What is is about wine officianados and sommeliers that sets in their minds the justification of $200.00-plus bottles of wine? I can only assume that they must be fantastic but to be honest, it would take one helluva special occasion for me to fork out that kind of green for a glass or two of a fine vintage regardless of how wonderful it might be. I’m just not that into my wine.
Of course there is the other side of the spectrum. Inexpensive table wines that are fairly well suited to using as a component in a braise or stock, but not something you would happily serve your guests at a party. These barely palatable vintages are the domain of those who either don’t enjoy wine very much, have never tasted anything better or simply don’t care what it tastes like as long as it “gets the job done”.
The real fact of the matter is that it all depends on what you like. My wife and I very much enjoy several different wines that rarely sell for more than six dollars a bottle. They’re not pretentious, they’re just good. Of course there’s also a $30.00 bottle of port sitting on my counter waiting for a dessert I plan to revisit in the near future. I’ll pay for quality ingredients without giving it a second thought.
Today we’ll touch on two ends of the spectrum. The Santa Fe New Mexican’s Top Ten Wines of 2008 vs. Bonnie Graves’ List of the Top Ten Party wines for Ten Dollars and Under. After this, I’ll throw in my own two cents on a few other vintages you might like to try if you’re in the market for something a bit less expensive.
But now, on to the lists!
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