August 28, 2023
With Labor Day arriving next week, the unofficial end of summer is upon us. That means it’s time for one last hurrah! To help you celebrate, we’ve rounded up a dozen reds and whites from around the globe. All have scored at least 90 points and, best of all, each clocks in at $30 or less, which means you can sip well without breaking your budget.
If you prefer your red wines with just a couple of years of age, look to the trio of 2019 offerings here. First, there’s Tapiz’s Malbec-based red, which blends the best selections from the winery’s estate vineyard in Argentina’s high-elevation San Pablo region. This bottling already has a slightly matured edge and reveals its Cabernet side with leather, tobacco and cassis notes alongside a Malbec core of plum and raspberry coulis. Then there’s Viñedos y Bodegas Áster’s Ribera del Duero, which displays smoke, mocha and vanilla notes, yet still has a zesty and spicy underpinning. Lastly, Chateau Ste. Michelle is Washington state’s largest producer and known for making a range of well-priced wines; that includes its sleek and precise Cold Creek Vineyard Cabernet, featured below.
For white wines, Carm’s Douro includes regional grapes like Rabigato, Côdega do Larinho and Viosinho. Wine lovers may associate Portugal’s Douro Valley with fortified Port. But the region’s dry wines have improved in quality over recent years, on display in Carm’s bright and aromatic white with notes of Key lime, papaya and chive blossom. Then there’s New Zealand, a country synonymous with Sauvignon Blanc. Here, we have versions from both North Island and South Island. McBride Sisters taps Marlborough vineyards (South Island) for a white with fresh green apple and passion fruit flavors. To the north, Te Awanaga uses grapes from Hawke’s Bay for a mouthwatering Sauvignon Blanc with yuzu and ruby grapefruit flavors.
Among values that really over-deliver, the Chianti Classico from Tenuta Borgo Scopeto may not be the lowest-priced bottle here, but it offers an excellent quality-to-price ratio. At just $24, this elegant Tuscan red delivers purity with raspberry, cherry and floral notes. Also exciting is the Chianti Colli Senesi from Castello di Farnetella, which offers a different take on Chianti while displaying rich plum, cherry, iron and leather notes on a smooth frame.
CAROL SHELTON
Zinfandel Mendocino County Wild Thing Old Vine 2020
Score: 90
WS review: Notes of raspberry jam combines with a zesty, briary structure in this Zin, which also serves up roasted sage and green peppercorn flavors. The tannins firm up the finish. Drink now through 2029. 8,007 cases made. From California.—T.F
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