Texan Magazine
By Jim Peterson
Wine Enthusiast & Instagram Wine Influencer
I am often asked a question along the lines of, “Can you recommend a good (insert grape name) to try?” My first question back is almost always, “What is your price range?” The price range matters the most to me because I continually strive to recommend wines that meet or exceed the value of their cost. Sometimes, especially with local friends, I will find out where they are planning to shop because that also helps me narrow the selections. I even have friends text me pictures of store shelves so I can more easily tell them exactly which wines to buy.
I am grateful for their trust, but it also gives me some peace of mind knowing they and their guests are most likely going to enjoy the wines. With that in mind, I thought it would be fun to go through a lightning round of popular grapes and provide a few recommendations in varying price points for each. The only caveat I offer is I am only highlighting producers typically found in local stores. I tried to avoid those requiring special orders.
Are you ready for these rapid-fire selections? Let’s go!
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
I’m starting with probably the hardest grape for me. That’s because Cabernet Sauvignon is not typically a go-to wine for my tastes. I do enjoy old-school Napa Valley Cabernet though, and at the high end of those my first choice would be the wines from Dunn Vineyards. Their pricing starts a little above $100. The Dunn wines are exceptional. Around the $50 mark, try the Clos du Val Napa Valley Cabernet. They are a third-generation family-owned winery with high quality. Finding good Cabernet under $30 is tough, so your best bet might be to head to South America where famed winemaker Paul Hobbs makes the Viña Cobos Felino Cabernet from Mendoza, Argentina. It doesn’t break the bank, and it’s well made and tasty.
PINOT NOIR
The obvious move for a high-end Pinot Noir is Burgundy, where the most expensive Pinot Noir in the world can be found. Let’s be more reasonable and stick with American Pinot Noir. For California, trusted producers include Merry Edwards, Paul Hobbs, and Flowers. For Oregon, look for Beaux Frères and Domaine Drouhin Oregon. These producers have wines with varying price points, from general sub-region blends to high priced single vineyard wines. On the value side it’s hard to go wrong with a basic French Bourgogne from Louis Jadot (or any of the basic Jadot wines to be honest).
CHARDONNAY
My fondness for Chardonnay began with wines from Chablis, so let’s head to France. The best Chablis are the Grand Cru, but there are many options on the value spectrum. My two go-to Chablis producers are William Fèvre and Marc Brocard. I also love white Burgundy, and a few favorites I often buy, cellar, and open are Pierre Yves Colin Morey, Domaine Joseph Drouhin, and Domaine Matrot (for Meursault). On the value side of white Burgundy try some wines from the Mâcon region and see what you think.
RIESLING
If you have read any of my prior articles on Riesling, you know I am all about German Riesling. Having lived in the Mosel region, and visited the Rheingau region last year, let’s start there. For Mosel wines, there is no better example than the wines of Joh. Jos. Prüm. Other producers with a more varied price range include Selbach-Oster and Dr. Loosen. For Rheingau Rieslings in whatever style you like, look for Leitz. There is something for everyone in the vast portfolio of Leitz wines. They have sweet wines, dry wines, value wines, expensive wines, and they even have non-alcohol wines. Another well-known Rheingau producer is Schloss-Vollrads. When choosing German Rieslings, remember that “trocken” means dry. The most common classified wines, from dry to sweet, are Kabinett, Spätlese, then Auslese.
TEMPRANILLO
Now here is a grape I have yet to write about! Tempranillo is the foundational red grape for Spanish red wines. As this is a lightning round, I will stick with the two most well-known regions in Spain – Rioja and Ribera del Duero. In Rioja, most producers will have a varied range of wines on the value scale. For top end and mid-range Rioja wines you won’t go wrong with La Rioja Alta, Marquis de Murrieta, Cune, or Muga. La Rioja Alta also makes the amazing value Viña Alberdi Reserva Rioja. In Ribera del Duero, the unquestioned king is Vega Sicilia, where the Unico Reserva Especial can sell for $400-$600. They also have a lower priced wine called Valbuena. For the more casual consumer some of my favorite producers are Pesquera, Condado de Haza, Emilio Moro, Protos, and Alion (a Vega Sicilia brand). Quick tip: The order of quality (and usually pricing) for Spanish wines goes Crianza, Reserva, then Gran Reserva.
SYRAH/SHIRAZ
In case you did not know, Syrah and Shiraz are the same grape by different names. The usage typically depends on where the wine is made. Shiraz usually means Australia, so let’s start there. The most prized collectible Australian Shiraz must be Penfold’s Grange, usually $700 or more. Penfold’s has a range of wines from high end Shiraz to some nice value wines. Other solid Shiraz producers you may find include d’Arenberg, Two Hands, and Mitolo. As for Syrah, some of the best is produced in France’s northern Rhône valley. Look for wines labelled Saint Joseph or Crozes-Hermitage and taste the elegance they offer. Remember the French often label their wines by region, not by grape.
SANGIOVESE
My very first article was all about the Sangiovese grape of Tuscany. There is nowhere in the world that does it better. At the higher end of Sangiovese, Brunello di Montalcino is where I start. My longtime favorite Brunello producers are Altesino, Argiano, Banfi, Casanova di Neri, Fanti, and Poggio Antico. Most Brunello producers also have the lower priced Rosso di Montalcino. Then of course there is Chianti. My favorites are from the Chianti Classico region. Trusted producers include Fontodi (my favorite), Isole e Olena, and Volpaia. Finally, there are some excellent Sangiovese wines from Montepulciano, and I would never turn down a Vino Nobile di Montepulciano made by Avignonesi.
NEBBIOLO
This Italian grape from the Piedmont region in northern Italy is most famously used in the wines of Barolo and Barbaresco. I favor Barolo and my favorite Barolo producer is Paolo Scavino. Other great producers are Pio Cesare, Aldo Conterno, Bruno Giacoso, Fontanafredda, and Massolino. When it comes to Barbaresco, anything by Gaja is sure to be great (and expensive). All wines by Produttori are usually fantastic, and producers like Pio Cesare and Bruno Giacoso also make Barbaresco. On the value end there are often “Langhe Nebbiolo” wines available. Fair warning: Nebbiolo wines must be decanted young. Top wines are notorious for taking 20 to 30 years to reach their full potential.
A NEW WINE SERVICE I’M OFFERING
In major life news for me, I have retired from my full-time job. To further share my passion for all things wine, I have started a new small business, The Texas Wine Pilot, leveraging my wine expertise. For those who live in the San Antonio and surrounding South Texas area, I am now offering customized in-home wine tastings.
There are multiple ways to take advantage of this – think how fun it would be to have a unique birthday party, anniversary celebration, or a work team-building event or holiday celebration. Also, if you just want to gather a group of friends, have fun, and enjoy a wine tasting experience, this is a unique way to do it. My goal is to showcase wines you’ll love, at a price point that fits your budget, with an opportunity to acquire your favorites in the tasting.
I am also offering a service to strategize how to build and maintain a wine collection tailored to your taste and style. If you are unsure how to start a collection, which wines are truly collectible, how long to hold certain wines, or how to organize and track your wines, I can help!
Please visit my new website, txwinepilot.com, to learn more about this unique opportunity to elevate your wine game. Cheers!
Biography:
Jim Peterson is a retired U.S. Air Force officer who mainly flew the A-10 fighter jet. He has ties to the wine business going back over 20 years and is an avid wine collector. His extensive wine knowledge includes travel to many wine regions, tasting many of the world’s top wines, and ongoing personal wine exploration. He has cultivated a large following on his Instagram account, @tx_wine_pilot. He now offers customized in-home wine tastings in the San Antonio and South Texas area. Visit txwinepilot.com or email me at jim@txwinepilot.com to learn more.
