The Sweet Spot

In the grand scheme of things, wine is a luxury product.  Yes, there are plenty of wines at good value, some cheapies even selling for less than certain coffees at Starbucks, depending on where in the world you find yourself.  But in it's heart, the idea of modern wine is that it is a luxury and anything decent has to be too expensive.  The response; to torture ourselves with £5 bottles even though not much more money can get us something much more special.  Wine itself is produced quite cheaply, and for the bottom end of the price range, that is to say the bottles under £6, that price tag is built up with layer upon layer of tax, shipping costs, packaging and admin work. 

If you reduce it down, in fact, there is only about 30p worth of wine in that bottle of Anakena or Parrotfish.  So, even though you're paying a lot less for the bottle of wine, you're really taking the hit in a big way, paying more for all that extra cost.  For under £6 you're better off getting a couple of good beers and pay what they're actually worth.  I thought I'd do a bit of research into the various conceptions of what it means to be 'good value' and I've come up with a theory I think holds up pretty well.  It's called the Sweet Spot and it ranges from £9 up to £17, with of course a bit of flexibility.

In this day and age of pinching pennies, and denying ourselves the leisure-time activities we once enjoyed on a regular basis, like going to the movies, going out for dinner and the like, one thing that is still within reach is a decent bottle of wine.  Instead of paying for two people to go see a movie and footing the bill of popcorn, drinks etc. which can add up to nearly £30 all told, why not split a £15 bottle of a nice wine, cook dinner and make an evening of it? 

Lets look at what that £15 can get you... From the shop where I work (we have fairly standard prices across our range) that is more than enough for a nice white Burgundy, a bunch of damn good Rhone reds, great French country wines, a huge array of classic Italian bottles, and even some pretty yummy ports and pudding wines.  Split between two people, you can experience some truly delightful wines for not a whole lot of money, and use them to make a home-cooked meal all the more fun and interesting.

Lower down on the price range of the 'Sweet Spot,' you'll find some great South African Chenin Blanc like the Secateurs, and it's brother wine, the Secateurs red blend for about £9, some really saisfying Argentine Malbec or Chardonnay or even a surpisingly tasty Bulgarian Pinot Noir.  Even at this price, you're getting a vastly better value for your money.  The same amount of alcohol tax comes off an expensive bottle as it does for a cheap one, so a higher proportion of the price is actually for the liquid in the bottle.

Say you're planning a dinner party or may be going out for dinner and want to take a bottle along and want it to be something a bit special.  Lets say upwards of £17 for something great.  Easy!  You can get some beautiful Rioja like Vina Cubillo, really classic french wines like Bergerac and a few tasty, fun California Zinfandels.  Split that cost between a couple of peoplewho are already splitting the cost of the food and you have an essential ingredient for your meal, and one that can enhance the food like nothing else.

What I'm trying to get at is, you can splash out beyond the standard five pound bottles and realise that, in truth, the quality and pleasure gained from the wine goes up exponentially.  There is nothing quite so lovely as a great bottle of wine that was worth every penny you paid for it.  In this day and age, we can't afford to pay for something cheap and not get our money's worth.  The same goes for lousy wine.  Sure there are nice wines below the 'Sweet Spot,' but in terms of consistency, there's something to be said for this narrow price-band.

So go halfs with a friend and treat yourselves to something nice!

Much Love,
G

Here are a few recommendations for some really great value wines, though this is just a short list...
Around £9- Secateurs Red and White, Paul Jaboulet-Aine Parallel 45 Cotes du Rhone, Punto Final Malbec, Masi Corbec, Fatoria Lavacchio Chianti Rufina, and Cousino-Macul Antiguas Reservas Cabernet Sauvignon, Tramontane Macabeu

Up to £15 (mind this price band contains a huge array of great wines so this is just a small selection)- Paul Jaboulet-Aine Crozes-Hermitage, Thelema Shiraz, O. Leflaive Les Setilles Chardonnay,Velvet Devil Merlot, Kung-Fu Girl Riesling, Dry Creek Zinfandel, Filles de Mai Macabeu and the Wild Boar Syrah. 

Also check out the Niepoort Tawny Dee.  A tawny port for about £14.  Great stuff.

Up to £17- Thelema Merlot, Pascual Toso Malbec Reserva, Chateau Thenac Bergerac Blanc, Ecole No. 41 Semillon, Vajra Dolcetto d'Alba, Badenhorst 'Wine', Lustau PX Sherry and the lovely Camins del Priorat.

First Notes- Camins del Priorat 2008

To all my potential followers,


This is my first posting on my blog; hopefully the first of many, and I hope that it will come to be a source for opinions on wines of interest.  I do this mostly as an effort to amalgamate all of my own tasting notes into one place.  If it so happens that you find my postings to be of any use, I would love to hear from you.  Naturally, if you feel that I would do better directing my attention in any other way (expletives and all) I would be equally appreciative.


I am particularly beholden to this style of wine; Spain was one of the first wine-producing countries I ever explored and it was a beautiful Melis Elix 2001 Priorat that sparked my love for wine.  For that reason I begin my tasting notes with another wine from this massively under-appreciated region of Spain...


Alvaro Palacios- Camins del Priorat, 2008


Country of Origin: Spain
Viticultural Region: Priorat
Classification: D. O. C. (Denominación de Orígen Calificada)
Varietals: Cariñena (60%), Garnacha (30%), Cabernet Sauvignon (10%)
Price Range: £15-£20


Appearance: Beautiful, deep colour with intensity and clarity.  The legs are pronounced as they run down the sides of the glass, hinting to the high alcohol levels (14.5%).


Nose:  The dominant aroma is of very juicy fruits such as cherries, strawberries and blackberry.  There is an underlying woodsmoke, but it is fleeting and may take a few goes to pronounce itself.  There are some smells reminiscent of Portwine and jammy fruits, which is consistent with the palate following.


Palate:  Silky tannins provided by the trace amounts of Cabernet Sauvignon, giving way to the sweetness of the Garnacha and Cariñena are well balanced with the medium acidity.  A slight spiciness shows a lot of good character in this wine.  


After returning to this wine following a few hours in the bottle, the contact with air has woven in a few extra threads to this glass.  Some new aromas of licorice and sandalwood have joined ripe blueberries and jam.


Overall I can say that this is a well balanced example of a very food-friendly wine.  Pair it with lamb or light stews and soft spanish cheese.  I would highly recommend this as an affordable wine with good character and a vibrant style.


Score: 88 out of 100