As Robert Louis Stevenson said, “Wine is bottled poetry”. Inhabitants of nations all over the world enjoy wine. After all, it’s as old as the Bible. Many people use it as part of their cultural or religious customs. Growing up Italian, it seemed that wine always played a significant part in our family traditions. Today, for me, it continues to compliment a good meal. Frank Sinatra once left a restaurant because they didn’t serve Soave Bolla! People can be picky about their wines. However, even when you’re on a budget, there are some relatively inexpensive wines that are actually very simpatico. Here are five of my favorites.
Bolla Valpolicella
Bolla Valpolicella, imported from Italy, is a special vino to me. The Bolla website, www.bolla.com, boasts, “Authentic, Italian wines that express the true Italian passion for life. I agree. Bolla celebrated its 125th anniversary in 2008. This wine pairs well with beef, grilled meats, or pasta. It has a brilliant red hue and a fresh, clean aroma. The flavors are of berries, almonds, raisins, and spicy black cherries. It is a medium-bodied wine. It can be purchased in most grocery stores for under $10.00 for a 750 mL bottle.
Robert Mondavi Woodbridge Cabernet Sauvignon (pronounced “so-vee-nyon”)
Robert Mondavi was also raised in a traditional Italian family and founded his company in 1979. The Woodbridge Winery is in Woodbridge, California. This cabernet is a full-bodied wine. It is a rich, dark color. The fruits are complimented by a cocoa and spice character. This wine pairs well with steak. It is sold in most stores for under $10.00 for a 750 mL bottle.
Beringer California Cabernet Sauvignon
Beringer has vineyards up and down the Napa Valley in Sonoma County. This cabernet has a vanilla and blackberry aroma and a deep ruby color. It is a medium-bodied wine with layers of ripe fruit flavors. This wine pairs well with a variety of meals or just on its own. If you order this wine in a restaurant, you might expect to pay approximately $22.00-$30.00 for a 750 mL bottle. It can be purchased in a store for about half of that price.
Clos du Bois California Merlot
Clos du Bois has wineries in France and in Sonoma Valley, California. The California fruits come from the Alexander and Dry Creek Valleys. Clos means closed; du means of or off; Bois means wood or forest. In the case of this wine, Clos du Bois refers to the landscape of the winery. This wine has a deep ruby red color. It has a bold aroma, a velvety mouth feel and a rich finish. The flavors enjoyed are that of black cherry, ripe plums, and red currant, accompanied by hints of spice and vanilla. This wine generally runs from $10.00-$15.00 per 750 mL bottle.
McKenna 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon
I recently joined a wine club, Wine Shop at Home, and this is one of my favorites so far. The representative, Judy Voigt, tells me that red wines should actually be chilled and then taken out one hour before enjoying. This 2007 McKenna Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon has aromas of plum, cassis and figs with hints of cherry and oak. This is a medium weight wine with integrated tannin and balanced acidity. Enjoy this wine with sirloin burgers, a BLT or mushroom ragout. It can be purchased for under $20.00. This is an opportunity to enjoy unique, handcrafted artisan wines at a good price.
I’ve often heard people inquire about the difference between a cabernet and a merlot…
The rich, full bodied, berry flavor of a wine made from a Cabernet grape is recognized by the distinctive flavor of tea and other herbs. The wines made from this grape are very herbal in nature. Merlot is a more subtle wine with a fruitier taste reminiscent of blackberries. One of the other major differences of the Merlot vs. the Cabernet is that the Merlot is not nearly as acidic as the Cabernet, being very rich and complex but hardly tannic and quite enjoyable to drink.
It is truly possible to enjoy good wine on a budget. Each wine mentioned above can be purchased at even cheaper prices when on sale. The most important thing to remember is to pair your wine with lively conversation and treasured friends. Salute!
