Photograph by Kevin A. Roberts
One might be surprised to learn that despite tough economic times, wine consumption hasn’t declined; only the price we’re willing to pay per bottle has. If you prefer big, richly textured chardonnays and cabernets, you need not go straight to Bordeaux, Burgundy, or Napa Valley. It’s still true that good wine doesn’t have to be expensive and that expensive wines aren’t always good. So what regions offer both consistently well-crafted wines and good values? That wine tour begins right here.
AUSTRALIA has long been the bellwether for inexpensive low-end wines, nearly cornering the market 10 years ago in the hope of becoming the world’s No. 1 exporter. Well, it worked—too well, actually. The grape glut the country is now experiencing has forced its pricing structure down considerably. Once known as a leader in the $5.99 price category, Australia now offers $40, $50, and $60-plus wines at deep discounts, displaying amazing value for ripe, New World–style wines. Look for such brands as Mitolo, d’Arenberg, Mr. Riggs, Glaetzer, Mollydooker, Leeuwin Estate, Henschke, Torbreck, Clarendon Hills, and Elderton.
Then it was ARGENTINA that became the promised land for value. And with production on the rise and a massive cross-pollination of money, technology, and talent, Argentina’s star has continued to rise. The combination of nearly perfect growing conditions, dirt-cheap land and labor costs, and almost no threat from disease or insects results in fine bottles of wine at affordable prices. Some of my favorites include Bodega Catena Zapata, Altos las Hormigas, Alta Vista, Bodega Colomé, Achaval-Ferrer, Luca, Gouguenheim, Bodega NQN, Bodega Benegas, Bodega Domingo Hermanos, and El Cipres.
When you play word-association games about French wine, your first thought probably isn’t “value.” And while FRANCE does produce the most expensive wines in the world, it also has regions like Languedoc-Roussillon that consistently offer great lower-priced wines. With almost one in 10 bottles of wine globally coming out of this region, it’s been dubbed the “wine lake” of France. Also suffering from overproduction (forcing the already low prices even lower), this region has invested massive amounts of money and effort into producing varietals that are more financially viable; plantings of cabernet sauvignon, merlot, Syrah, and chardonnay grapes are also now on the rise. Great wines in the less-than-$25 category have been coming from this region for some time now. Seek out Languedoc-Roussillon producers like G. Bertrand, Mas de Daumas Gassac, Château de la Negly, Mas des Dames, Domaine Eternel, La Closerie des Lys, Domaine de la Bastide, and St. Martin.
