Written by: Aaron Romano | Wine Spectator
Apr 4, 2022
Tasting Highlights’ wine reviews are fresh out of the tasting room, offering a sneak peek of our editors’ most recent scores and notes to WineSpectator.com members.
When you have a budget for spending on wine, the last thing you want to do is sacrifice flavor. Fear not, because this week’s list spans myriad California regions and wineries that deliver very good to outstanding options at $25 or less, allowing you to comfortably fill your wine rack without breaking the bank.
Atop the list is a trio of Chardonnays, each with a unique personality. Girard leans on Carneros grapes for its elegant and supple 2019 white with mango, peach and salted butter notes. Raymond’s Reserve Selection bottling blends grapes from throughout Napa Valley, anchored by a vineyard in south Napa. The 2020 vintage offers butterscotch and toast notes that complement peach, citrus and apple flavors. Finally, Wente uses grapes from Monterey’s Arroyo Seco subregion for its ripe and generous version with mango, peach and lemon curd flavors.
Lodi’s 110,000 vineyard acres make it a vital part of California’s wine industry; nearly 20 percent of wine made in the Golden State relies on the region’s bounty. Many vintners here have deep roots, including Klinker Brick‘s Steve and Lori Felten, fifth-generation grapegrowers that tend Zinfandel vines their ancestors planted in the early 1900s. The Feltens made a remarkable 50,000 cases of their user-friendly 2018 Zinfandel, which displays jammy raspberry flavors accented by dried herb and white pepper. Similarly, the Mettler family has grown grapes in Lodi since the late 1800s. Their old-vine Zin is appealing for its zesty, briary personality, as well as its black cherry, licorice and olive flavors.
Domaine Chandon and Mumm prove that you don’t have to overspend on great California bubbly either. Chandon’s festive Blanc de Pinot Noir offers bright cherry and raspberry flavors with spicy details, while Mumm’s rosé sparkler is vibrant and zesty with strawberry and red apple flavors.
MORGAN
Cotes du Crow’s Monterey 2019
Score: 89| $22
WS review: Fruit-forward and zesty, with floral raspberry and cherry flavors that draw in accents of spicy cinnamon and pepper. Grenache, Syrah, Tempranillo and Cinsault. Drink now through 2028. 5,528 cases made.—T.F.
Click here to read the original article
