If there’s one question that is asked of wine gurus more often, it is probably, “What are some good wines I should be drinking?” When the question is posed to someone who is a wine educator, it becomes “What are the wineries that make good wines?”
I know that back when I began my wine studies, I felt like I was lost at sea. I could walk into the wine shop, look around, and have no idea at all what to buy. I avoided contact with the wine shop staff, not wanting to reveal the depth of my ignorance. I ended up buying plenty of resources–Wine Spectator’s books that summarized the last several years of their tasting notes and provided scores for many wines were my Bible. When I had a Palm organizer, I was thrilled when Wine Enthusiast’s database became available. Right there in the wine shop I could secretly look something up and decide whether it was “a good wine.”
What a waste of time (and money)!
Knowing what I know now, if I could do it all over again, I would make a concerted effort to find out which wineries make good wines year after year so I could gravitate toward those labels. Clearly, every winery will produce the occasional wine that isn’t quite as good as the rest of the offerings. Even then, though, the “worst” wine should be better than average.
With this idea in mind, I would like to offer my suggestions so that you need not feel shy in the wine shop. Armed with this information, you can walk in, peruse the selection, and walk up to the counter confident that you aren’t buying some cheap dreck that will have you swearing off wine forever. My criteria are that the wines be consistently good from year to year, be widely available, and not require you to take out a mortgage in order to buy a few bottles. In no particular order, these wineries are:
First up, Castle Rock Winery. This operation goes around buying the best grapes it can find and makes very good wines at reasonable prices ($12 to $15 or so). Most of its wines are from various locations in California, although I’ve heard that Castle Rock is spreading its wings a bit and getting into grapes from California’s northern neighbors. A bad Castle Rock wine is a very rare thing, so you can leave your worries behind.
Second would be Chateau Ste. Michelle from Washington. This winery seems to have the Midas touch, especially in its entry level wines. These bottles can be a bit more expensive, from $15 on up into the twenties, but they are always good. Chateau Ste. Michelle also makes some single-vineyard wines that can approach $30 or more, but let your budget be your guide here. Keep an eye out for a Riesling with the name Saint M. It’s a joint project between Chateau Ste. Michelle and Dr. Ernst Loosen, one of Germany’s top wine makers. It’s price is right, too–around $14.
My third choice would be Columbia Crest, again from Washington. I don’t know how they do it, but Columbia Crest is consistently producing inexpensive wines that are always great. Their Grand Estates and Two Vines designations are usually right around $11 or so, yet the wine critics are frequently giving them scores in the high eighties. (I know, I know–scores don’t mean a lot, but they can be a relatively useful guide to winery performance.) If there’s anything I would consider as a “house wine” in my home, it would be Columbia Crest.
My fourth suggestion comes from Down Under: Penfolds. Now, if you happen to stumble across a Penfolds wine in your local shop with a $300+ price tag, don’t assume I’ve lost my mind. Penfolds makes many wines, and they run between both ends of the price scale. You can find decent Penfolds wines for less than $10 a bottle, but you can also pay a hefty price for some of their stellar gems. I’ve had many of their wines, and this is one winery that has never disappointed me.
My fifth and final suggestion also comes from Washington, Hogue Cellars. These wines might be a little tougher to find, but not dramatically so. Their prices are a bit higher, typically $15 or more, but they produce some really nice wines. Keep an eye open for their Late Harvest Riesling, which is a nice semi-sweet dessert wine.
I am a strong believer in the principle that the best way to learn about wines is to spend less time reading about them (good thing I saved that until the end of this post!) and more time drinking them. Having these wineries in mind, you can pick out wines made by different makers from the same grape and compare the two. Also, you can perhaps see how a winery’s wine changes from one year to the next.
Do you have a winery that you think should be on this list? Think one of mine is a clunker? Let me know in the comments!
Technorati Tags: wine, reliable wineries, learn about wine, wine education, good wine
{ 12 comments… read them below or add one }
First let me say that I will always strive to try new varietals, from diffferent countries, and from different vintages. Its always wonderful to make a new wine discovery. That said, I do agree that there are several very, very consistent wineries of which I can always purchase with confidence. Certainly I would concur with your choices above as very consistent. I would also suggest additional wineries … such as Sebastiani, Seghesio and Rosenblum (the latter of which is very consistent, but the wines are higher alcohol, so it is a matter of taste and style as to whether these would be on the top of your list). As much as I like to try new wines, it is always great to be able to purchase from wineries where there are no surprises .. just very enjoyable and well made wines.
Thanks, Richard, for sharing your suggestions. I’ve had a few Rosenblum and Seghesio wines, and only a couple Sebastiani. It’s good to know they are reliable producers.
I echo your comments about Chateau Ste. Michelle and Columbia Crest. I’ve yet to have a sub-par bottle of any of their varietals. I’m not sure how they do it, honestly! They are always safe bets…and I hope they continue to produce the same level of quality.
As an American expat living in Australia’s wine region, I give a whole-hearted thimbs up to Penfolds. Amazing! Another local favorite - as in made locally but ONLY available in the US - would be Molly Dooker. Fabulous stuff. Thanks for some good info - and when you have a chance, try more Aussie wines!
Thanks for these tips (I’m here via Problogger). I usually stick to same wineries but if I want to branch out I take pot luck based on price and wine label. I agree with you about Penfolds though. I’m an Aussie and when I worked in England we had them in the restaurant I worked in. Mmm, could have a drop right now!
@Ava–Thanks for your comment. I agree about Mollydooker. I have a few bottles of their stuff at home right now. Definitely not for the faint of heart, though–those are some big wines!
Also, I edited out your link to Amazon since it was showing up as code rather than a link. Hopefully people can get there via your web site (click on the name).
@Jen–Thanks for visiting. Don’t be afraid of buying wine based on a nice label (if the price is right). I found one of my favorite California Sangioveses that way–Chariot. A friend of ours was in Chicago, liked the label, picked up a bottle. He went nuts over it and asked us to split a case with him when we went into Chicago next. We did, and I’m hooked.
Be sure to spread the word about the blog–thanks!
Here from ProBlogger and your blog is great for wine neophytes (like me); I even subscribed right away :).
I’m always looking for word-of-mouth recommendations, by someone who “knows”. Thanks!
Welcome, Pensieve. Thanks for your comment and be sure to let your other wine neophyte friends know!
Don’t forget about the entry level wines of California’s Chateau St Jean. In particular, their Cabernet Sauvignon and Fume Blanc cuvees are remarkably well structured and balanced for wines in the $10-$15 price range.
Winosaurus is right–Chateau St. Jean is a good producer to rely on. Not sure why that one didn’t occur to me.
Thanks for what you are doing, Bill. I am on lesson 19 or so and am brand new to wine. I figured from my love of food, beer, and cooking I need to get it together on wine. Anyway, I recently tried three Reislings from different regions and (before your episode) stumbled upon Hogue’s Reisling (for $7 I might add). I thought it was excellent, and you seemed to agree, so it is good to know I seem to be on the right track!
Nazan, thanks for your comment!
One thing I should say here (and post about later) is that you should always, always, always trust your own palate. Just because someone else (like me) says a winery produces good stuff doesn’t mean you will like their wines. You very well may, but tastes and preferences differ from person to person, so follow your own palate.
Thanks again for stopping by–don’t be a stranger, and be sure to tell all your friends et al. about the site and podcast.