Category:Wine reviews

2024 Turner Cheap Wine of the Year: Stemmari Grillo 2022

Stemmari grillo bottle
Stemmari Grillo 2022

Sicily’s Stemmari Grillo 2022 is the blog’s seventh annual Turner Cheap Wine of the Year

Usually, one of the wines on the shortlist for the blog’s Turner Cheap Wine of the Year award is just enough better than the others so that I don’t have much trouble choosing the winner.

Not so this year. All six of the wines were award worthy, and each would have been a fine choice. So how did I settle on the Stemmari Grillo ($8, purchased, 13%)?

Call it a shout out to the late Mack Turner, who the award is named after. He and I  spent more than a few Sunday afternoons drinking this wine, and we were rarely disappointed. And, without fail, he wold always ask,”Where did you get it?” and then we would wax poetic about Jimmy’s, the Dallas Italian grocer that sells this.

What to know about the wine? Nutty. Spicy. Green apple and stone fruit. Fresh. Clean. Drink chilled, on its own or with almost anything except big red meat.

The award’s shortlist is here. Selection criteria are here; I considered wines that cost as much as $15 to take into account price creep and regional pricing differences.

More Turner Cheap Wine of the Year:
2023 Turner Cheap Wine of the Year: Matchbook Cabernet Sauvignon 2020
2022 Turner Cheap Wine of the Year: Scaia Rosato 2020
2021 Turner Cheap Wine of the Year: MAN Chenin Blanc 2019

Wine of the week: Chateau Bonnet Blanc 2022

Wine of the week: Chaeau Bonnet Blanc 2022
Chateau Bonnet Blanc 2022/$8-$20

This French white blend remains one of wine’s great values

The blog’s final wine of the week is a French white blend, Chateau Bonnet Blanc — one of the great cheap wines of all time. It has been a wine of the week five times and has been a regular in the Hall of Fame since the first hall appeared on the blog in 2008.

Of course, wine being wine, I haven’t reviewed the Bonnet Blanc for three years. For one thing. I haven’t seen it much on store shelves since the 2018 vintage. For another, when I have seen it, the price has been as high as $20, which is ridiculous. It’s a great cheap wine, not a mediocre supermarket wine.

So be glad I found the Chateau Bonnet Blanc 2022 ($12, purchased, 13%) in time for this post. This vintage is mostly what it has always been, a traditional white Bordeaux blend of sauvignon blanc and semillon. The semillon is still noticeable, and it adds some richness and a little spice.

But there’s also a touch more lemon fruit and less minerality than in previous years, so the wine tastes a bit less French in style and more like New Zealand. Still, that could be a vintage difference and not a deliberate attempt to focus group the wine.

Regardless, I bought six bottles of it (with a new label, even) before tasting it, and I haven’t been disappointed. You can’t offer higher praise than that, can you?

Imported by Monsieur Touton Selection

Wine of the week: Stemmari Grillo 2022

Stemmari grillo bottle
Stemmari Grillo 2022/$8-$15

This Italian white is a great cheap wine from a great cheap wine producer

Those of you paying attention will remember this Italian white made the shortlist for the 2024 Turner award for cheap wine of the year, which will be announced next week.

Which is why I’m using it as this wine of the week. It’s that good.

Sicilian wines have long been a staple of the blog, even after premiumization took terrific $8 and $10 wines and boosted their prices to $12 and $15 without increasing quality (and, yes, I’m looking at you).

But Stemmari, along with a couple of other producers, continued to fight the good fight. The Grillo ($8, purchased, 13%) shows its commitment to the quality wines that most of us can afford to drink. Even Wine-searcher, despite its focus on the most expensive wines in the world, says nice things about grillo like this: “It has become a viable contender for the quintessential Italian table white: light, easy-drinking and often associated with very good value.”

In this, the Stemmari is classic: Nutty. Spicy. Green apple and stone fruit. Fresh. Clean. Which is why, when I go to Jimmy’s in Dallas (which has a Stemmari display), I buy a couple or three bottles. You should, too, when you get a chance.

Imported by Prestige Wine Imports

New Year’s sparkling wine 2023

Two glasses of sparkling wine on a counter
A sparkling wine beauty shot!

New Year’s sparkling wine 2023 recommendations

I’m not sure if it’s premiumization or Dallas retailers or some sort of bleh surrounding sparkling wine this holiday season, but I had a damned hard time finding quality bubbly at the blog’s prices for this post (or even quality bubbly that cost a few — or a lot — more dollars). And I went through a bunch of wine, since too many were almost as poorly made as this one.

But the WC is persistent. So my suggestions for New Year’s sparkling wine 2023. As always, keep in mind the blog’s annual wine gift guidelines and our sparkling wine primer.

Cave de Lugny Crémant de Bourgogne Brut Rosé NV ($20, purchased, 11.5%): This French sparkler, which may be a Whole Foods private label, costs more than I like to spend, but it’s worth it. Well made, taut, and surprisingly fruity for a cremant (strawberries?). It takes a while to  open up. Imported by Deutsch Family Wine & Spirits

Lunetta Prosecco NV ($11, purchased, 11%): This is much better than a supermarket style Prosecco has any right to be, and I’m still surprised I enjoyed it. Soft and sweetish, with candied lemon fruit, but it does the trick with sort of spicy food. Imported by Palm Bay International

Jeio Bisol Prosecco Brut NV ($15, purchased, 11%): This Italian wine has about three names, but whatever it’s called, it’s a steal at this price. Firmish bubbles, not sweet at all, more apples than lemon, and a long finish. Highly recommended. Imported by Wilson Daniels

Veuve du Vernay Blanc de Blancs Brut NV ($10, purchased, 11%): I used this French wine on the blog last year at Thanksgiving, but figured it was a one off. Not so — 13 months later, it remains a tremendous value. The bubbles aren’t flabby and the wine isn’t sweet, with some apple  fruit and a zesty finish. Not complicated, but quite enjoyable. Imported by Patriarche USA

More about New Year’s sparkling wine
New Year’s sparkling wine 2022
New Year’s sparkling wine 2021
New Year’s sparkling wine 2020
Three things to ponder while sipping sparkling in the summer
Wine scores rant: Top-notch cava gets 86 points, about the same as a crummy supermarket wine

Photo:”My only regret in life is that I did not drink more Champagne. – John Maynard Keynes #cheers #misfitgram” by ajleon is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

Wine of the week: Mionetto Prosecco NV

Mionetto Prosecco bottle
Mionetto Prosecco NV/$8-$15

This Italian sparkler shows why Prosecco has become so popular in the U.S.

One of the most fascinating things that has happened in wine over the blog’s history has been the rehabilitation of Prosecco, the Italian sparkling wine. Some 20 years ago, it wasn’t that important in the U.S. — or especially well made, either.

Then, one rather large producer in northern California changed all that. It brought La Marca to the U.S., and — as if by magic — the quality of most Proseccos improved and they started offering value around $10. In fact, by most measures, Prosecco is the best selling style of sparkling wine in the country.

The Mionetto ($8, purchased, 11%) illustrates this change perfectly. Is it taut and sharp? Nope. Is it layered and complicated? Nope. Those are Champagne qualities, and Prosecco never aspired to that. Rather, it wanted to be an everyday sparkler, which means soft, sweetish, and easy to drink — Sunday brunch and Mimosas, anyone?

The Mionetto is softer than I prefer, but it has decent enough bubbles for a Prosecco, since the bubbles aren’t supposed to be too bubbly. But it’s not too sweet, there’s some decent lemony fruit, and even a touch of yeast. In all, there is much more going on than one would expect, and especially for the price.

Drink this for a holiday dinner, to toast the New Year. or just because you want something different to drink with Asian takeout.

Imported by FXM USA

Mini-reviews 174: The final edition

cashier at wine store
“What are we going to do without any more snarky mini-reviews to read?”

Reviews of wines that don’t need their own post, but are worth noting for one reason or another. It always ran on the fourth Friday of each month — which makes this the last one.

Domaine Lafage Tessellae Old Vines 2018 ($10, purchased, 14.5%): Even after all these years, wine can still surprise me. This French red — surprisingly available — is just not drinkable, but enjoyable and interesting. Balanced, spicy, not quite jammy, red fruit, and even some herbs, with tannins pushed to the back. And not hot. Imported by European Cellars

Château Nicot Blanc 2022 ($12, purchased, 13.%): There’s nothing really wrong with this; it’s a decent example of a cheap white Bordeaux (sauvignon blanc and muscadelle, and the latter adds a little spice). But is it worth buying again? Imported by Frederick Wildman & Sons

Louis Jadot Mâcon-Villages 2022 ($11, purchased, 12.5%) Wine is in big trouble when a producer likes Jadot makes a boring, almost plonky French chardonnay that isn’t worth $11. Imported by Kobrand

Collequieto Montepulciano d’Abruzzo 2021 ($10, purchased, 13.5%): Fairly typical Italian red from the Montepluciano d’Abruzzo region, which means sour cherry but with a little more in the way of tannins. Not as well done as other red d’Abruzzos, but still ready for spaghetti and meatballs. Imported by F&B Wine Imports

Photo: “cashier at wine store” by Consumerist Dot Com is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

Christmas wine 2023

christmas wine 2020
Yes, this is the last time you’ll have to see this picture in the Christmas wine post.

Four recommendations for Christmas wine 2023

For the final time, the blog’s Christmas wine suggestions, whether for a last minute gift, something to drink when you just want a glass over the next couple of weeks, or for a holiday dinner. Keep our wine gift giving tips in mind — and don’t overlook the blog’s 2023 holiday gift guide.

These wines will get you started:

Riondo Prosecco NV ($10, purchased, 11%): Italian bubbly is simple but surprisingly enjoyable — much better than I thought it would be. Lots and lots of bubbles, some vaguely tropical fruit, and not especially sweet. Imported by Terlato Wines International

Falesco Est! Est!! Est!!! 2021 ($12, purchased, 12.5%): This Italian white is a long-time blog favorite, and especially when it cost $8. It tasted has it always has — tart lemon fruit, one-note, and simple, but always fun. Imported by Heritage Collection 

Perrin & Fils Côtes du Rhône Reserve 2020 ($12, purchased, 14%): This French red is a fairly typical inexpensive Cotes du Rhone (lots of syrah and heavier in the mouth), but mostly balanced with a bit of spice and the requisite amount of black fruit. Imported by Vineyard Brands

Stemmari Rosato 2021 ($8, purchased, 12%): Italian pink from Sicily made with with the nero d’avola grape. Much going on here for $8; a bit savory, with a bit of berry fruit, and almost stony. Highly recommended. Imported by Prestige Wine Imports

More about Christmas wine:
Christmas wine 2022
Christmas wine 2021
Christmas wine 2020
Wine of the week: The Curator Red 2021
Expensive wine 169: Smith-Madrone Cabernet Sauvignon 2019

Photo: “guardian of wine” by marcostetter is marked with CC PDM 1.0