Wine from the Low Shelf
Posted on 08. Jan, 2010 by Jonathan Radocay in Blog, Gourmand
For the college student, selecting wine usually involves a sacrifice in either quality or money. A selection usually comes down to: does she grab the $10 bottle from mid shelf, or settle for the rotgut at her feet? Anything more than $10, in my opinion, becomes too expensive for a casual evening alone with friends. Since I drink wine on a fairly regular basis — and since I am usually financially strapped — the cost of a bottle needs to remain below $10. If you’re a weekend binger, there’s no problem choosing a cheap wine: the best value remains Charles Shaw, two buck Chuck. But the stuff’s boring tasting, if not plain awful. The question, therefore, becomes: “how do I find affordable wine that remains enjoyable?” In my experience, knowing a little bit about wine in general helps you to make an informed decision at the market. I usually consider the kind of varietal and the growing location when I select a cheap bottle.
There is no better place for cheap wine than Trader Joes. I find that BevMo and most grocery markets rarely have good wine under $10. But before I recommend my Trader Joes favorites, let me give some guidelines for selecting cheap wines.
First of all, red wine tastes better than white wine. This fact is universal. Although whites are usually sweeter than reds, the sweetness in cheap fare gives way to a dominant sour, vinegar flavor. In better whites, the natural sweetness is preserved and in balance with the grapes’ tartness. I’ve never come across a cheap white wine that I’ve liked. I would avoid them all together. Stick to red wines.
Even though the sweetness in cheap white wines turns to sour, among red wines select sweeter varietals. I prefer sweeter, fruitier flavors than an acid bath of tannins. Since cheaper wines tend to be unbalanced and relatively simple in their construction, you rarely have more than two choices — either a dominance of fruits, or of tannins, which taste dry and somewhat astringent. My favorite sweet varietals are (1) Red Zinfandel, (2) Syrah and (3) Pinot Noir. Merlot is also sweet, but I don’t enjoy it as much.
Although French, Italian and Spanish wines look exotic and noble, they are usually the worst in taste, not because France, Italy or Spain produce terrible wine, but because wines from those regions must be imported, and thus tend to be more expensive. An $8 bottle of Bordeaux usually doesn’t stand up in taste to an $8 bottle from one of California’s regions, simply because shipping costs factor less in a California wine’s value. California winemakers can afford to price better wines more economically than can foreign winemakers. Fortunately, Trader Joes has an extensive selection of wines from California’s many regions to choose from.
As long as the wine’s from California, it should be all right; but, in my opinion and experience, particular regions in Californa produce certain varietals better than others. For example, Lodi makes a great Zinfandel; and Paso Robles (my personal favorite, partly because my parents, avid wine enthusiasts, introduced me to wine primarily from this region) is known not only for its Zinfandel, but also for its Cabernet Sauvignon and its Grenache. As a general rule, look for wines from lesser-known regions because the grapes that go into them are less often mixed with those from other regions. Wines made from grapes harvested exclusively in one region tend to be more consistent in flavor and possess a more complex taste. Since the Napa and Sonoma Valley are so popular, their grapes are more often mixed. I recommend selecting wines from Paso Robles, Mendocino County, Lodi in the Central Valley and from the Sierra Foothill region.
In addition to wines made from only one varietal, consider some wines made from multiple ones. Look for those blends with a majority of sweet varietals. I like blends because they can produce some unexpected flavors.
I believe I’ve laid out a sufficiently comprehensive guide to selecting cheap wine. Below are some of my favorite wines found at Trader Joes:
- Falcon Ridge Lodi Zinfandel, $6 (a personal favorite, an excellent Zinfandel)
- TBD Red Wine, $6 (with primarily Lodi Zinfandel; it has a similar taste to the Falcon Ridge)
- Novella Zinfandel, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon, from Paso Robles, $7
- Rendition Zinfandel, $9
- Petanque, any sweet varietal, $6
- Any bottle from the Trader Joes brand because they are cheap and reliable, $3-$4
There are obviously many that haven’t come to mind yet, but check out Trader Joes for yourself. Next time I’m there, I’ll write down additional favorites and add them to the list.
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