guide, written by Mike DeSimone and Jeff Jenssen, the World Wine Guys (Sterling Epicure, October 2012, $24.95). It is a 580 page hardcover book, broken down into seven chapters, each covering a different wine producing country. DeSimone and Jenssen are wine, spirits, food and travel writers and are the Entertaining & Lifestyle Contributing Editors for Wine Enthusiast Magazine. They have also written for numerous other magazines and previously published The Fire Island Cookbook.

Their book covers seven countries: Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Chile, New Zealand, South Africa and Uruguay. Each chapter is broken down into five sections: a History & Overview, Major Grape Varieties, Wine Regions, Recipes and In Their Own Words. The greatest bulk of the book consists of information about the wineries of these regions. Australia and New Zealand have the longest chapters, each over 100 pages. It is great to see coverage of Brazil and Uruguay, two countries which seem to rarely be addressed anywhere else. 

This book is primarily geared toward the novice wine lover, providing more of a general overview rather than a comprehensive and detailed exploration of these regions. A more advanced wine lover may want much more detail than is provided in sections like the brief History & Overview. Personally, I would have liked to see a more extensive exploration of the history of these countries. The Major Grape Varieties is useful, though I would have also liked to see some information on the lesser known grapes too, to see which new grapes may be up and coming.

The Wine Regions section, the largest part of each chapter, discusses each country's wine regions and then lists many wineries in those various regions, providing basic information about the wineries with a few tasting notes of their wines. This is more of a starting point about these wineries, a sampling that might intrigue you to seek more information elsewhere.    

It is the other two sections of each chapter which most intrigued me. Each chapter contains one to four Recipes, usually provided by the wineries, and often represent regional specialties. For example, you will find a recipe for Familia Zuccardi's Argentine Empanadas. I have visited the Zuccardi winery and greatly enjoyed their empanadas, so it was cool to see this recipe in this book. As another example, you will find a recipe for the Pisco Sour cocktail in the Chile chapter, another item I enjoyed while visiting Chile. From Bellingham Braai Pie (South Africa) to Waipara Lamb Chops (New Zealand), there is much to entice the food lover in this section.

The final section of each chapter is In Their Own Words, a series of interviews with wine personalities from each region. You will find fascinating interviews with people such as Laura Catena of Argentina (winemaker/owner of Catena Zapata), to Philip Van Zyl of South Africa (editor of Platter's Guide). This section will appeal to wine lovers of all levels, providing intriguing insights into the wine industry of each country. These interviews captivated my attention and I am sure other wine lovers, from novices to advanced, will also find much of interest and value.

At $24.95, this hefty book offers an excellent value as an introduction to the wine regions of the Southern Hemisphere. Though primarily for novice wine lovers, there are sections, like Recipes and In Their Own Words, which will appeal to more advanced wine lovers too. The chapters on Brazil and Uruguay also provide much needed information on these countries, information which is tough to find in other wine books. With the holiday season, consider this book as a gift for your wine lover friends.

Brazilian Wines

As today is Brazil's Independence Day, let us continue the theme and discuss a couple Brazilian wines.

As I mentioned in the Cachaca post, I dined last evening at the Churrascaria Rodeo. With dinner we had a couple Brazilian wines. You don't often see wines from Brazil at local wine stores so it was a treat to get to try a couple.

The first wine was the 2004 Aurora Cellars Proprietary Red ($25). This is a red blend and I am unsure of the actual varietals. It does appear to retail for around $14, so its restaurant price would be less than double. This was a dark colored wine, with an intriguing taste. It had a full body with mild tannins. There were more dark berry flavors but with spicy undertones. This paired very well with all of the grilled meats we ate. I very much enjoyed this wine and would order it again.

The second wine was the 2004 Brazilian Soul Cabernet Sauvignon ($21). This was a mild Cabernet, with mellow tannins and lots of bright fruit flavors, cherries and raspberries. It did go well with the grilled meats. It was a decent wine though nothing special.

Cachaca

Today is Brazil's Independence Day. In honor of that day, I thought I would talk a little about Cachaça, the most popular distilled alcohol in Brazil. In addition, I actually tried Cachaça last night for the first time.

Cachaça is distilled from fermented sugarcane juice. Though rum is also made from sugarcane, rum is usually made from molasses rather than the straight sugarcane juice. Cachaça's alcohol content ranges from 38-48% so it is a potent drink. This would translate into 76-96 proof, on average more potent than standard rums and vodkas. Though there are thousands of brands of Cachaça made in Brazil, very little is exported. Thus it is not easily found in the U.S. unless you go to regions frequented by Brazilians. Though this may be changing, especially with the popularity of artisanal liquors now.

Cachaça may be either "white" or "dark." The white variety is unaged and it looks white, like a vodka. The dark variety has a gold or caramel color and has been aged in wood barrels. This is supposed to make it smoother and is often seen as the higher quality. Cachaça may be drank straight or in mixed drinks. The most famous drink made from Cachaça is the Caipirinha. This is made from Cachaça, limes, and sugar.

Most Brazilians commonly refer to Cachaça as pinga, though there are many other names for it as well. Brazilians who drink straight Cachaça will often spill a few drops for the saints before drinking. The first shot of Cachaça may be referred to as the"guide" as it is the "one that clears the path and leads the way for all the shots that will certainly follow."

Last evening, while dining at the Churrascaria Rodeo in Woburn, I tried a shot the Dona Beja Cachaça. It comes in a plastic container that resembles several sugar canes tied together. It was a white Cachaça. You definitely notice its power but it tasted very smooth, and a bit sweet. There was no bitter aftertaste or burning. It is definitely something that you could enjoy as long as you remembered its potency. My other friends, who also had shots, enjoyed it as well. Everyone commented on its smoothness.

So, now I will have to keep an eye out for more Cachaça.