Big Bang for your Vino Dollar: The two “R”s
Thursday, October 23rd, 2008
So, the Euro-to-Dollar conversion is kicking our ass, and the cost of good California wines is climbing ever higher as wine collectors realize the potential of premium vintages. The economy is swirling the bowl, and you’re just an average Joe, plumber or not, trying to find a decent bottle of juice to quaff with Friday night dinner. You’re no power exec, surfing the company expense account while buying vintage Bordeaux’s and “cult” Californian Cabernets. You want something red, something solid, something that isn’t going to put your kids’ college fund in the crapper.
Fortunately, there are still quality wines to be found that won’t send you into sticker shock. When an entry-level Burgundy or Bordeaux starts at $30 a bottle retail, it’s good to know that by shopping from the neighbors of great wine districts, or by choosing younger wines from the same pedigree, you can get the quality and character without the price tag. By shopping wisely, you can keep yourself in good vin rouge for $10 a bottle, with a splurge up to $14-15 for those relaxing weekend evenings.
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The Sauvignon Blanc grape can produce wines ranging from steely austerity to citrus zestiness. In the Loire Valley of France, this grape is the queen of the white wine varietals, producing two of its most well known appelations, though more Chenin Blanc is grown overall. The regions of Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé sit in the eastern part of the valley, across the Loire River from each other. Sancerre sits to the West, Pouilly-Fumé to the east. Sancerre produces delicate wines with a pronounced minerality. Pouilly-Fumé wines offer more rounded, fuller flavors of the grape.
