Eminently Drinkable Plonk!

[Jason Perlow]

Great list, Rob.

Bonny Doon's Big House Pink is pretty decent, too. All three are available at Cost Plus for $8 (in Atlanta, anyway). The Goats are $7 there, and I think I've seen the Gascon for $7.49.

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The Bonny Doon Ca'del Solo Big House Red is also a very good universal cooking wine, particularly for adding to pasta sauces and for red wine reductions. Great for stews like Boeuf Bourguignon.

[Abra]

I've been a frequent Amtrak traveler of late, and they do a "wine tasting" every afternoon. Usually it's pure plonk, more "free wine" than "wine tasting." But this trip, damned if they didn't serve something that got my attention, because it was truly unusual and entertaining to drink.

That's the Ironstone Symphony Obsession, which I saw later at Trader Joe's for....$5.99! Would I ever even have tried a bottle at that price, with that name? No way. But would I actually go out and buy some now - you bet. It'd be perfect to sip outdoors at a Ladies' Luncheon on a Spring day, so flowery and aromatic, with a mysterious fruit. It's some new cultivar, cross of Muscat and a Grenache Gris, and it's actually not like any other wine I've tasted. It's a lightweight, but fun, and a great conversation-starter, of the "what the heck is this?" variety.

Edited October 28, 2005 by Abra (log)

[Rebel Rose]

I like the way Amtrak on the west coast features different regional producers as the train passes through the central coast, north California, Oregon and Washington. They also offer afternoon 'wine tastings' with flights.

With grilling season upon us, what is everyone's spring house plonk?

[KatieLoeb]

I like the way Amtrak on the west coast features different regional producers as the train passes through the central coast, north California, Oregon and Washington.  They also offer afternoon 'wine tastings' with flights.

With grilling season upon us, what is everyone's spring house plonk?

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My latest "house wine" is the Kaiken Malbec 2003 from Argentina at the low low price of $7.89 in PA. This wine is made by the folks that make Montes Alpha wines in Chile and is a screaming bargain at the moment.

[doviakw]

My latest "house wine" is the Kaiken Malbec 2003 from Argentina at the low low price of $7.89 in PA.  This wine is made by the folks that make Montes Alpha wines in Chile and is a screaming bargain at the moment.

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I'll second the value of the Kaiken Malbec! After trying a test bottle a few weeks ago, we picked up 2 cases and have already gone through six bottles or so. I don't know the usual price outside of PA but at $7.89, it's a tremendous bargain here. As you say, it has become our "house" red.

[Richard Kilgore]

Here are a few inexpensive (under $10) wines available in my area. Anyone familiar with any of these?

Luccio Rufia Chianti Rsv 2002 -- 8.49

Rosemaont Estate Shiraz 2004 -- 7.89

Smoking loon Merlot 2004 -- 6.75

Chateau Arnalud Haut Medoz 2002 -- 8.99

Schmitt Sohne Reisling-Spatlese 2004 -- 6.99

Ruffino Lumina Pinot Grigio 2004 -- 7.99

Water Wheel Memsie Shiraz/Malbec/Cab 2004 -- 9.99

[Jensen]

Rosemaont Estate Shiraz 2004 -- 7.89

This one is good. Definitely eminently drinkable plonk!

Smoking loon Merlot 2004 -- 6.75

I bought a bottle of this the other night. Never again.

[petite tête de chou]

Oregon's Firesteed Pinot Noir has been a consistent deal ($8-10) for quite a few years now. It's a *very* light bodied Pinot that will pair nicely with some of the lighter dishes of summer.

[Gaucho]

Some other great options under US$10 that may be available in most large cities in North America are:

From Mendoza:

Benegas - Luna Benegas Cabernet

Benegas - Juan Benegas Malbec

Benegas - Carmela Benegas Rose

Benegas - Don Tiburcio Blend

Familia Gascon (all varietals)

Trapiche Fond de Cave (all varietals)

From Patagonia:

Schroeder - Saurus Patagonia Select (all varietals)

NQN - Malma (all varietals)

[NYC Mike]

WOW! What a great thread! One of my many New Year's Resolutions was not to buy a single bottle of wine over $20 bucks! Reason being, I like to drink it but just don't know jack. Easiest thing to do in that case is pay up which I have done a lot of and learned less because of it.

Gonna have to read this one twice!

-Mike

[Gaucho]

My latest "house wine" is the Kaiken Malbec 2003 from Argentina at the low low price of $7.89 in PA.  This wine is made by the folks that make Montes Alpha wines in Chile and is a screaming bargain at the moment.

Speaking of Kaiken, they make part of their wines at the Benegas Winery owned by Federico Benegas Lynch. Kaiken also has a Kaiken Ultra which is one step up from the standard Kaiken, I understand it retails for approx. 20-25 dollars in the USA.

[Jason Perlow]

I'm finding it very interesting that "$10 drinkable plonk" is now being relegated to 3rd or 2nd-world wineries. Just a few years ago it was places like Australia.

[Misha]

Hi all,

Among my favorite QPR's right now is the 2004 Di Majo Norante Sangiovese from Molise Italy. I've picked mine up for a little as $6.49 in NJ. FWIW, not 100% sure but I think RP gave it 90 points.

I also agree with KatieLoeb & doviakw on the Kaiken Malbec. I've been enamoured of that varietal since '02 when I first discovered Norton and back in the day I had picked that up for $4.25/bottle.

Misha

[Dave Hatfield]

Can't add anything too specific as I live in France and can't buy most of the wines on this thread, but I did want to add a couple of general tips on French wines to watch for.

Check out anything from the "pays d'Oc" region. You may also see this as Languedoc Russilion. They put a lot of effort into quality over the past ten years & are producing some nice stuff - cheaply. These were just coming ito Rhode Island 3 years ago before we moved here. I' currently drinking a lightly oaked Chard which I but for about $4.00 a bottle even at today's silly exchange rate.

Also check out wines from the Gaillac region if you can find them, I know that Domain de Chandon export to the states & make good reds that should sell for under $10.

A big trend here by the way is to put good decent wines into boxes! The vintners say that at $ 3-4 per bottle the packaging cost is too high a percentage of their total cost so putting the winr into 5 or 10 or even 20 liter boxes is much cheaper. The wine keeps well. Think about it. My wife was agast when I actually bought a box of St Emillion in St Emillion not to long ago.