Reds | Bottle | $11 | Boarman’s Market (Highland, MD) | So here’s the thing: Yes, Napa Valley cabs are more expensive, but, yes,they also taste better. So here’s the other thing: This Central Coast cab is remarkably good, especially when you consider from wherest it came (and what it cost).
And I agreed with the tasting notes on the label, although finding them on the obverse struck me as quirky. What’s up with that?
Better than any $11 Napa cab that I can recall.
Bubbles | Bottle | $14 | Pine Orchard | My business partner, Lynne D’Autrechy, and I recently had an impromptu proposal win celebration. We raided her wine cellar and picked a Caposaldo. It was quite good. Not too sweet or dry. Just right for a winning bid and/or a summer afternoon.
Whites-Bottle | $14 | Perfect Pour | Who knew California has a Shenandoah Valley? Although the most expensive wines by volume tend to be dessert wines, there are some good values among them.
My wife and I served this one with strawberry shortcake last night and it seemed to pair well.
Too often dessert wines can be sickeningly sweet. This wine, derived from the Black Muscat grape is different. We found it to be slightly sweet and fruity but not over the top.
Whites-Bottle | $40 | Total Wine | If chard is your thing, this is your wine. Smoother than silk. Great complexity. The only problem was the bottle was too small!. Although $40 is a lot of money for a white, rest assured that it is a legitimate 90 points. This is the good stuff.
Reds-Bottle | $14 | Village Liquors of Clarksville (on Route 108) | I generally don’t like Malbecs, so consider this high praise. It passed the two-bottle test—my original enthusiasm was sustained over an interval. Full-bodied and rich. Nice finish. Very young, though—open early and swirl, swirl, swirl.
Whites-Case | $10 | Mail Order Only ? | Riesling is an amazing grape. It has at least as much character as any other white. The problem for many folks is it’s too sweet. Problem solved! This is a dryer Riesling that offers a lot of value for the price ($9.99 per bottle). A crowd pleaser for sure!
Reds-Bottle | $18 | Total Wine | This recommendation is all about value. I must preface my opinion by disclosing that I suffer from cellar mouth. Seldom does any wine please my palette as much as a Napa Valley cab would. Based on prices, I assume others concur — a premium is levied on Napa’s wines, particularly its cabs. Even bad Napa cabs are usually pretty good. Good ones are typically $20 per bottle and great ones are $60 and up. For me, Daglia is better than good and less than great. At $18, it’s a better value than most in its class.
Reds-Bottle | $20 | Total Wine | I carry good news for those like me who have given up on Merlots because they are too thin and simplistic. This one is different! Rich, bold, robust, full-spectrum flavor. You’ll notice a difference in color as soon as it’s poured. Nose and flavor match. It’s cab-like but different.