In the November issue of Sunset they had an article called the 2010 Sunset Western Wine Awards. They mad a big deal out of starting with 250 bottles, 9 judges, and 8 hours. They then listed the top 40 wines.
What’s interesting to me, on my fixed income of $0 since I retired, are the pricing tiers. They listed steal of the year (under $15), Good Value ($15 to $30), special occasion ($30 to $50, and Deep Pocket (over $50). I don’t know about you, but under $15 is not a steal, and $15 to $30 good value? This is where the media looses touch with the average folks. There’s a reason that two-buck Chuck is the largest selling wine in the world, and it certainly isn’t quality. For most people a Saturday night wine for dining with friends around the kitchen table is still under $15. And the experts don’t seem to understand that fact of life.
They interviewed Eugenio Jardim, Sommelier of the Year, and asked what do you drink on a Tuesday night. For a white wine he choose Uvaggio Vermentino from Lodi California (about $14). Sounds good except when I did a search in wine finder it wasn’t available in Southern California. That’s about 300 miles from Lodi so it should have been available. His red wine choice was Handley Anderson Valley Pinot Noir (about $30). It was a numerous Gold Medal winner in CA, but I couldn’t find it in a southern CA store. The main fact is that Eugenio and the editors at Sunset thought that a midweek wine should cost $30.
Some of the wine descriptors are a little outrageous. I enjoyed what they wrote about good value wine Rulo 2007 Syrah. It had a punch of lush fruit-mulberry and plum-over dark intriguing notes of leather, tobacco, meat, and herbs. What else could it taste like?
If you want good recommendations for wine, look for the county fair tasting results, and other broad, recognized tastings like the SF Chronicle Wine Competition and the California State Fair. All of the results from these competitions are online.
Rant over!
