2012: Top Ten Wines Under $15

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

The start of a new year approaches and it is time to reflect upon the past year, to remember and savor many pleasant memories. As 2012 winds down, many in the media will publish their own lists of the best and worst of the past year, everything from books to movies to music. As I find some value in such lists, I will post some of my own Favorite Lists for 2012, covering food, wine, sake and spirits, over the next few weeks. These lists should provide a comprehensive summary of the favorite items I have encountered this past year, allowing my readers to more readily locate such gems, the best of my recommendations.

My first Favorites List of 2012 is my Top Ten Wines Under $15. In actuality, I have listed twelve wines, pairing a couple together from the same producer. This list includes wines that during the past year I have enjoyed very much and 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) 2010 Adega Condes de Albarei Salneval Albarino ($11.99)
This Spanish white wine was produced by the Adega Condes de Albarei winery, a cooperative of 362 grower/owners equipped with advanced winery technology. I love Albarino and this wine was crisp and clean with a delightful and dominant melange of peach, pear and melon. There was also a subtle minerality with hints of honey and spice. A more voluptuous wine, this can be enjoyed on its own or paired with food, maybe something spicy. An excellent value.

2) 2005 Sella & Mosca Terre Rare Carignano del Sulcis Riserva ($14.99)
At a major wine event, with hundreds of wines, this was one of my overall favorite wines, especially at this price point. This Italian wine is made from 100% Carignan and aged for three years in French barriques. It is a stunning, complex and interesting wine. Spicy and bold, with delicious black fruit flavors, vanilla, a silky mouthfeel and hints of earthiness. Would love to drink this with pork, venison or lamb. An amazing value.

3) 2011 Calamares Vinho Verde ($7-$8)
Yes, it is named after squid and there is even a picture of a squid on the label. It might be easy to dismiss this wine as a gimmick but it is not. This Portuguese white wine is a blend of 40% Arinto, 30% Trajudura and 30% Loureiro with a low alcohol content of 9%. This is an easy quaffer, a wine to drink and enjoy, without any need to think about it. Slightly effervescent, it has plenty of acidity and flavors of grapefruit and lemon, with some mild mineral notes. For under $10, this is a very good choice.

4) 2009 L.A. Cetto Chenin Blanc ($10-$12) and 2010 L.A. Cetto Chardonnay ($10-$12)
L.A. Cetto is a winery in the Baja region of Mexico. Mexican wine you might ask? I haven't tasted many Mexican wines but this winery is doing a great job, especially at this price point and is well worth seeking out. The 2009 Chenin Blanc is made from 100% Chenin Blanc, sees no oak and is crisp and fresh, with delicious fruit flavors of melon, pear and peach and hints of herbs on the finish. The 2010 L.A. Cetto Chardonnay is produced from 100% Chardonnay, sees no oak and is also crisp and clean with delicious flavors of apple, pear, lemon & guava, with a touch of minerality. Both wines have more complexity and character than many similarly priced wines. I will be seeking more Mexican wines.

5) 2010 Castello di Querceto Chianti Classico ($15)
While gorging myself on five courses of beef from an amazing restaurant in Tuscany, I tasted an assortment of Chianti Classico wines. Out of that group, the Querceto stood out, pairing so well with the beef tartare and steaks. The Querceto, made from primarily Sangiovese, is a silky smooth and elegant wine with nice red fruit flavors and a hint of earthiness. It showcases the best of Tuscany at this price point and it would be best served with food.

6) 2011 Elisabetta Geppetti Fattoria Le Pupille ($13-$15)
This Italian red, from the Morellino Di Scansano DOCG, is a blend of 90% Sangiovese and 10% Malvasia Nera and it sees no oak. It is fresh, fruity, rustic and with hints of spice. A very easy drinking, it has a nice character, good complexity and is simply  quite delicious. It can be drank on its own or paired with food, such as a wild boar ragu.

7) 2011 Kanonkop Kadette Pinotage Rosé ($12),
This South African Rosé is from a winery that produces some of the best Pinotage in the world. The Rosé is produced from 100% Pinotage and if you tasted this blind, you probably would never guess it was Pinotage. It is an easy drinking Rosé with tasty red fruit flavors, especially raspberry and cherry, some minerality as well as excellent acidity. It is more Old World than New, with plenty of character and a satisfying finish. It is the type of wine that I could easily drink all day. It is an excellent food wine as well as enjoyable on its own. Highly recommended.

8) Cave Messias 2003 LBV Port (about $15)
The Cave Messias produces an assortment of Portuguese wines from Dão, Bairrada, Douro, Vinho Verde, Beiras, Terras do Sado and Vinho do Porto. Their 2003 LBV Port is a great value, presenting nice complexity, plenty of delicious red fruit flavors and some intriguing spice notes. It was silky smooth and presented a lengthy and satisfying finish. Might be hard to find a better LBV Port at this price point.

9) 2010 Biohof Pratsch Gruner Veltliner ($13) & 2009 Biohof Pratsch Zweigelt ($13)
Austrian wines, both red and white, have much to offer and the Biohof Pratsch, an organically certified winery produces some great value wines. Both of these wines are produced in one-liter bottles, which is 1/3 larger than a usual wine bottle, and cost only $13, which would be equivalent to about $9.30 for a regular 750ml bottle. What a bargain! The Gruner is crisp and dry with bright citrus flavors and hints of spice. A very refreshing wine that would be excellent with food or just as a summer sipper. The Zweigelt is light bodied and smooth with plenty of tasty red fruit flavors. Another easy drinking and flavorful wine. Both are strongly recommended.

10) 2010 Vera de Estenas P.G. Bobal ($13)
This Spanish winery is located in the D.O. of Utiel-Requena and is the oldest winery in that region. The wine is produced from 100% Bobal, an indigenous grape, and spent a few months in oak. It is light bodied with delicious red fruit flavors complemented by a subtle earthiness and hints of spice. I was really amazed at its quality and complexity at this price point and it is a wine I highly recommend.

Once again, there are no U.S. wines on the list. I often find it more difficult to find compelling domestic wines for under $15, especially from California. They exist but I find them much less common than value imported wines. Six different countries made this list and no single country really dominated, though Italy had the most wines on the list with three, partially due to my trip to Chianti Classico last spring. Spain, Portugal, Mexico and Austria all had two wines on the list and South Africa had one. The list is also broken down into 1 Rosé, 5 Whites, 5 Red and 1 Fortified wines.

You will find many excellent value wines from Portugal, including a fair share under $10. Spain has some very good values too, though it seems you need to look a bit harder now than you once did. Austria remains an overlooked region with some excellent values which you should consider. Mexico was the big surprise this year and I need to seek more of their wines out. You can find value wines all over the world, in every region, though some regions provide a greater range and diversity of value wines.

I have other recommendations for wines under $15 on my blog and you just have to search for them. There remain many good buys available in this price range, wines which exceed much of the common plonk out there. 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 owner for advice and suggestions.

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

More Mexican Wine Treasures

Earlier this week, I wrote about two exciting wines from Mexico that I tasted at The Painted Burro, a Mexican restaurant in Davis Square, Somerville. On the same day of my post, I received an email about a tasting of two more Mexican wines which was taking place that day at Pairings, a wine store in Winchester. So I had to attend the tasting, to see what else Mexico has to offer.

The two Mexican wines at Pairings were also from the L.A. Cetto Winery, which is one of the only Mexican producers currently available in Massachusetts. You can check my prior post for some basic information about the winery. The latest issue of Saveur (Agu/Sept 2012) is their Mexico issue and there is a brief article on wines from the Baja region. It notes that in 1524, Hernan Cortes, planted grape vines, making Mexico the oldest wine region in the Americas.

At Pairings, they poured two wines, a Chardonnay and a Petite Sirah, both priced at $10.99, though the Petite Sirah is on sale through the rest of September for only $8.79.

The 2010 L.A. Cetto Chardonnay is produced from 100% Chardonnay, has an alcohol content of 12.5%, and does not see any aging in oak. With a light golden color, its pleasant aroma of tropical fruits and citrus will entice. On the palate, it is crisp and clean, with delicious flavors of apple, pear, lemon & guava, with a touch of minerality. An easy drinking wine, this has good complexity for its price point and definitely is recommended for an unoaked Chardonnay. Drink it with some seafood or a light chicken dish.

The 2009 L.A. Cetto Petite Sirah is produced from 100% Petite Sirah, has an alcohol content of 14.5%, and spends about 6 months in French oak. This wine had a medium red color, not opaque like many other Petite Sirah wines I have taste previously. On the nose, alluring black cherry and floral elements dominate. It is a big wine in your mouth and the tannins are strong, but there is good restraint as well. It won't overwhelm you, but instead will please your palate with its delicious black fruits, spicy notes and hints of floral elements, as well as its fairly long and satisfying finish. A hearty wine, this would go well with hearty dishes, from pasta to beef. It also gets my recommendation.

I also want to give you two more reasons to check out Pairings. First, they are still carrying at least a dozen Rosé wines, including the superb 2000 Lopez de Heredia Rosado ($31.99). I don't know how long they will last, but this is a great time to stock up on Rosé for the winter as it is a great food wine year round. Second, they also currently carry the Estenas P.G. Bobal ($13.99), a great wine at that price point which is sure to end up on my year-end Favorites list. Grab it and you won't be disappointed.

Painted Burro: Brunch & Mexican Wine

Mas meatloaf, por favor! 

This past Sunday, I returned to The Painted Burro, in Somerville, with the Boston Brunchers to check out the Burro's Brunch menu. I reviewed the Burro last week, after dining there on two nights, and now can provide an update after my brunch experience. In short, brunch was delicious and very reasonably priced, well worth checking out on Sundays.

In the photo above, you can see panels on the walls and this is the soundproofing I discussed in my prior review. During brunch, the sound levels were very manageable and there was no difficulty in talking to anyone at our table. The sound proofing seems to be doing its job. In time, some of those panels will be painted with murals. They already blend in very well, but will look very cool once painted.

The Brunch Menu includes the same Appetizers and Tacos as on the Dinner menu. The Entrees are mostly different, with about ten options, and includes the Yucatan Meatloaf and the Mexican Loco Dog from the dinner menu. Nearly all the Brunch Entrees are priced $8-$10, and considering the quantity and quality of the dishes, they present an excellent value. You'll find dishes such as Chipotle Chocolate Chip Pancakes and Thick Cut French Toast, as well as items such as the Sunshine Burrito and Huevos Rancheros.

The Goat Empanadas. Again, a delicious choice with a compelling roasted red pepper & tomato-chipotle salsa.

The Fundido with Chorizo. Who wouldn't like all that cheesy goodness with plenty of spicy chorizo? This is one of my favorite appetizers.

Despite all of the other choices, I had to order the Yucatan Meatloaf again, to ensure the first time wasn't a fluke. And it was as amazing as the last time, with that great spicy red mole sauce and the flavorful meatloaf, with its intriguing blend of tastes and textures. It is a hearty dish, great for brunch or dinner, and gets my highest recommendation once again. Kudos to Chef Bua!

I think this was the Huevos Rancheros ($9), with 2 fried eggs, roasted corn, queso anejo, charro beans, salsa ranchero de la casa, and crispy tortillas. A variety of different entrees were on the table, and everyone was very happy with all the food they sampled. Plus, everyone was quite pleased with the large portion sizes.

The Vaquero Hash ($10) comes with 2 fried eggs, braised pork, roast potato, kale, nopales, poblano rajas, and chipotle mayo. Another dish that pleased everyone. You won't go wrong with any brunch entree. All of the brunchers I spoke to seemed very delighted with all of the food.

One of my objectives at brunch was to try the two Mexican wines on their wine list. As far as I am aware, they are the only Boston area restaurant that carries Mexican wines. (If anyone knows of another, I would love to hear about it.) Both of the wines are from the L.A. Cetto winery in the Valle de Guadalupe in the state of Baja California in Mexico. In the 19th century, there was a Catholic mission here which produced wine but the Mexican government eventually stripped the Church of all its lands. About 30 years later, a private company bought the land and established the first large scale winery in Mexico.

In 1928, Don Angelo Cetto began trying to establish a wine industry in the region, and eventually, the L.A. Cetto winery was founded in 1975. They now produce a wide variety of wines, including sparkling and fortified wines. At the Burro, they carry the 2006 L.A. Cetto Reserva Privada Nebbiolo and the 2009 L.A. Cetto Chenin Blanc and I highly recommend both of them.

The 2006 Nebbiolo is made from 100% Nebbiolo, the Italian grape which is well known for producing Barolo and Barbaresco. It spends about 14 months in French oak, and then two years in the bottle. This wine is a deep, dark red (almost purple) in color with a compelling nose of black fruits with hints of cherry. On the palate, the dark fruit flavors are prominent with a backbone of cherry and mild spice. The tannins are well integrated and it has a moderately long finish. It certainly reminded me of an Italian wine and I never would have guessed it was from Mexico. At retail, it would run around $20 and I think it is well worth the price. It would pair best with a hearty dish, such as pasta or a meatloaf.

The 2009 Chenin Blanc is made from 100% Chenin Blanc, sees no oak and only has an alcohol content of 12%. This was crisp and fresh, with delicious fruit flavors of melon, pear and peach and hints of herbs on the finish. I had a second glass of this wine as I enjoyed it so much. A great summer wine, or something with lighter dishes, such as chicken or seafood. It was easy drinking and pleasant, and at a retail price of $8-$12, it would also be a good value wine. Once again, you would not think it was from Mexico.

These two wines make me want to check out far more Mexican wines, and I strongly urge all of my readers to taste Mexican wines if you get the opportunity.

For dessert, I tasted the Chipotle Chocolate Ice Cream, a creamy and tasty treat with a spicy finish from the Chipotle, and a flavor that reminded me of cinnamon. I also tried another savory Popsicle, this time the flavor being Corn. Yes, it had a strong corn flavor and it was much more savory than sweet. A very unique dessert.

Once again, The Painted Burro satisfied and I strongly recommend you visit for dinner or brunch. From Fundido to Meatloaf, Tequila to Mexican wine, there is plenty to please all palates and tastes. Muchas Gracias to Chef Cassinelli and Chef Bua!