Every so often I’m asked by friends and acquaintances if I can recommend any specific wines up to a certain price point. Typically it’s $20.
Well, the bad news is that here in wine monopoly country British Columbia, $25 is the new $20, and it’s only getting worse. Just remember that every bottle you buy (whether at the BCLDB or any private wine store) has at least a 110% provincial mark-up on the landed cost or FOB price (that is, the total cost paid by the BCLDB to all parties and agencies to get the wine to BC), and then a further 10% provincial sales tax and another 5% federal sales tax on top of that, so that a wine that might cost the BCLDB say $10 to get here, ends up costing you, dear taxpayer, at least $24.15, if not more (private wine stores typically mark up their wines even more). Oh, and don’t forget the bottle deposit.
The good news is that there are still a few relatively good buys at up to say $25. And if you’re willing to pay a bit more (up to say $28-30), there is a much broader selection of seriously good wines.
So, herewith is my first edition of what will become a semi-annual list of my recommended wines in BC. I have used $25 as the maximum cutoff price. I’ve also limited the list to wines available at BCLDB liquor stores (and not just private wine stores), so that you have a reasonable chance of finding them, although some may not be available in every store. In which case, ask your local LDB liquor store to have it delivered there for you (they will do this free of charge, at least for now).
In this first list I’m concentrating on summer-suitable wines, which for me means mostly whites, with a couple of reds and a pair of rosés. I’ve limited the list to ten wines that I have enjoyed, which I think have a good QPR (Quality to Price Ratio) and which I would be confident serving to guests. And just to be totally clear, these are my own personal selections: no one has paid me anything, or provided free samples, to taste and list these particular wines.
The wines are listed by ascending price, and not by preference or ranking. I’ve provided a short tasting note for each wine listed. Unless specifically noted, I have not provided vintages, since these wines are ready to drink now and in most cases you will find whatever is the current year on the shelf. You’ll note that the list is dominated by France (to be expected perhaps?) and Spain. Yes, I think that Spain today offers the best value-for-money Old World wine. In fact, had the cutoff price been a bit higher, there would have been even more Spanish bottles on the list. Rioja, anyone?
The prices below include all taxes (but not the bottle deposit!) and are rounded up/down to the nearest dime. Some of the selected wines are currently discounted at the LDB, but only until July 28. The prices below reflect the discount. Happy hunting! And let me know what you think, by commenting on this blog post.
1. Jaume Serra Cristalino Brut, Penedes, Spain $14.90
A steal of a dry sparkling wine made in the traditional Cava method, that is, the same way they make Champagne
2. Torres Vina Esmerelda, Catalunya, Spain $19.50
A perennial standby: an aromatic, off-dry white wine made from a blend of Muscat and Gewurztraminer
3. Pewsey Vale Eden Valley Riesling, South Australia, Australia $21.80
Classic, pure, crisp and bone dry Eden Valley Riesling, for those (like me) who adore this style
4. Domaine Bois de la Neuve Rosé, Varois en Provence, France $21.80
A delicious, classic Provence rosé made predominantly from Grenache
5. Bodegas Marta Maté Pixide, Ribera del Duero, Spain $21.80
A fresh, clean red wine from young Tinto Fino (Tempranillo) vineyards, from this famed red wine region along the Duero River
6. Vinum Africa Chenin Blanc, Stellenbosch, South Africa $23.00
A good example of the complexity and elegance that the Cape can produce from old-vine Chenin Blanc, at a very fair price
7. Chateau de Pierreux Brouilly, Beaujolais Cru, France $23.00
Fresh, light-bodied Cru Beaujolais (far better quality than basic Beaujolais) from Gamay; chill this red down a bit before opening
8. Chateau de la Roche Bousseau Chenin, Anjou, Loire, France $24.10
Delicious, low-alcohol (12.5%) Chenin Blanc from the Loire Valley. Compare and contrast to #6 above
9. Adegas Valmiñor Davila, O Rosal, Rias Baixas, Spain $24.70
A terrific white blend of Albariño, Loureiro and Treixadura grapes from the O Rosal area of the Rias Baixas region in northwest Spain
10. Chateau de Berne Romance Rosé, Cotes de Provence, France $25.30
Just tips over the cutoff, but a step up from the other Provence rosé recommended here; organic wine from a limestone terroir
And, as a bonus wine, if you’re willing to go slightly over the (rather arbitrary) $25 limit, here’s a new LDB listing that I highly recommend:
Tania & Vincent Careme Terre Brulée, Swartland, South Africa $26.00
An excellent old vine Shiraz-Cinsault red blend from this renowned Cape wine region.