“Yes, we can talk about making New Year’s wine resolutions. That’s why we’re here.”
The Wine Curmudgeon’s 11th — and final — annual Do-it-yourself New Year’s wine resolutions.
This was always one of my favorite features, which is why I kept doing it even though Substack didn’t allow the necessary coding. So, one final time — click on the drop-down menus and select your wine resolutions for the new year. As always, thanks to Al Yellon, since I stole the idea from him.
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.
This week’s wine news: Legendary wine writer Anthony Dias Blue dies, plus another attempt at AI wine tasting and back label writing advice
• Anthony Dias Blue dies: Blue, perhaps the most important writer of his time, died on Christmas Day. He was 82. Blue was the Wine & Spirits Editor of Bon Appétit, co-founded The Tasting Panel, was an award-winning radio host, and helped start the . How big was Blue? I was talking to a Big Wine marketer at an important wine event in Dallas, and the marketer stopped in the middle of our conversation and said, “Sorry. There’s Andy Blue. I need to go say hello.”
• AI tasting: Yet another group of researchers say they’ve figured out how to teach a computer to taste wine. This time, they used tasting notes from the Vivino app, combined with the results from a consumer tasting panel. Said one researcher: “The dimension of flavour that we created in the model provides us with information about which wines are similar in taste and which are not.” The catch, of course, is the idea of “similar wines” — one can argue that even chardonnays aren’t particularly similar in taste, let alone chardonnay and sauvignon blanc.
• Better back labels: Finally, just as the blog is ending, a marketer offers practical advice for writing a back label. First and foremost, don’t use jargon or terms most consumers don’t understand, like malolactic fermentation or salinity. “While no one is asking you to be Einstein, the message holds: don’t get lost in the details, pick words that make sense to as large an audience as possible, and keep it simple.” The saddest bit about this? That wineries need to be told these things.
The blog is off today for New Year’s, but will return tomorrow with our usual features. That includes the 2024 Turner Cheap Wine of the Year on Jan. 11, with the 2024 Hall of Fame following on Jan. 12. And don’t forget the 2024 version of the Do-it-yourself New Year’s wine resolutions on Thursday.
What better way to start off the New Year — and the last three weeks of the blog — than with the Ramones? Happy New Year from the Wine Curmudgeon. (Video courtesy of Rhino via YouTube)
“We need to look for the wines on the Turner shortlist, yes?”
One of these six wines will be named the Mack Turner 2024 Cheap Wine of the Year
The 2024 Turner Cheap Wine of the Year shortlist only has one red wine, but that’s probably not surprising. It has always been more difficult to make quality red wine for less than $15, and — given wine’s trends — it seems there is less reason to do so.
The award’s selection process and eligibility rules are here. I considered wines that cost as much as $15 to take into account price creep and regional pricing differences. The award is named for the late Mack Turner, to honor one of the WC’s dearest friends and a terrific cheap wine advocate. Mack (known on the blog as The Big Guy) died at the end of 2022, and he has been much missed.
Three South African wines are on the list, but it’s in no particular order; the winner will be announced Jan. 11:
• Stemmari Grillo 2022 ($8, purchased, 13%): My tasting note is simple: “Damn.” I haven’t had a grillo, the Sicilian white grape, that tasted this good in years.
• The Wolftrap White 2021 ($10, purchased, 13%): How can this Rhone-ish white blend from South Africa be so layered and fresh and yet cost only $10?
• La Vieille Ferme Blanc 2022 ($9, purchased, 13%): This French white blend from one of my favorite producers elicited this tasting note: “Oh, baby!”
• The Curator White 2021 ($12, purchased, 13): White South African blend (mostly chenin blanc and chardonnnay) that is both oily, fruity (stone fruit), and fresh.
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.
• 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
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.
by Wine Curmudgeon Posted On
