Fred Tasker’s Great Wine Buys

Miami Herald Wine Columnist, Fred Tasker gives his wine bargain wine suggestions:

 

Economic times are hard, but that doesn’t keep wine fans from wanting their favorite beverage. In fact, as I said last week, the latest studies say Americans are drinking more wine, but cheaper wine.

Still, cheaper doesn’t have to mean bad. Here are some nice ones I’ve come across recently:

 

 

   * First, there’s the 2006 Marqués de Cáceres, a white wine from Spain‘s Rioja region. The fruit just explodes out of this wine; it tastes like a bottle of ripe peaches, and it’s only $6. A real bargain.

 

* For a red wine, there’s the 2003 Hoya de Cadenas Reserva from Valencia, in Spain, the region between Madrid and the Mediterranean where they grow the oranges. This wine is made from tempranillo, the grape that makes rioja, and a local grape called bobal. It’s deep vermillion in color, with flavors of oak, spice and minerals; it’s soft and ripe and only $7.

* From California there’s the 2006 Kendall-Jackson Estates Grown Syrah, a big, juicy red wine that’s 87 percent syrah, 9 percent zinfanfel, 4 percent Grenache. It tastes like spicy black cherries and licorice. This is also opulent and ripe, for $12.

 

* If you want a bubbly, you can get the Domaine Ste. Michelle Blanc de Noir Sparkling Wine, from Chateau Ste. Michelle in Washington State. This has big, sturdy bubbles and tart melon flavors. It’s $13. Not bad.

 

* Finally, if you want a big, sturdy grilled steak wine, there’s one from Sicily called Fuedo Arancio. It’s from a native grape called nero d’avola, with flavors of black cherries and espresso and firm tannins to go with that steak. It’s $9.

You’ll find some of these wines in supermarkets, but for others you’ll have to go to big wine shops like ABC or Crown. So even now, don’t stop sipping.