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2006 Deep Time from Hundred Acre. Drinking well.
Press like if you’re a fan of obscure varietals
If you want to find some new wines one of our clients is a new online wine marketplace (Scoperta = discovery in Italian) and you can get flat shipping with first purchase in the flight club . Fun service if you want to try it . (We also produced a hilarious opera video on YouTube if you want a laugh) https://www.scopertawine.com/
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Champagne will be difficult to hit something nice at the $30 price point (especially given inflation). Stretch just a little and Schramsberg Blanc de Blanc is a fantastic entry point into the premium sparkling white world. Most people don’t actually enjoy champagne and drink it primarily for the celebration aspect (wedding toasts, New Year’s Eve, etc). Food pairing tends to work well with stone fruit salads or light dishes that have a citrus component.
As for a red, really depends on what you are expecting it will be paired with. Lots of great small-production Pinot Noirs from the central coast in that price range - but they vary widely in style and flavor profile so it takes some homework. Big Napa cabs are probably out of your reach (at least the ones that are old enough to take away the astringency of the tannins - I avoid young cabs), but again, if you can stretch the price a little, Prisoner is a crowd pleaser for a steak + wine dinner. If you can’t stretch price, I find Bogle Old Vine Zinfandel is a phenomenal value and hits most of what people want in big reds. GSM blends from Paso Robles are also good go-to crowd pleasers in this space, but will be a little tough to find under the $30 mark, but doable. If you are going by varietal alone, it’s hard to go wrong with a Syrah if you are planning for hearty spicy or grilled foods.
Thank you!
The California wine recs on this thread are going to be tough to find in the UK.
For 30 bucks, get a quality Loire valley crémant, look for Montlouis appelation.
I’m reading your budget is $30ish… Turley Juvenile Zin, ABC Pinot Noir, Ken Wright Pinot Noir (the low end blend, not the single vineyard), Trimbach Pinot Gris, Graham Beck Brut Rose.
Such a fun tasting room too! Wish it was in a slightly better location.
I assumed US-based given pricing was quoted in $.
Being in London, you can likely get French and Italian wines for much cheaper than we can in the US. Good champagne might be reachable at the price point. For big reds to go with red meats, I’m a huge fan of Châteauneuf-du-Pape and haven’t found one I didn’t like.
I like any of the Kendall Jackson wines and they are relatively inexpensive while good quality. I usually drink the Chardonnay and it’s $12.99 a bottle. They have higher tiers too if you’re looking for a step up above $12
They do have several red varieties as well! Best of luck
Bedrock Zinfandel is great choice at this price point, and Zin is generally well liked. A nice southern rhone blend could also be nice, a côtes de rhone villages or cru wine would also fall in the price range, lots of great options out there. I have enjoyed Gigondas and Vacqueyras.
For sparkling - Crémant might be nice for the price point! Alsace and Bourgogne Crémant will be as champagne-adjacent in style as you’re likely to find.
Where are you based?
Given she is an ‘enthusiast’, suggest the NZ Pinot or the Alsace Cremant. However the GSM would pair well with Steak/Lamb etc
Costco actually carries a slew of excellent choices and oftentimes there is someone around to assist but even if not they all have little plates in front of each group telling u about the wine and quality etc and the price is always outstanding!
Some of my current favorites around the $30 price point are Crossfork Creek Merlot, Stags’ Leap Merlot, Juggernaut Hillside Cabernet Sauvignon, Chateau Blaignan Medoc 2016. Hope this helps and enjoy the dinner party!