591969 Thu Jan 29 14:16:25 -0800 2009 16 34 Wine 0 4370490 We saved this as a secondary bottle considering the price, and it's better than expected. Surprisingly tasty and without a bitter or astringent aftertaste. Dark cherry, residual vanilla. The screwtop will probably put some off, but it's fine as a daily quaff, particularly in this roasted meat winter. Thu Jan 29 14:16:25 -0800 2009 224238 Caralien 1 4370538 Thanks loads for the rec. It IS hard to find anything anymore for that price. We'll keep an eye out. Thu Jan 29 14:26:32 -0800 2009 4370490 131001 c oliver 1 4371209 On a completely superficial level, I would be more put off by 1) the name - sick of Aussie wines with animal names and 2) the price, as most things at that price won't be good, than I would a screwtop. Thu Jan 29 17:53:12 -0800 2009 4370490 144892 Dan G 2 4371226 Putting superficial things aside, there's nothing wrong with adding a $4 bottle to the basket when you're at the end of the shopping trip at the wine store. If it happens to be good, great! If not, I wouldn't have mentioned it. Thu Jan 29 17:56:50 -0800 2009 4371209 224238 Caralien 3 4371622 No problem with that. Screwcaps might be coming into their own. I have six bottles of corked wines to return right now - really bad spate of these. Usually, it's about 1/mo., but we hit two bad bottles of Neyers Chard in a row! Thank you for the rec. I would not have picked up a US$4 btl. of anyone's Cab. I'll keep an eye out for this one. Heck, I'm surprised, when I find a < US$ 20 Cab. Now, I don't seek out "value wines," but have not problem, when they tumble into my basket and turn out to be keepers. Took another shopper's rec. on a SA Bdx. blend, some years back and found a great wine for <US$15/btl. Though it does not happen that often, surprises, like this, are welcome. Thanks, Hunt Thu Jan 29 21:14:06 -0800 2009 4371226 11329 Bill Hunt 4 4372065 We used to get a 30% corked rate on the BV wines in the late 90's until I finally gave up. Thought it was the shop, but the same was true everywhere we purchased it (it could have been the distributor for Chicago). I might give it another shot, but there's no rush. Fri Jan 30 05:37:03 -0800 2009 4371622 224238 Caralien 5 4376013 I got some of those too...in this case, one dealer told me BV was changing the label design, so the wines with the old labels were being sold cheap to get rid of them. Maybe they should have been pulled off the shelves. Sat Jan 31 14:24:13 -0800 2009 4372065 124191 comestible 5 4382061 There was an incident in their barrel room. Do not have the details handy, but some reconstruction took place. I also do not have the years, that seemed affected by this problem, but it is documented. Beaulieu Vineyards is a very good producer, but they did encounter a problem. Your time-frame seems about right, by my failing memory. I'd definitely give them another try. Now, that said, I am much less a fan of their "entry-level" wines, than I am of their higher-end wines. Hunt Mon Feb 02 18:31:26 -0800 2009 4372065 11329 Bill Hunt 2 4385579 So you didn't like Goats Do Roam? It was good.maybe about $9.00 a couple of years ago. Tue Feb 03 19:39:56 -0800 2009 4371209 36661 Sam Fujisaka 3 4385662 I just love the name. Bought one called "Pinot No Evil." It was a pour-down-the drain wine --- nad I can gag down almost anything. I'm sure the marketing of names and labels is a huge business. I'm certainly influenced by it. Tue Feb 03 20:21:46 -0800 2009 4385579 131001 c oliver 1 4376024 Nice to see a thread on good inexpensive wines. They're my daily mainstay, so I'm always on the lookout. Sometimes I look at this board and think, who are these people who can afford such exotic wines. Maybe they only drink wine once a week. :) Sat Jan 31 14:27:00 -0800 2009 4370490 124191 comestible 2 4382084 There have been many threads on "value-priced" wines on this board. Now, some of the "usual suspects" might not reply, but that is because they probably have not run across some of these. Still, a lot of folk here do find good wines, at a lower price-point, and talk about them. That is what is so good about this board: there are folk from all walks of life, and with different tastes, as well as economic backgrounds. Yes, many here do wish they could have 1er Cru Bdx. from a great year, every meal. Most cannot. Still, based on many highly vaunted value wines, I have to say that most do nothing for me. They are not a "value" on my palate. I find fewer wines with real interesting character in this catagory. I do love a few, and purchase/drink those, regardless of how inexpensive they might be. Keep watching, and please post about the ones that you find. Many, many others look here, to find good values. Hunt Mon Feb 02 18:40:54 -0800 2009 4376024 11329 Bill Hunt 3 4382991 Bill: Do you have a list of your favourite value wines (I do agree that value is up to the taster, as there's no value in something which is inexpensive but unpalatable)? I have to ask my FIL for his friend's annual list. Thanks for the reminder! -C Tue Feb 03 06:25:47 -0800 2009 4382084 224238 Caralien 4 4385508 The only one that I have encountered at all recently, that I would also recommend, would be the Glen Carlou Grand Classique, Bdx. blend, from SA. Costco here (AZ) often has it for about US$13/btl. I've probably had others, but just did not know the price-point. Had I, then I might also recommend some of those. Most of the "winners," that I've found recently have been in the US$20/btl. range, and not quite what the OP had in mind. I'll poke around my cellar, and see if there were any others, that I missed. Oh, also some of the wines from the McManis Family have been good values, and in the US$15-20 range. I found that their Merlots do not develop with any age, but the same is true for the Glen Carlou. Drink upon purchase and do not lay down, or you will likely be disappointed. Hunt Tue Feb 03 19:12:44 -0800 2009 4382991 11329 Bill Hunt 5 4385559 Thanks! I've had McManis at the local brewery when they haven't had any beers I wanted. Our usual wines have been heading past $25 lately, as we seem to regularly buy out the stock of reasonable ($10-15) wines from our local shop (we did the same in Brooklyn). Tue Feb 03 19:30:41 -0800 2009 4385508 224238 Caralien 1 4385586 Thanks, Caralien! I'm always on the lookout for the cheap goodies, too. 'Preciate the heads up. Tue Feb 03 19:44:19 -0800 2009 4370490 64215 cimui 1 4385600 Also thank you, Car Alien! I enjoy good value. Tue Feb 03 19:53:34 -0800 2009 4370490 36661 Sam Fujisaka