Wines
of the Week: Under $20, 90 Points
We
continue our series focusing on high quality wines, with wide
distribution, that can be found for $20 or less. So add them
to your shopping list, scoff at those more expensive bottles,
and enjoy quality, even on a budget. Happy drinking!
Click
on labels to enlarge |
Tait
"Ball Buster" 2013 Shiraz
Winery:
Tait
Grape(s): 75% Shiraz, 13% Merlot, &
12% Cabernet Sauvignon
Region: Barossa Valley, Australia
Year:
2013
Special Designation: n/a
Farming Certification:
n/a
Price: 15-20
Review:
Jammy fruit comes forth on the nose, as blackberries,
plums, and cherries blend together. A sip delivers flavors
of blackberry and red plum moving into accents of cinnamon,
dark chocolate, and herbs. A silly name but not a silly
wine; plenty to like here. Enjoy with short ribs.
Rating: 90 |
|
Hope
Ends 2015 Red Blend
Winery:
Hope Ends
Grape(s): Shiraz, Grenache, and Malbec
Region: South Australia
Year:
2015
Special Designation: n/a
Farming Certification:
n/a
Price: 5-10
Review:
A nice fruit-forward nose with accents of chocolate and
caramel rises up from a glass. On the palate, the wine
is smooth with lush fruit flavors of blackberries, plums,
and black cherries that mingle among hints of dark chocolate
and toasty caramel. Friendly but with good balance, it's
a very good value.
Rating: 90 |
|
Gnarly
Head 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon
Winery:
Gnarly Head
Grape(s): Cabernet Sauvignon (and we're
guessing one or two other blenders)
Region: California
Year:
2014
Special Designation: n/a
Farming Certification:
n/a
Price: 5-10
Review:
Lots of black cherries, blackberries, and plums play with
highlights of clove, mocha, and white pepper on the nose.
The palate is lifted by a good structure and showcases
rich dark fruit that blends with sweet spice, chocolate,
and roast coffee. Unlike most value Cabernet, this wine
has a bit of weight and depth on the mid-palate. A very
good buy.
Rating: 90 |
|
Rutherford
Hill 2013 Merlot
Winery:
Rutherford Hill
Grape(s):
79% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Syrah, & 3%
Melbec
Region: Napa Valley, Ca
Year:
2013
Special Designation: n/a
Farming Certification:
n/a
Price: 15-20
Review:
The nose is quite inviting with lush blackberries, black
cherries, and a nod of currants mixing together among
hints of toasty vanilla. That nice dark fruit is framed
by polished, cocoa tannins and the finish leaves dark
chocolate, vanilla, and earth lingering. Fine complexity
and structure are big pluses for this wine. Certainly
delivers for the price.
Rating: 90 |
By
Jason Barlow
Other
Related Links:
96
— 100 |
Spectacular |
92
— 95 |
Outstanding |
89
— 91 |
Great |
85
— 88 |
Good |
81
— 84 |
Solid |
|
*Wines
rated with a "+" need
a bit more time to reach peak quality
but will
do so over the coming years
|