Editor’s Note: This column is sponsored by Georgetown Square Wine and Beer (10400 Old Georgetown Road).
Last year, we wrote an article on great value wines for less than $10. As is the case with most great value wines, once discovered by the masses the price rises slowly each year to settle at a dollar amount that isn’t exactly a bargain anymore
Not to worry, we have found more.
My favorite part of being a wine buyer is to find bottles that are great values — bottles that are about $10 tat taste like $20-$30. It’s a tough task to find these gems, but they’re definitely out there. Here are a few that I have recently tasted and currently sell at Georgetown Square Wine and Beer, all at or less than $10.
The Royal Chenin Blanc 2013 Western Cape, South Africa — $8.99
The Royal Chenin received an outstanding score of 90 points from the Wine Advocate. Since we have displayed this wine and put a price of $8.99, we have had a hard time keeping it in stock. I’ll let leading wine critic Robert Parker explain the rest.
“One of the greatest buys I have tasted this year is this under $10, 100% Chenin Blanc from the Western Cape. A super flowery-scented nose includes notions of ripe honeydew melons and pears. This medium-weight, fresh, fruity, crisp, dry, textbook Chenin Blanc will provide immense pleasure over the next 12 months.”
The Royal Shiraz Cabernet 2011 Western Cape, South Africa — $9.99
After tasting The Royal Chenin, I gave their red a try. I couldn’t be more surprised with the smoothness and balance of this red blend. It’s juicy and fruity with blackcurrant and spice flavors, subtle vanilla and black pepper. This wine red pairs well with red meat, roasted leg of lamb, grilled lamb chops and beef kebabs.
(It’s out of stock until Wednesday, March 12.)
Cielo Pinot Grigio 2012 Delle Venezie, Italy — $9.99
When we first started carrying Cielo Pinot Grigio, it was a decent bottle for the price. As time passed, the new vintages have been getting much better. Usually inexpensive Pinot Grigios are extremely light with not much complexity, but Cielo breaks that mold by producing good quality, fuller bodied Pinot Grigios at a great price.
Protocolo Tempranillo 2011 Castilla La Mancha, Spain — $6.99
I couldn’t write a post about bargain bottles without mentioning Protocolo. If you buy wine in Montgomery County, you have probably seen this bottle plenty. I have no problem recommending Protocolo as a table wine, cooking wine or even a wine to make sangria with. At $6.99 we go through 8-10 cases a week.
Community discussion guidelines: Our sponsored columns are written by members of the local business community. While we encourage a robust and open discussion, we ask that all reviews of the businesses — good or bad — be directed to another venue, like Yelp. The comments section is intended for a conversation about the topic of the article.
