WineLife365

So here’s a question I’m asked frequently - “What is the best wine”?  Given that this question is sort of along the lines of “what’s the meaning of life?”, my response is always the same - “I don’t know”.  Actually, that’s my response to both those questions.  But I digress….focus with me people, focus.  With thousands of different wines to choose from, how can anyone really tell you which wine is the best?  It’s purely a subjective preference.  I personally love to drink French Chardonnay, New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, and Spanish red wines. These are the types of wines that I could drink every day.  But you might have a totally different opinion. Trying different types of wines allow you to figure out whether there are types and styles that your palate prefers.

So perhaps a better question is – “Are there any particular wines that you feel are consistently good year after year, that represent a good value”?  That just might be a bit easier for me to answer.

Below are the 12 wines and wineries that have never let me down in my short wine life.  All of the wines listed below are priced under $15.00 and should be easy to find.

1. Villa Maria Private Reserve Sauvignon Blanc – New Zealand
2. Geyser Peak Sauvignon Blanc – California
3. Louis Jadot Macon-Villages and Macon Blanc – France
4. Chateau St. Michelle Riesling – Washington State
5. Columbia Crest Chardonnay – Washington State
6. Lindemans Bin 65 Chardonnay – Australia
7. A. Mano Primitivo – Italy
8. Marques de Riscal Rioja Crianza or LAN Crianza – Spain
9. Jaboulet Cotes-du-Rhone Parallele 45 – France
10. Rancho Zabaco Zinfandel Dancing Bull – California
11. Escudo Rojo – Chile
12. Rosemount Shiraz, Shiraz blends, or Grenache blends – Australia

My personal favorites in this group are the Villa Maria Sauvignon Blanc and the Escudo Rojo.

If really pressed to name wineries that I feel make consistently good, inexpensive, red and white wines, my response would be:

1. Chateau St. Michelle (Washington State) – a rock-solid line-up of white and red wines, however they’re not as inexpensive as they used to be.
2. Columbia Crest (Washington State) – Everything these guys make is great.
3. Concha y Toro (Chile) – Concha Y Toro is the largest wine producer in Chile. In my opinion, the best wine producer in the world because they can make great tasting $4.00 wine and awesome $100 bottle of wine.  These guys can do it all at any price level.