On Wine: Biggest Bargains of 2007...So Far

Biggest Bargains of 2007...So Far

by Fred McMillin

We taste a lot of wines in our Fort Mason (S.F. City College) classes. Here in alphabetical order the 16 that were best at pleasing both the palate and the wallet.

The 16 Best Buys

Barbera, $10, Montevina Winery, Amador County, 2004
Cabernet Sauvignon, $10, Harlow Ridge Winery, Lodi, 2003
Gewurztraminer, $9, Fetzer Vineyards, Valley Oaks, 2005
Merlot, $9, Veramonte Vnyrds., Chile-Casablanca Valley, 2002
Merlot (60%) Malbec (40%) $5, Falling Star Winery, Argentina, 2004
'Nine Vines' Rosé, $10, Angove's, So. Australia, 2006
Hearty Burgundy, $5, Gallo-Twin Valley, California, NV
Pinot Grigio, $9, Fetzer Vineyards, California, 2005
Pinot Noir, $10, Wyndharn Estate-Bin 333, SE Australia, 2004
Rhone White, $8, Louie Bernard Bernard, Cote' du Luberon
(Boisset Imports) 2002
Riesling, $7, Coastal Ridge Winery, California, 2004
Shiraz (53%) Cab (47%), $8, Jacobs Creek Winery, SE Australia, 2003
Syrah, $12, Gallo of Sonoma, Sonoma County, 2002
Vouvray, $8, George Meurgey, (Boisset Imports) Loire, 2005
Zinfandel-Reserve, $10, Shenandoah Vineyards, Amador County, 2002

Which of the 16 Scored the Highest?

The Best White

The crisp, fresh flavors of the Fetzer Pinot Grigio explained why Pinot Grigio (a.k.a. Pinot Gris) may overtake Sauvignon Blanc as the USA's second most popular white wine. The Grigio is an ancient mutation of Burgundy's majestic red Pinot Noir (Napoleon's favorite, but I digress).

The Best Red

As would be expected, a Cabernet Sauvignon won best red. It was the 2003 Harlow Ridge. (Napoleon had to switch to Cab when the British exiled him, but I digress again).

Which Was the Biggest Bargain of All?

The FIVE DOLLAR Falling Star Merlot-Malbec blend from Argentina, imported by F. Wildman, is our Best Buy of the year.

And a Final Wine Smile

We're honored that a major Napa Valley winery concludes its newsletter with one of our Final Smiles—about Winston Churchill when he was a member of Parliament.

Here it is:

A female member of the opposition party confronted him after a heated debate and said: "Winston, if you were my husband, I'd put poison in your wine!" Winston: "Madam, if I were your husband...I'd drink it."

(Note: I know our Wine Smile was the source, because I changed a very important word in the Smile, and my word is used in the newsletter instead of the original version.)

About the Writer

Fred McMillin, a veteran wine writer, has taught wine history for 30 years on three continents. He was voted one of the U.S.A's 22 Best wine writers by the Academy of Wine Communications. For information about the wine courses he teaches every month at San Francisco City College (Fort Mason Division), please fax him at (415) 567-4468.

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This page created August 2007

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