Lindeman’s is a large producer of wine in Australia, and they are probably best known for their affordable Bin Series. There are actually 11 wines in this series, including 2 sparkling wines. Since I have never even seen – much less tasted – most of them, I’ll stick to what I’m reasonably familiar with. We’ll take look at 5 of the 11. Some of them have been well rated by the Wine Spectator. There are those who are cynical about how and why some wines are rated by Wine Spectator. I can be cynical too, but when a $5 wine is rated highly by a national publication, in my book it’s worth a look. Even if I end up just using it to cook with. These wines will retail at $7 – $9, but if you have a big box store or a large retail chain close by you can find them for much less. The Total Wine stores in Orlando sell two of these wines for $3.97 (!). In my opinion, this is value wine.

Lindeman’s Bin 99 Pinot Noir   Finding inexpensive Pinot Noir is not all that hard. Finding one that bears any resemblance to what most wine geeks consider real Pinot Noir is much harder. Wine Spectator rated the 2012 at 85. This is a sold rating, and while you won’t mistake it for a $40 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir, it is still a very good value for the price. It will show you red raspberry and cherry and will benefit with decanting.

Lindeman’s Bin 40 Merlot   The 2012 is actually rated 87 by Wine Spectator. You’ll find sweet plum fruit and spice. Tannins are soft, and it is ready to drink now. I bought this one to cook with, and I ended up sipping it while I was cooking. You probably have heard the phrase “I like to cook with wine, and sometimes I even put it in the food.”

Lindeman’s Bin 65 Chardonnay   This one has been mentioned before in these pages. The 2012 received an 86 from our friends at Wine Spectator. It is a decent sipper, and a great value for the price. But I’m not sure I’d rate this one that high. Still, it is a pleasant Chardonnay if you like the new world style. And I do. I prefer another Chardonnay priced under $10. It is the BV Coastal. The BV Coastal series has a very good Sauvignon Blanc also.

Lindeman’s Bin 45 Cabernet Sauvignon   This wine shows typical cassis cabernet flavors. Like the Merlot, it is ready to drink now, and I first tried this as a cooking wine. Don’t ever cook with a wine you would not drink. If you are looking for an inexpensive cab to have with some red meat, this one will work.

Lindeman’s Bin 85 Pinot Grigio   The 2011 Pinot Grigio received a nice 87 from the Wine Spectator. The color is pale gold. The wine has crisp acidity with melon and apple flavors. This should be a nice summer wine.

Are these wines going to draw rave reviews from legions of wine geeks? If they see the labels, probably not. If they drink the wine instead of the label, they will find good wines at excellent  prices. If you are looking for good wine cheap, check ‘em out.

Have you ever had the opportunity to taste a First Growth (Premier Cru) Bordeaux in a good year? Many years ago I did, and the question is this: Is it worth the cost? Of course, that depends on how much money you have. Back then – middle 80’s – a Chateau Mouton Rothschild 1982 was $50 a bottle. It was rated at 97 to 100 depending on who you listened to. The latest release of this wine is the 2010. It is rated 98 by the Wine Spectator and it is $1,200 a bottle. Rather have a bargain? How about the Leoville Las Cases 2010? Rated 99 and a steal at $300 a bottle. Looking for a splurge? Let’s cross the river to Chateau Le Pin in Pomerol. Rated 98, it can be yours for $3,000 a bottle, and it might be at its peak sometime after 2035. I might not be around in 2035. Yes, I love my kids, but not that much. Let ’em buy their own Chateau Le Pin.

Moving somewhat closer to reality, if you like Bordeaux but would rather pay the mortgage than buy a Premier Cru Bordeaux, there is hope. Wine value can be found in Bordeaux. A good wine retailer can help with this, but here are a few properties to look for. Chateau Poitevin, Medoc 2010, 90 points, $15; Chateau Cambon la Pelouse, Haut-Medoc 2010, 90 points, $20; Chateau Palomey, Haut-Medoc 2010, 91 points, $17; Chateau du Retout, Haut-Medoc 2010, 91 points, $18. These ratings are the Wine Spectator’s; other ratings could vary. There will be several other highly rated and affordable Bordeaux available. Remember, however, that these wines are long lived, and they will not be at their best immediately.  If they have not arrived yet (March 2013), the 2010 Bordeaux should be in soon. Happy Hunting.

Naples Is The Place For Wine Auctions

The value of the Naples Winter Wine Festival’s live bids was the highest in the country in 2012. The Naples, Florida auction raised $11.8 million for charity. Auction Napa Valley was second at a bit over $5 million.

There Is A New Use For Winery Waste

4 million tons of grapes are processed in the U. S. each year. The result we all see from this processing is wine. The result we don’t see is winery waste. It consists of stems, skins, and seeds. Wineries can sell some of this stuff as cattle feed or fertilizer. Mostly they have to pay someone to haul it away.

Researchers at Oregon State University have figured out how to put it to better use. It can be used for biodegradable packaging, to reduce flour content in baked goods, and to increase the shelf life of various products that have an expiration date on the label. The market potential for winery waste is quite good. Soon wineries could get paid for it rather than having to pay to get rid of it. Good news for the environment and the bottom line.

No Chateau d’Yquem In 2012?

Southeast of the City of Bordeaux you’ll find Sauternes. This is where some of the best, most famous, and most expensive dessert wines are made. These wines are golden in color, bursting with flavor, and very sweet. In Sauternes, they will tell you that these wines are not just for dessert, but that’s another story. The most famous and most expensive of the bunch is Chateau d’Yquem. As good as the 2010 vintage was, that’s how bad 2012 was. At least it was at Chateau d’Yquem. So they are not producing any wine from 2012. There is precedent for this; they have done it nine other times.

If the weather will not allow them to make a wine that meets their standards, they won’t make it. d’Yquem has an image and reputation to maintain, and a lesser wine would damage that image. This decision will cost them 25 million Euros. They feel it is worth it in the long run. Other producers in Sauternes are not happy. They believe this will harm sales for all of Sauternes. Some might call it integrity, some might call it sabotage.

OK, so it is not as bad as Zeb’s general store and stagecoaches. But according to the Wine Searcher website, these Italian wine values seem to be littering the streets of the northeast, with the occasional bottle or two in Chicago, California and the Pacific northwest. But if  bustling, cosmopolitan cities like Dallas and Atlanta don’t show up nearly as often on WineSearcher.com, then what chance does Orlando have? I am aware that some of the best wine values are available online, but I happen to like noodling around in wine shops.

Enough of my rant about lack of availability in the hinterlands. Let’s take a look at these value wines. This was a blind tasting of Italian wines priced at less than $15. Food & Wine magazine’s Executive Wine Editor, Ray Isle, and Italian wine pro, Joe Bastianich, chose the wines and did the tasting. There were 12 wines, 6 pairs from various areas of Italy. Ray and Joe each chose 6 wines. 3 of Ray’s picks came out on top, and the same for Joe. If you can find them, here are the winners:

1. 2009 Labrusca Lambrusco Rosso. A dry red sparkler, fruity and a good food match.
2. 2011 Scarbolo Pinot Grigio.  Possibly the top wine of the tasting. More depth than most PG’s
3. 2010 Terredora di Paolo Falanghina.  A floral and citrusy white. Another great food wine.
4. Fontanafredda Briccotondo Barbera.  A rich red from a well-known Piedmonte estate.
5. 2010 Di Majo Norante Ramitello.  This is a Montepulciano based red from central Italy.
6. 2010 Tormaresca Neprica.  A blend of 3 red grapes from Puglia (heel of the boot), this wine was one of Ray Isle’s best deals of 2012.

In fact, I was able to find two of the six locally. Actually, one and a half of the six. The Norante Ramitello is a 2009, not a 2010. I was particularly interested in the Scarbolo Pinot Grigio, but no luck.

So there they are. Personally, I appreciate Mr. Isle’s willingness to point out wine value that is affordable for most wine drinkers. If you like to cook, and if you enjoy wine, I’d recommend Food & Wine. I don’t get anything from this, I just think it is a very good publication. As to the 2 wines that are available to me locally, I’m going to saddle up my horse and head out. The wine store is only 7 or 8 miles away. I’ll be back for lunch tomorrow no problem. We all like good cheap wine around here, so maybe I can get Zeb to stock some of this stuff.

Zestos Old Vine Garnacha 2011 – This wine is Spanish, coming from near Madrid. I am a big fan of Spanish Garnacha (aka Grenache), and this one looks to be an amazing value. It is rated 90 by both Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate and Stephen Tanzer’s International Wine Cellar. The wine is very juicy with both red and dark fruit very evident. Parker calls it a staggering value. It should retail around $9 – $10. I found it in a big box store for about $7.

McManis 2011 California Merlot – McManis Family Vineyards is a large producer (300,000+ cases) of good wine at very good prices. But a Merlot this good and priced this well from 2011 in California is a real find. The wine’s color is purple, and it is pretty typical of a more expensive California Merlot with flavors of red currant and dark berries and a decent finish. While not a big, brooding, very complex wine, it would be excellent with anything from a backyard BBQ to a braised pot roast. It is a very good value at about $10. I have not tried their 2011 Petite Sirah, but it is usually a good value also.

Columbia Crest 2010 Les Chevaux – Columbia Crest is a favorite producer of mine because they produce a huge amount of wine and maintain very good quality at good to excellent pricing. Les Chevaux is a blend of 80% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 7% Syrah from the Horse Heaven Hills (H3) area of Washington State. This medium bodied wine has bunches of fruit, mostly dark fruit with some pepper thrown in for good measure. It needs a good 45 minutes of decanting to begin to show its best. I think the H3 Cabernet Sauvignon is a little better, but I’m usually more of a Cab guy than a Merlot guy. I found this wine in a big box store for $10; regular retail will be $12 -$13.

California 2012

After a very iffy 2011, the wine gods have smiled on California in 2012. Almost uniformly in California it was the opposite of 2011. Not only was the growing season much easier than 2011, the grapes were in beautiful shape, and the crop was huge. A couple of reports I saw said the biggest problem wineries had was finding room for all the grapes after harvest. Good news for California and wine lovers everywhere. Looks like good wine and plenty of it. Now with a large crop we’ll see what effect it has on prices.

Quantum Leap Winery in Orlando, Florida takes a different tack. Owned by professionals from the wine and food business, they bring in wine from all over the world and blend, cellar and bottle it at their facility. They are very concerned about carbon footprint and other environmental impacts, so the wine does not arrive at Quantum Leap in bottles. It arrives in bags. Think of wine in a box on steroids. Wine in a box on a retail shelf is not really in a box, it is in an airtight plastic bag. At Quantum Leap, the wine arrives in crates holding several hundred gallons of wine. The wine is in an airtight plastic bag inside the crate. It is then blended, stored/aged in either stainless steel or old oak, and bottled. The idea of lessening a carbon footprint is a good thing, but there is another advantage. Glass bottles are as heavy as the wine inside them (sometimes heavier), so shipping without glass saves a lot of money in shipping costs. When bottling, the bottles they use are as thin as safely possible, so the finished wine weighs less when it ships out.

As to the wines, they are quite good. At present, they offer wines from Veneto, Italy, South Africa, Oregon, and California. Here is an example of how they do their blending. The Italian wines from Veneto are from valley grapes and mountain grapes. Four different varieties as I recall. The individual wines are blended in such a way as to have two completely different finished wines from the same area. They also have two Reserve wines that are exceptional. An Anderson Valley Pinot Noir, and a Chalk Hill area Cabernet Sauvignon. The reserve wines are not what we call “good wine cheap” at Avoid Bad Wine, but they are excellent and available by the glass as well as by the bottle.

When I first heard of Quantum Leap Winery, I was glad to hear that they were NOT using native Florida grapes. There are quite a number of successful wineries in Florida that make wine from Muscadine grapes. Not to be a snob, but wine made from Muscadines is not my cup of tea. The people at Quantum Leap have a contact in the agricultural department at the University of Florida in Gainesville who is experimenting with Florida grown vinifera grapes. Quantum Leap has a few barrels of a Florida grown Pinot Noir derivative, which apparently cannot be called Pinot Noir, aging right now in their winery. I will be keeping an eye on this.

The Bar In The tasting Room

In addition to wanting to distribute their wines in Florida and Georgia, they will be available in restaurants and at the winery’s tasting room. The tasting room is a large, welcoming area suitable for art shows and a monthly “wine down” with live music and food trucks. They also have an area designed for private events that is bordered on 2 sides by wine barrels stacked 3 high. The facility was once a warehouse, and it is located in an area that is mostly commercial and office, with residential only a couple of blocks away. It is what Central Floridians would call the real Orlando, as opposed to the tourist corridor.

Although there seems to be a trend toward urban wineries, Quantum Leap is approaching it differently. Interesting blends from different places in a very cool setting just a mile or so from Orlando’s Ivanhoe antique row. It is worth a look if you live in the area or are looking for a respite from the theme park crowds. www.quantumleapwinery.com

In general, whites will be better in 2011 with Sauvignon Blanc leading the way. However, there are some 2011 California reds that look very good. Only one of these meets our test for value wine, but it is good to see some good reds coming out of the west coast in a very spotty vintage.        

Line 39 Petite Sirah 2011 – This has an 86 rating from the Wine Spectator. It is pretty typical of Petite Sirah (NOT the same as Syrah). It displays both red and dark fruit, with some spice and tannin. At $10, this is a very nice wine. Burgers, hearty stews and such will go well with this one.

Meiomi Pinot Noir 2011 – This Central Coast Pinot is from the stable of the Wagner family of Caymus fame. Rated 92, it is actually better than either the 2009 or the 2010. Based on what wassaid about the respective vintages, I would have expected the opposite to be true. So much for generalizations. The 2011 is dark and rich with dark cherry, raspberry and spice. Personally I like the lighter style of Pinot Noir, but if this is what the grapes give you, go with it. This one goes for $18-$20, depending on where you find it.

Seghesio Sonoma County Zinfandel 2011 – Seghesio is well known for their Zinfandels, and this one does not disappoint. Whenever a reviewer wants to convey the idea that a Zin has traditional Zinfandel character, they call it “briary”. Connoisseur’s Guide calls this one briary and they give it 90 points. They also believe it will benefit from 2-3 additional years of bottle age. Not our definition of good wine cheap at $20, but worth it if you are a big Zin fan.

Another 2011 value wine that is not from California is the Lindeman’s Bin 65 Chardonnay from Australia. Even though we were talking about 2011 California reds, this Aussie white wine deserves a mention. The Wine Spectator has given this one good ratings before, and they give the 2011 an 86. The wine will sell for about $6-$7 in most places. In a large chain wine store near my home, it sells for less than $4. Say what? Yup. The definition of a no-brainer. And yes, I have had Chardonnay that costs much more that is not as good.

Although it was cloudy and drizzly our entire stay, the temperatures weren’t too cold for a confirmed Floridian. We missed a couple of stops I was looking forward to, but 9 wineries wasn’t a bad trip. We visited Palmer, Paumanok, Jamesport, Diliberto, Pindar, Bedell, Peconic Bay, Lieb, and Shinn. With a couple of notable exceptions, I thought the reds were more impressive than the whites. Lots of good Cabernet Franc and Merlot. These are the highlights of each winery.

The photo is of Shinn Estate because its rustic style is representative of many wineries on Long Island.

Palmer Vineyards

2010 Pinot Blanc: I was told this wine was barrel fermented with 9 months barrel aging. This added some toastiness to the citrus and pineapple flavors. Interesting Pinot Blanc.

2010 Reserve Chardonnay: 100% French oak and malolactic fermentation. If you were expecting California style here, the conditions (terroir to wine geeks) won’t allow it. Medium body with apple and pear flavors and butterscotch on the finish.

2009 Cabernet Franc: I preferred this to the Cabernet Sauvignon, which was a 2008. It was also much more fruit forward than some Virginia Cab Francs I have tasted. In addition to the fruit flavors, there was an edgy spiciness. Very nice.

NV Reserve Red: This wine is a blend of vintages and grapes. This offering was my favorite wine at Palmer. It is a Bordeaux blend and has been oak aged (40% new) for 2 years. I got some smoky tobacco notes along with cherry and spice. Very good stuff.

Paumanok Vineyards

2011 Dry Riesling: I am a big fan of dry Riesling, especially this one. It won Double Gold in a NY State wine competition against Rieslings from The Finger Lakes region of NY. This is quite a feat. Dry and crisp, with apple and lime flavors. Great stuff. (I also heard that a Riesling from Martha Clara on Long Island did very well in that competition).

2012 Chenin Blanc. The surprise of the entire trip. You have to try this Chenin Blanc. Chenin Blanc is hard to find from US producers as a varietal bottling, but this one is probably better than the others anyway. Publications such as Food & Wine and the NY Times have raved about this wine. I have tasted a few Chenin Blancs from South Africa as well, and this one is better. Floral and crisp. Great wine.

2010 Assemblage: This wine is only made in very good vintages. It is a Bordeaux blend, and if it were made in California it would be called a Meritage. It is concentrated and juicy with lots of berry flavors.

The Tuthill’s Lane Vineyard wines: There is a Cabernet Sauvignon and a Merlot from this vineyard. The current offerings are a 2005 Cab, and a 2007 Merlot. Both are more restrained than their California counterparts, and both are ageworthy. I liked the Merlot a little better than the Cab. I found out later I agreed with Robert Parker, who rates the Cab a 90 and the Merlot a 92.

Jamesport Winery

2011 East End Dry Rose’:  Dry rose’ is an underappreciated wine in my opinion. This one is unusual because it is 100% Petit Verdot, normally a blending grape. It is steely dry with cherry and pepper flavors. Think summer picnics with this one.

2008 Sara’s Hill Pinot Noir:  This grape in unusual in Long Island, and this one is pretty good, but maybe not what you’re accustomed to with Pinot Noir. The nose has tobacco notes with dark fruit on the palate.

2007 Melange De Trois:  A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc, and it spent 24 months in new French oak. The nose is a bit soft, but t has intense blackberry and blackcurrant fruit. Very Nice

2007 Sidor Reserve:  62% Syrah, with Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Petit Verdot. The wine shows some spice, tobacco and dark fruit. This was my favorite from Jamesport.

Diliberto Winery

2008 Tre:  As you would expect from the name it is a blend of 3 grapes. Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Cabernet Franc. The wine is definitely an old world style with good fruit and acidity. This is a very good food wine.

2009 Cantina: This is a 50/50 blend of Cabernet Franc and Merlot. The winery calls it rustic, earthy, and reminiscent of Chianti. Perhaps more so in style than flavor. This wine also calls out for hearty Italian food.

2009 Syrah:  A bit softer than many Syrah wines, this one is somewhat earthy with flavors of tart cherry. This and the Tre are my favorites from Diliberto.

Pindar Vineyards

2010 Gamay Noir:  Gamay is the grape of Beaujolais, and it is not often seen in the US as a varietal wine. To me, the nose had a bit of Pint Noir funk (a good thing). Although it did not taste like a Beaujolais, it stands very well on its own. With red fruit flavors, it would work well as a picnic/BBQ wine

Pythagoras NV:  This is another non-vintage blend we found on our Long Island visit, and it is a good one too. The blend is classic Bordeaux. It has a good acidic backbone and would be very good with a wide variety of foods.

2006 Port of Cabernet:  Port is a dessert wine and therefore sweet. I like Port, and I will rarely pass up a chance to taste one. This one is almost a brick color and is not as “in your face” as some I’ve had. As with most Ports, this one would be very good with chocolate or cheese.

Pindar is the largest winery on Long Island, and they make 23 different wines. Sad to say I wasn’t able to taste them all. If I had stayed to do that, I would have lost my ride.

Bedell Cellars

2010 First Crush White: A blend of Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Riesling, this is dry and crisp with flavors of apple and lemon. This wine has never heard of oak, much less touched it. Good stuff.

2010 Taste White: Another blend, – Bedell is known for this – this one includes Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Gewurztraminer, and Viognier. If I had tasted this wine blind, I would have guessed Sauvignon Blanc. There is a lot going on in this wine; it was rated 90 points by wine writer James Suckling.

2011 Taste Rose’:  I’ll admit I’m a fan of dry rose’, and I’ll always jump at the chance to taste one. This is a blend of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Syrah. It is crisp with predominantly strawberry flavors. It was also rated 90 by James Suckling.

2011 Cabernet Franc:  2011 was a light year for this grape, so instead of new oak, the winemaker decided to go with stainless steel and old oak for the fermentation. The weight is much like a Pinot Noir. A nice wine. It shows how a good winemaker can adjust to conditions.

On Long Island, the winery architecture is mostly rustic. Bedell is more like refined rustic. The publication The Wine Enthusiast calls Bedell’s tasting room “One of the top 25 in America”.

Peconic Bay Winery

2011 Gewurztraminer:  This grape is an acquired taste, and my wife and I acquired it a long time ago. Most famous in the Alsace region of France, it has successfully moved to other places. This one has the characteristic floral/spice nose of a Gewurz (wine geeks say Gewurz because we’re too lazy to say Gewurztraminer) It is fairly soft and dry on the palate. A very good picnic wine. Nice Gewurz.

Lot 4:  A Bordeaux blend, which is pretty typical on Long Island. This one is 60% Cab. Sauv. and 20/20 Malbec and Merlot. Lighter in color than I expected. Nice up front fruit.

2010 Reserve Malbec: You see some Malbec on Long Island, but not nearly as much as Merlot or Cabernet Franc. It has a tight minty nose, and good dark fruit. A very nice wine.

My favorite from Peconic Bay was the Gewurztraminer. Not that it was better than the Reserve Malbec. I just like Gewurz.

Lieb Cellars

2008 Blanc de Blanc:  This sparkler is made from 100% Pinot Blanc grapes, and it is a real Methode Chapenoise wine. This means the wine is made with the same method as in Champagne. It is more in the crisp style than big or yeasty.

2005 Reserve Merlot:  Many of the wineries let some of their wines have some bottle age before release. This means they are ready to drink upon release. This wine has a minty nose and the soft mintiness is also apparent on the palate along with dark fruit.

2010 Reserve Syrah: You get pepper and pencil shavings on the nose and pepper with  dark fruit on the palate. This is my favorite from Lieb, although at this writing it doesn’t appear on their website. Perhaps it hasn’t been officially released yet.

Shinn Estate Vineyards

2011 Coalescence:  This white blend is made from Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Gewurztraminer. The nose is very clean, and the wine is both juicy and crisp on the palate. The citrus notes make it an excellent summer sipper.

2009 Estate Merlot:  This old world style wine has black cherry notes initially. The dark fruit and some vanilla carry through on the palate.

2009 Wild Boar Doe: Although I had tasted a good bit of wine at this point in the day, I did not miss the word play with “Boar Doe”. It is indeed a Bordeaux blend with Merlot, Cab Sauv, Malbec, Petit Verdot, and Cab Franc. This is big enough to stand up to grilled meats and hearty stews. This is my favorite of the wines we tasted at Shinn Estate. They make a lot of wines, and I did not have an opportunity to taste the 2010 Late Harvest. It is a dessert wine made like a French Sauternes. They use Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon just like they do in Sauternes. Next trip I’ll be sure to try some.

Barbara Shinn is very committed to sustainability with how they care for the vineyard land. You can learn a lot about this from her. On the property there is also a well regarded bed & breakfast. It is called the Shinn Estate Farmhouse.

Being a central Floridian, I was leery about visiting New York in December. In fact, anywhere north of Jacksonville gets too cold as far as I’m concerned. But our younger son, who works in Manhattan, assured me I would not freeze to death. So my wife and I headed north. The good news is that this part of Long Island is not crowded in December, so the tasting rooms were a pleasant experience.

We visited 9 wineries in Long Island, and because of limited time, I missed a couple I wanted to see. But 9 is a good cross section, and we found some very good wine. My son came back with a mixed case. The next article will have my opinions of individual wines. For now, some overall impressions of the area and the wines, and how they compare to other east coast wines I have tried.

First of all, Long Island wineries are unusual because of the maritime climate. Long Island Sound is on one side, and the Atlantic Ocean is on the other. This produces challenges that inland vineyards don’t experience. Vintages matter on Long Island. For instance, 2010 was an excellent year there, and 2011 was so-so. The wines are very old world in style. Wines from Maryland and Virginia are of this style as well, but Long Island may be even more so. If you are one who gets upset about overblown new world wines, head for the wineries in Long Island.

Before leaving, I did some research, and I learned that the first few years of winemaking on Long Island left much to be desired. We are an instant gratification society, and if the first couple of attempts are not good, we move on. My impression is that is what happened here. But the wines have gotten better, and over the past 7-8 years more attention is being paid to Long Island wineries. Location matters as much with wine as it does with real estate, and vintners are learning which grapes do well.

There are 2 big similarities in Long Island wineries and Maryland wineries. One is the sheer number of grape varieties planted in a relatively small area by wineries with small production. The other is distribution, or rather the lack of it. Distribution costs money, and with small production it is prohibitively expensive. A smallish California winery may produce 6 or 7 thousand total cases from 2 or 3 grape varieties. On the east coast, a winery may produce a total of 2,000 – 3000 cases from 8 or 9 varieties. About 70% of their total sales comes right out of the tasting room. The rest is mail order and possibly through local restaurants or retailers.

This is not a recipe for growth, and it seems the people who own most wineries in Long Island are fine with that. There are some who want to grow and distribute nationally, but they are in the minority.  Small production and a large number of varieties is one reason the wines on Long Island – and in Maryland as well – are on the pricey side. Each variety normally requires its own fermentation and storage/aging. If there is blending, it takes place afterward. When a particular wine has only 200-300 cases available, it is not a production model that can take advantage of economies of scale.

This is an observation, not a criticism. I am not a production consultant, and it is not my place to tell these folks how to run their businesses. I’m interested in the wine. Next time, we’ll take a look at some of the wines of Long Island.

His method was to ask the 12 biggest wine retailers around the country what their best sellers were under $13 in 2012; not what the wine store thought was best, but what people were actually buying. Ray concentrated on stores whose focus was wine, rather than on big box stores. The idea was to see if the best sellers were really wine values. Turns out some were. The final list was 120 wines. Then he did a blind tasting of all of them. Tough job, but someone had to do it.

Although most of the wines were neither very bad nor very good, there were exceptions, and he came up with a list of the 5 best red wine values and the 5 best white wine values. Yes, a Top 10 List, but in no particular order. Remember, these were all tasted blind, which means Ray did not know which wine he was tasting at any given time. That way you taste the wine, not the label.

He also offered the opinion that if a good wine retailer is pushing a wine you never heard of, instead of something familiar, it is most likely worth a look. My experience is that it depends on the retailer. Caveat Emptor – Let The Buyer Beware – is never a bad idea. If the retailer offers an opportunity to taste such a wine, however, take advantage of it. Grab wine values where and when you can.

Fortunately, I have had 6 of the top 10.

REDS:

2011 Altovinum Evodia Garnacha.  I have had the 2010 version, which is very similar. 100% Garnacha (Grenache), it is a very bright, fruit driven Spanish red that will be at home with a backyard BBQ. Good Stuff

2010 Tormaresca Neprica.  The 2009 version of this Italian wine was featured in a post here on Avoid Bad Wine.com. It was described as a great wine value then, and it still is. A blend of 3 grapes, it is full of spicy red fruit.

2010 Pascual Toso Malbec.  This is a well known Argentinian  producer whose founder emigrated from Italy many years ago. The basic Malbec is typical, with dark fruit. There is so much Malbec around, it is good to hear about one that is a good value.

2010 Louis Martini Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon. I have not had this wine, but it is widely available. Based on Ray Isle’s recommendation, I’m going to grab some.

2011 Kendall Jackson Vintner’s Reserve Chardonnay. The ubiquitous KJ Chard has been something of a joke to so-called knowledgeable wine people. In all honesty it has been kind of sweet and flabby in the past. I have not had this wine in a couple of years, but again, based on Ray’s recommendation, I’m going to try it again. He calls it “…remarkably good. Rich without being fat”. Rich without being fat is a good thing for just about anybody. Try the KJ.

2011 Dashwood New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc.  Typical of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, if you like it, you’ll like this one. It leans toward the gooseberry/green pepper side of the SB flavor spectrum.

2011 Kris Pinot Grigio.  I tried the 2010 version of this, and it was very good. Like with Malbec, there is an ocean of Pinot Grigio around, and it is good to find a reliable value.

If you get the chance, Click Here to check out Ray Isle’s blog.

So how does this affect thirsty wine drinkers who don’t pay much attention to vintages? We’ll stick to California for this article, although 2011 was tricky at best for several locations, including France. You may want to avoid some 2011’s altogether, and others will be pretty good. You should expect higher wine prices.

Napa Valley: When we think of Napa, many of us think of Cabernet Sauvignon. Many other grapes are grown there, but this is where much of California’s best Cab is grown and made. The abnormally cool weather slowed down the development of the vines, and many grapes did not get ripe. Mold and rot were a problem, and many wines taste green and unripe. You won’t find much powerful, in your face Cab from Napa in 2011. Yields were down 25% to 35% for Napa Cabernet Sauvignon. I have heard stories of some wineries not making any Cab at all in 2011. Alcohol levels are lower in these wines, and the best ones will feature elegance and finesse. These are not qualities normally associated with brawny Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. The success of 2011 will be Sauvignon Blanc, the crisp white wine. Also, a lot of Cabernet Sauvignon will likely have higher portions of Merlot and Cabernet Franc blended in. These other two red grapes typically ripen earlier, so they had fewer problems. Bottom line – be careful when choosing 2011 Napa Cabernet Sauvignon. Merlot could be a better choice. If you like Sauvignon Blanc, you’ll be OK.

Sonoma: Sonoma is less well known for Cabernet Sauvignon, although some good ones are made there. I have read that since Sonoma is normally cooler than Napa, Sonoma Cabs should be somewhat better. Having said that, there was widespread mildew and rot there, and yields are down in Sonoma as well. Sauvignon Blanc was a winner there also, and Pinot Noir did reasonably well on average. Chardonnay will vary widely. Bottom line – If you like Sauvignon Blanc, don’t ignore Sonoma. Pinot Noir was good, and be choosy about your Sonoma Cabs and Chardonnay.

Central Coast: This includes Paso Robles down to Santa Barbara. Yields were down and there was a lot of rot. Beginning to sound familiar? Grenache grapes had big problems, but Syrah did much better. The problem is these two grapes are often blended to make a California version of a (French) Rhone blend. We might see a little more 100% Syrah. Bottom line – Yet again, we are finding that Sauvignon Blanc is probably the best wine of the vintage in the Central Coast as well. Reds will not be as fruity and jammy as usual from this area. These characteristics come from ripeness, and ripeness was in short supply in 2011.

I tried a 2011 Sauvignon Blanc from Bogle, one of my favorite Value Wineries. They are actually in Clarksburg, which is a little south of Sacramento. I don’t know right now how Bogle’s 2011 reds will fare, but the Sauvignon Blanc, which received an 85 from Wine Spectator and an 89 from Wine Enthusiast was quite good. Initially very citrusy, with lime, lemon and grapefruit. You’ll find a bit of characteristic grassiness as well, but not too much. The grapefruit flavor is also held in check. The wine got better as it stayed open, and some melon flavors began to show up. This is why Bogle is one of my favorite Value Wineries. Balanced and delicious. You can find this wine for less than $10.