Netscape Forum Poll: Favorite country for wine bargains

[Robin Garr]

When we're on the lookout for real value in wine, on those shopping occasions when getting something good for a price that won't break the budget is more important than getting something great at any price, where do you turn? Spain, France, Italy, the U.S. or "other"? Click over to this week's CompuServe/Netscape forum poll and share your choice.

<b>Click here to vote!</b>

(Participating in the Voting Booth ballot does not require you to register or sign in to Netscape. Feel free to reply and comment in either forum.)

Italy is number 1 for me.

Spain could be second since the pricing is there, but except for sherry, I'm having a hard time finding drinkable Spanish Reds. Most are too international for my tastes.

Richard

Looking from here in Belgium, I have no doubt that, for my tastes, France provides by far the greatest number of QPR references. For those complaining about the stratospheric price hikes of top Bordeaux and Burgundy and also for my British compatriot supermarket customers, this may seem counter-intuitive, so let me explain.

In France, outside the top estates there are a few hundred quality orientated artisan producers who are dedicated to terroir expression and real individuality but who do not enjoy large promotion budgets and are selling into a quite competitive market to discriminating but not especially well-off wine-lovers. They seek to sell their usually small production at the cellar door or through genuinely wine-loving merchants in France, Belgium, UK and so on. Supermarkets are not interested in producers like these because production is far too small.

So, provided one is prepared to take a little trouble, many real QPR bargains from France can easily be found. Good QPR can also be found from similar producers in Italy and Spain in the EUR 5-15 bracket but less easily IMHO than from France.

I vote a tie between Spain and Australia. I find myself wondering how bottles like Paringa Shiraz can even be shipped to the USA for the price at retail. Other bargains I've found are Wynn's Coonawarra Black Label Cabernet Sauvignon and Spain's Baroja Seleccion Rioja.

Greece. The wines of Gervossiliou alone make Greece a winner in my book but Kir-Yiani and Mercouri also are tremendous QPR wines.

My observation is that South Africa is offering terrific wine values these days. BTW ... I think it was cruel to add the US to the list of choices.

-- Clark

My vote goes to South Africa as well.

Surely it depends where you live and what you can get.
I have to go NZ for whites (esp. sauv blanc). But when it comes to reds, I concur with JC and go Australia and Spain.

Richard, if you can find the Protocolo white, try it!

Richard, if you can find the Protocolo white, try it!

Is that a vote for Italy, Bob?

Nah, I don't vote Sue, and Protocolo is a spaniish wine.

[Robin Garr]

Nah, I don't vote ...

Why not, Bob? It takes about two seconds.

Nah, I don't vote ...

Why not, Bob? It takes about two seconds.

I don't know of a particular reason why not, but I just haven't ever done much participating in any of the forum polls.

[Robin Garr]

It's not mandatory, Bob.

Still, it's easy to do, and the more people who click an answer, the more interesting the results. It just struck me funny that anyone interested enough in the subject to join in the discussion wouldn't bother to take a second to add a vote. Whatever suits ya, though!

Nah, I don't vote Sue, and Protocolo is a spaniish wine.

Bob,
I will second your rec, plus their rose is also quite good. I voted Spain and understand Richard's "style" problem but have found great wines lately that are not oaked or over-ripe. Protocolo is a good wine, not great, but for $8 you can drink it all the time.
Walt

[Robin Garr]

BTW ... I think it was cruel to add the US to the list of choices.

Actually, though, Clark, there are a few real goodies in the US market at fair prices. Laurel Glen REDS jumps to mind in the under-$10 niche (although I used to love it more before it was quite so Zinnish).

It's just the old thing about how you've got to kiss a lot of frogs before you encounter a princess.