Wine Value - It's not a focus it's a way of life!

Plan Pegau Lot 2009 is a stunning value at $7.99 before discount.

Must find this! Importer? Hand Picked Selections?

Robin, let me know what you find it for in Louisville? I haven't looked (yet) in Lexington, but I see the Party Source in Bellvue has it "on sale" for $16.99

[David M. Bueker]

Tonight it is a look at the 2012 Domaine d'Andezon Cotes du Rhone. If not for last night's Plan Pegau I would be singing the praises of this wine. It has plenty of fruit, and some lovely herb elements. It's quite tasty, but blown away by the Pegau. Still I would consider it an excellent value pick.

[Robin Garr]

Robin, let me know what you find it for in Louisville? I haven't looked (yet) in Lexington, but I see the Party Source in Bellvue has it "on sale" for $16.99

Bob, you bet! Actually, based on David's description, I'd probably buy it even in the mid-teens, but maybe not a truckload. I don't know that I'll get to any wine-geek shops this week, but if I do find it, I'll let you know pronto.

[David M. Bueker]

For $15 or less I would buy a case.

Plan Pegau Lot 2009 is a stunning value at $7.99 before discount.

Must find this! Importer? Hand Picked Selections?

Robin, let me know what you find it for in Louisville? I haven't looked (yet) in Lexington, but I see the Party Source in Bellvue has it "on sale" for $16.99

Curiously Plan Pegau only secures one hit in Wine Searcher for the whole of France and that is in Tain l'Hermitage at €8,50/bottle. However I get the impression that not many French cavistes bother with Wine Searcher.

I wonder if they still have Lot 2009 at the estate.

PS - I just visited Domaine du Pégaü's informative website and find that a version of Plan Pégau botled in 2013 is available there at €8,40/bottle. Incidentally there is 20% Merlot in the blend so it could at a stretch have been left in the Merlot thread.

[David M. Bueker]

By the way, the 7.99 was a close out price.

I always think that the white wines from Gascony can be good value for money and in most cases can be found for around or under $20. Gros Manseng dry whites can be of real interest in my opinion.

2012 Famille Fezas Domaine Chiroulet Vin de Pays des Cotes de Gascogne La Cote d`Heux.

Good natural cork, 13%alc, Lot 01, Gros Manseng, some malo, 6th generation of the Fezas family.

Light lemon in color, soft white stone fruits on the nose with a hint of spice.
Initial entry thought is off-dry, nice mineral type finish, not too citrussy, peach grapefruit. Refreshing and held up well over 2 nights so has some real structure.I consider this wine to be an excellent deal and would think readingly available south of the border.

***** scroll down for some Manseng thoughts from Joanna Simon.

http://joannasimon-wineandfood.blogspot.ca/

2012 Ruffino Orvieto Classico at 10.99 (Whole Paycheck) seemed like a good value, but for 8.99 (Total Wine) it's close to back up the truck! Pear, citrus, peach and an underlying stony foundation with enough acidity to make it food friendly, this was quite enjoyable with sauteed mahi-mahi and sipping after dinner while on an endless software deployment conference call.

(edited to add vintage)

[David M. Bueker]

So that is what I am supposed to be drinking on my SAP conference calls!!

2012 Domaine de la Pepiere Muscadet SeM "Sur Lie" is about as much a no-brainer value choice as I can think of. In 2012, Marc OIlivier managed to really hit it out of the park, and even his entry level bottling ($11) is a rich, vivid, refreshing dry white wine, with plenty of mineral and saline notes to add to its appeal. For another $3-4, one can purchase the Clos de Briords bottling, which is a profound example of Muscadet, and also another back-up-the-truck candidate.

Mark Lipton

So that is what I am supposed to be drinking on my SAP conference calls!!

I think I'd go for something a bit heavier for SAP, like maybe a single malt!

Marcillac Lo Sang del Païs 2012 -Domaine du Cros, Philippe et Julien Teulier - Alc.12.5%- (I paid c.€9 but available at estate <€7.) Made from Mansois (AKA Fer Servadou).

This wine is getting quite well known amongst candidates for membership of the Academy of Advanced Geekery and it deserves to be because it is a real delight with bags of distinctive local personality. However, at least in these parts, it is becoming easier to find so it may start to lose its status. Colour is a brilliant but not very deep red. The nose is marked by red fruit infused with a slightly metallic tang. The medium- bodied palate shows some depth of fruit together with lively tangy acidity, decent backbone and length and plays variations on the aromas from the nose. It slips down so easily that it tempts me to open a second bottle. Good++. QPR!

Sneaky one there Tim!! I only ever find Marcillac on my visits to London so a side diversion to your area would appear to be in order .

Sneaky one there Tim!! I only ever find Marcillac on my visits to London so a side diversion to your area would appear to be in order .

I'd love to see you here, Bob, but Marcillac supply not guaranteed even here. The Lisieux merchant was sold out and I found these at Pont l'Évêque, where the caviste had 44 bottles left. I think that there has been an article in RVF praising this estate.

Marcillac Lo Sang del Païs 2012 -Domaine du Cros, Philippe et Julien Teulier - Alc.12.5%- (I paid c.€9 but available at estate <€7.) Made from Mansois (AKA Fer Servadou).

This wine is getting quite well known amongst candidates for membership of the Academy of Advanced Geekery and it deserves to be because it is a real delight with bags of distinctive local personality. However, at least in these parts, it is becoming easier to find so it may start to lose its status. Colour is a brilliant but not very deep red. The nose is marked by red fruit infused with a slightly metallic tang. The medium- bodied palate shows some depth of fruit together with lively tangy acidity, decent backbone and length and plays variations on the aromas from the nose. It slips down so easily that it tempts me to open a second bottle. Good++. QPR!

As I've stated in the past, Tim, I find Far Servadou to be swoonworthy (so I suppose that my application to the Acad of Adv Wine Geekery should go through without a hitch). I get the VV edition of this wine, but I find that it needs age to be at its best.

Mark Lipton

2012 Domaine de la Pepiere Muscadet SeM "Sur Lie" is about as much a no-brainer value choice as I can think of. In 2012, Marc OIlivier managed to really hit it out of the park, and even his entry level bottling ($11) is a rich, vivid, refreshing dry white wine, with plenty of mineral and saline notes to add to its appeal. For another $3-4, one can purchase the Clos de Briords bottling, which is a profound example of Muscadet, and also another back-up-the-truck candidate.

Mark Lipton

Not this year, Briords is sold out.

Correction: WS Pro turns up some availability, just not at the usual sources.

Has anyone noticed any wine stores that are no longer reporting inventory on WS? Moore Bros is one that no longer lists inventory.

Here is a great value red from the Marche. Opened last night with a chicken leg casserole in a tomato garlic sauce. 70% Montepulciano and 30% Sangiovese I believe.

2012 Tenuta de Angelis Rosso Piceno, Marche It.

Purchased on a whim, thinking would be a good wine to post here on this thread. $18, gd nat cork. Dark red fruits on the nose, hint of pepper, "blueberry" from across the table.
Very satisfying taste on entry, soft tannins, some earth, meaty, excellent acidity and length. In-house PO was impressed..'sweetish" and thought I should be buying more accessible wines like this. LOL.

Faugères Millepeyres 2011 - Domaine Valambelle - Alc.13.5% - (c.€10), made from 45% Carignan, 35% Grenache, 10% Cinsault, 10% Syrah & Mourvèdre.

This wine from an estate new to me is a real delight (and if I look around, I guess it can be found at about 2€ cheaper). Medium/full bodied with fresh dark fruit strongly infused with Mediterranean herbs and lightly touched with leather. Some wines from France's Deep South have a slight (or more ) heaviness but not this one. It went down easily casting a generous glow. I'll buy more. I'll also try the estate's more ambitious and costly cuvée but am prepared to like it less. Good+. QPR!

The next one is cheating in a sense though I am sure I paid only about €10 for it in the early 70s (Wine Searcher gives a present day quote in France of €185!)

Château Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande - Pauillac - 1966 - Alc. not specified.

I was prepared for disappointment so had laid on a younger bottle but the level (still above shoulder) was reassuring. A crumbling cork necessitated some surgery and filtering to get at the wine but it emerged a lovely vigorous and quite deep red with very little rusting at the rim. The nose was ethereal with fragrance, still some primary red fruit and hints of cedar and pencil; just a faint porty touch makes me think that I should not delay too much in opening my remaining two bottles. The palate was medium weight, classically shaped and mouth filling with a gentle crescendo towards the finish and long fragrant tail and still showed lively fruit and acidity with gentle but present backbone. This harmonious yet lively bottle gave no impression of its age and could have fooled me as coming from the mid-80s, perhaps 1985 with its great elegance. Outstanding!

[David M. Bueker]

Cross posting two Rhone values here.

2011 Domaine La Garrigue Cotes du Rhone Cuvee Romaine
Both wines listed here were under $12. The Domaine La Garrigue has a checkered past, with lots of really good bottles, and then lots of reports (many of them mine) of bottles that just fell apart. This 2011 was a very good blend of Rhone herbs and dusty red fruit. The alcohol stuck out a bit when I first opened it, but by the time we reached it in the tasting everything had come together. Excellent value for drinking over the next 6-12 months.

2010 L’Ameillaud Cotes du Rhone Villages Cairanne
This was a more serious wine than the La Garrigue, with darker, meatier tones, lots of blackberry fruit and a touch of oak. Less approachable than the prior wine, but with greater depth. Also an excellent value, with more upside and staying power than the Garrigue. I could see this doing well for 2-5 years.

Both of these are worth significant purchases if they scratch your Rhone itch.

Lovely David. L’Ameillaud is always a very nice wine and here in town at one specialty store.

[David M. Bueker]

Bob - leftovers of both of the Cotes du Rhones were still very good last night, so even better value.

[Robin Garr]

Cross posting two Rhone values here.

Thanks for mentioning that, David. It actually makes a lot of sense to use this thread as a repository for those special, memorable values that it's designed for, even if the original TN was situated in a different topic. "The wines so nice that we post them twice."

[Jenise]

We were absolutely blown away last night by the power and finesse of the following wine. It brings home everything you read about the great values coming out of the Languedoc these days. A mostly syrah blend:

2010 Chateau L'Euziere l'Almandin, Pic St. Loup
A solid wine, perfect balance of power and finesse with a great mouthfeel. Drinks well above it's price tag--only $10. Astonishing wine for so little.

[David M. Bueker]

Neat! Who is the importer