This may a good time to write a little bit about value. Our present economic condition is making many of us rethinking our wine purchases. What is a value wine? Is it just a cheap wine? I don’t think so. I have had many $5 bottles of wine, that I thought were worth ….$5. There was no value in many of these wines. For me a value wine is one that delivers more taste then the price would dictate. I have a few wineries that I think offer good value.
Bogle Vineyards are considered one of the best value brands in the market. Don’t take my word, the Wall Street Journal, Wine Spectator and the Wine Advocate, all have proclaimed Bogle as a great value brand. Bogle produces a Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot, Cabernet and an Old Vines Zinfandel. The latest addition to the Bogle line is a Riesling. This is an intensely fruity wine, with just a kiss of sweetness on the finish. The Bogle wines are all around the $10 price point. I would compare these wines to other brands priced in the $20 range.
Another winery, I think gives good value is Rutherford Ranch. Rutherford Ranch is a Napa Valley producer. There is not a lot of value that comes out of Napa Valley. There is a lot of ego that keeps prices high. Rutherford Ranch has been in the grape business for 70 years. They are not concerned about putting their name on the bottle. They are concerned about putting good wine in the bottle and charging a good price for the wine. Rutherford Ranch wines are in the $12 - $18 a bottle. Their Napa Valley Cabernet is a particularly delicious wine. They also produce a Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Merlot and Zinfandel, all well worth the price.
I think you cannot go wrong with either one of these brands. You will fine quality in these wines that you would normally find in wines double the price.
Now go try them!
