If you don’t already drink wine, there are plenty of reasons to start — it tastes delicious, it’s linked to an array of health benefits and it’s a great way to present your drinking habits as a classy and elegant hobby.
With those trappings of luxury comes a reputation that wine — good wine, in particular — is expensive and therefore inaccessible to the poorly financed. For newbies in particular, it may be more appealing to choose low-cost options from mass-produced supermarket brands. If you don’t like it, at least you only spent $5.
But these products are cheap for a reason — they’re often full of additives like sugar, oak chips and something called “mega purple” (an additive that makes wines darker and a bit sweeter). Anyone who’s woken up with a Franzia hangover can attest.
But there are ways to experience the finer things in life without breaking the bank. Wayne Crokus, manager at Steve’s Liquor on University Avenue, advises budget-conscious customers to look beyond the pricey French Bordeaux and the big Napa Valley cabs. “There are some great wines from up-and-coming regions around the world,” he says.
One of his favorites to recommend is tannat ($15-$30) — a big, bold red from Uruguay. “It’s kind of like a cab, or a super-cab if you will,” Crokus says. “It has big tannins, big body, and you typically see a good amount of time in the barrel just to round it out a little.”
While not as famous as its malbec-producing neighbors, Argentina and Chile, Uruguay is the fourth-largest wine producer in South America, and something of an undiscovered gem. In addition to its signature grape, tannat, Uruguayan winemakers are also putting out traditional varietals like cabernet, merlot and chardonnay, plus blends using tannat. “They’ve kind of embraced the varietal and are running with it,” Crokus says. “It’s like 10 years ago with Australia and shiraz, but on a much smaller scale.”
For customers who aren’t necessarily interested in prestigious names or vintages, Molly Moran, owner of Table Wine on Atwood Avenue, steers customers towards wines from smaller, farmer-led wineries. “For me, value tends to mean wine that is complex, that is interesting, that you want to keep drinking because it’s not just one note,” she says. “What that ends up being more often than not are small-production wines.”
She’s fond of a Spanish winery called Garciarevalo Casamaro, which produces an inexpensive, old-vine verdejo ($10). A crisp white wine with plenty of citrus, it’s a perfect alternative to a more expensive sauvignon blanc. “This wine packs so much punch for its price,” she says. “If you’re looking for something interesting but also easy drinking, it’s a no-brainer.”
Knowing a customer’s tastes is also helpful in finding less expensive versions of things they’ve enjoyed previously. If you like French rosé, for example, Moran recommends Zorzal ($12), a pinot noir rosé from Argentina. “It gives you the minerality that people like if they come to rosé through French wines,” she says.
Buying an “entry-level” wine from a high-end producer is another way to find value. “You look at producers that make $40 or $70 bottles, but their rose is $20, that’s what you get,” says Andrea Hillsey, owner of Square Wine on North Pinckney Street. “It’s your gateway in.” She recommends Tami, a moderately priced secondary label from Arianna Occhipinti. “There’s an entry-level frappato and a nero d’avola that are just under $20,” Hillsey says. “They’re just gorgeous — good acidity, freshness, all organically farmed.”
But most important, Hillsey says, is establishing a relationship with a local sommelier or specialty shop — someone you can trust to “swim through the crap of wine” and find the best products at the best prices.
“And when all else fails,” she says, “drink European.”
