Dr. David Muhleman

The-Wine-Educator    WINE & SPIRITS EDUCATION AND CONSULTING SERVICES FOR THE CONSUMER AND THE PROFESSIONAL

Value Wines

I’ve written about “value wines” before; but I’ve never named specific value wines. “Value wines” are wines that cost less than they taste, or to say it in reverse, they taste better than they cost.

The first thing you have to know about value wines, is what does a $5 wine (or $25 wine) taste like. If a $5 wine tastes like a $25 wine, it’s a great “value wine,” but only if you know what a $25 wine is supposed to taste like.

I often use the example of chocolate or ice cream, because most people can tell the difference between Hersheys and Godiva or grocery store brand ice cream versus Ben and Jerry’s ice cream. There is a difference in richness, texture, body, taste, and satisfaction. I believe part of knowing a value wine is personal preference.

Many inexperienced (American) wine drinkers measure the “value” of the wine by the residual sugar content. A $5 German Riesling with 5% residual sugar may be more of what they are looking for than a 2001 J.J. Prum which has less residual sugar, but is a great example of a wonderful German Riesling. So anything I say about a value wine is based on what I consider a great wine; which may differ greatly from what you are looking for in a wine.

Let me go back. If Parker gives a wine 99 points, and the wine tastes phenomenal, but it costs $100 (or more), it may qualify as a wonderful, great, stupendous wine; but it’s not a value wine. Wine’s over $100 a bottle OUGHT to taste wonderful. A value wine is a wine that Parker gives 99 points to and taste phenomenal, but only costs $50. That’s a value wine. The Wine Spectator lists it’s “value wines” in each edition, and by and large, I agree with their selection as it applies to 600,000 readers around the world. But, if I’m only interested in my small group of wine buddies, many of their “value wines” are simply average wines and cheap.

And not all “value wines” are cheap. I have drank several $200 bottles of wine. And to me, most of them were “okay.” But one, Molly Dooker Velvet Glove, knocked my socks off (3 times).  So, I would have to say my favorite “value wine” costs $200 a bottle. How can that be? It tastes like a $400 bottle of wine. In the “value” world, that’s a GREAT deal.

But most wine drinkers want a $10 bottle of wine that tastes like a $20 bottle of wine. And in many cases, that’s not a big difference. In fact, I recently compared $4 bottles of wine to $10 bottles of wine. You would think a $4 bottle of wine that tastes like a $10 bottle of wine is a great “value.” But in my opinion, there’s not enough difference to worry about.

So here is a list of several of my daily drinkers that I believe taste better than they cost.

R&B (Rhythm and Blues) Zinfandel (California)

7 Deadly Zins (California)

A to Z Pinot Noir (Oregon)

Domaine Michelle Sparkling (Washington)

Mouton Cadet (BDX, France)

Pine Ridge, Chenin/Viognier Blend (California)

Penfolds, “Club” Port (Australia)

All the Molly Dooker wines (Australia)

Duval-Leroy Vintage Champagne (1996, 1998)

Jewell Wines (Lodi, California)

Ruffino wines (above their mass produced Chianti), Italy

Masi wines, Veneto Italy

Banfi wines (above their mass produced Chianti), Tuscany Italy

J.J. Prum German Riesling

Most IGT wines out of Maremma Italy

Chateau Giruard from Sauterne region, France

Siduri “Oregon grown” Pinot Noir (Oregon)

Betz Family Wines (Washington)

Leonetti Cabs (Washington)

Long Meadow Ranch, Napa, California

Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir, California

Dutton-Goldfield, Zinfandel, Sonoma

Nobilo, Sauvignon Blanc, New Zealand

There are hundreds more, but as I said, what I think is a great value wine, may not be what you consider a great value wine. The only way to know for sure; is try lots of wine, and keep good notes of what it cost and how it tasted.

Until next time, drink good wine.