Regions to Look For

I've been writing a lot about value lately, so I continue. This is going to be short, I think (I never know for sure until I click publish), but I want to highlight some regions to look for if you want to pay less for certainly close to as much.

So, this is not about Bordeaux or Napa or Barolo or anything like that, this is about the other places -- the ones you don't think of and the grapes you might "steal" from there. So, let's begin, in no particular order.

1. Lighter red wines -- try Austria. Austrian Zweigelt and Blaufrankisch can be quite expressive and have excellent acidity, but you can often pick up a bottle for less than $15 that you will really enjoy.
2. Sparkling wine made using la methode traditionelle -- there is one winery in New Mexico and I think they are the only winery in New Mexico that makes sparkling wines. In blind tastings, their sparkling wines often compete on an even ground with those of Champagne and frequently dominate those from other areas.
3. Cabernet Franc -- I think I mentioned this yesterday, but I just love the Cab Franc from the Villanyi region of Hungary. They are not cheap, but they are far less expensive than the top Cab Franc from around the world and are frequently better as a single varietal.
4. Bordeaux-style reds -- the growing conditions in Lebanon, particularly Bekaa Valley are not dissimilar to the finest in the world where Bordeaux grapes are grown, but the prices are far more palatable.
5. Pinot Noir -- Try the expressive Pinots of Central Otago well to the south of the South Island of New Zealand. The climate there is not unlike that in Burgundy, but the prices are very dissimilar.
6. Tannic red wines -- This one is easy to remember. Tannat is tannic and you can note the similarity of the spelling. It's also the national grape of Uruguay and the prices are very right, often less than $10 per bottle for very good wines.
7. Chenin Blanc -- while the character is a bit different, the Chenin Blanc from the Western Cape of South Africa has good acidity and is typically quite refreshing exhibiting lots of orchard fruit and also having a nice soft mouthfeel. And, it's far less expensive than Vouvray.
8. White wines to go with shellfish -- there are lots of great choices in France, but if you want to save money, go for whites from the Greek Isles, particularly Assyrtiko. With the natural salinity from the neighboring seas, it is a wonderful complement to oysters on the half shell and priced better than other grapes we often have with shellfish.
9. Chardonnay -- well, Burgundy is expensive, Sonoma is expensive as is Napa. But, there are some outstanding Tasmanian Chardonnays (the climate in Tasmania is similar to Burgundy) at just a fraction of the price.
10. Stuff you've never heard of -- wine was born, or at least we think it was in southwestern Asia and southeastern Europe. There are some languages there that make my ability to type the names of the wines an impossibility without spending a ton of time. But, find wines from the former Yugoslav republics, from Albania, from Georgia, Armenia, or Azerbaijan, from Israel, or any place else in that general area. Some are very good, some are very bad, but almost all are inexpensive.