Cheap Grapes: Marques de Valcarlos Crianza 2005

I'm always on the lookout for nice, inexpensive wines from Spain; a country that is terribly underrepresented in LCBO stores here in Ontario. This Navarra from 2005 hit shelves two months ago, and we're nearly onto our second case of it in the SOTI household. This one has something for everyone. It's medium bodied, but dark fruit flavours - mostly in the vein of cherries and blackberries than strawberries. There is also a subtle 'smoked' effect that lingers nicely. The thing I like about Spanish wines is that they often hit shelves with a couple of more years of mileage than French or Italian wines. That makes most of them ready for immediate consumption, but I think this one could handle another 2 or 3 years in the cellar. It sells for $13.95 here, so my guess is that it could be found for $10 in the US and maybe 7 or 8 quid in the UK. Highly recommended.

Cheap Grapes: Gerard Bertrand Montpeyroux 2007

This is not a bargain basement wine (it is just under $18 here in Ontario), but I think it tastes like a $30 wine. 2007 seems to be shaping up as a stellar year for French wine, and while while the wealthy can brag about their $500 bottles flown in from Bordeaux, the rest of us can benefit from the trickle down effect. Montpeyroux is a commune within the Coteaux-Languedoc appellation, in southwest France. My wife and I spent some time in Corbieres and Minervois a few years ago and were simply blown away by the quality of the wine, much of which never makes it across the Atlantic. I am happy to report that the same can be said for Montpeyroux. This one is a blench of Mourvèdre, Syrah, Carignan and Grenache, and while it is medium bodied, there is a real depth to it. I got some hints of cherry and blackberry; a nice bittersweet taste that it cemented by a real earthiness in its bones. It is complex enough to be interesting on its own, but I really think it has a high enough 'fruit juice factor' to please a diverse crowd.

Cheap Grapes: Grandes Serres Les Portes du Castelas Cotes du Rhone Blanc 2007

Yes, that name is a mouthful, but so is the wine. This is definitely the white wine of the year in my household. You certainly don't see whites from Cotes du Rhone every day, and certainly not such a great wine at such an affordable price ($14.95 CDN here in Ontario). This a a blend of five grapes, including including Roussanne and Mausanne, two local grapes. This leads to a variety of flavours, including two layers of fruitiness, beginning with a sweet nectarine and moving into a slightly citrusy pink grapefruit. There's also just a hint of that mineral taste that I admire in good whites . We bought a half dozen bottles of this one and have been enjoying it with all types of food, and even on its own. It has been selling briskly here, and I urge everyone to get their hands on some before its bone. Put some aside for next summer, as you won't likely find a comparable white at this price.

Cheap Grapes: Loios Red 2007

OK, I'm not even going to know the first thing about Portuguese wine. Most of my experience comes from downing ice cold $1 bottle of Vinho Verde (complete with bottle cap) in Lagos in the early 90s. This is a blend of 3 grapes with which I'm unfamiliar, but it's made me take a step back and rethink my perspective on wine from the western end of the Iberian peninsula. It's a nice dense red, perhaps a bit fruity for my tastes, but at least it's more in the realm of dates and plums, so it steers clear of jammy territory. There's a nice smokey earthiness to it that makes it seem like a more expensive wine. It sells for $9.95 here in Ontario - so I'll bet it can be had for $6 or $7 in the U.S. and maybe £5 in England. It may not be one to give to your future in-laws on a first meeting, but it would be great for a barbecue or as a 'second bottle' of the night.

Cheap Grapes: Terrasses de la Mouline Saint Chinian 2007

We're heading back to the Languedoc, folks. No matter how hard I try to look elsewhere, my favourite value wines still come from the Sud-Ouest. Saint Chinian is a smallish Appellation, just north of Minervois and to the west of Coteaux de Languedoc. It's a nice blend, grounded by equal parts Carignan and Grenache. It's got a very spicy nose, and very delicate mixture of dark cherry, blackberry and even chocolate. It's an unbelievably complex wine for the price ($13.95 here in Ontario) with very impressive length. I don't think that 2007 is regarded as a terribly great vintage, but this wine is really quite pleasing and I imagine it will cellar until 2013 or so. It would be a great crowd pleaser for a party - a good hybrid of Old and New World. If my wallet and liver would permit it, I'd drink this one every night.

Cheap Grapes: Argento Malbec 2006

This will be stale news to any of you who long ago discovered the bargains that come in the form of an Argentinian Malbec. I’m highlighting Argento Malbec 2006 here, as it is widely available and priced to impressed (just under $10 here in Ontario). While it’s not a terribly complex wine, there’s enough chutzpah to make it interesting. Fairly dry and medium bodied, I get a nice mixture of dark cherry and plums with just a hint of something peppery. Unlike many New World wines, there no oak overkill here. While it’s not a bottle to impress a date or client, it should be a crowd pleaser and a good way to save some money next time you thrown a party.

Cheap Grapes: Castello di Gabbiano Chianti 2006

Any wine lover knows full well that the days of cheap Chianti are long gone. At some point in the last 10-20 years, the world began to fall in love with all things Tuscan, and that pushed the prices of this once bargain wine higher and higher. Fear not, as I've found a good choice for those looking for a Chianti fix on the cheap. Castello di Gabbiano Chianti 2006 is a widely available, basic and yet very enjoyable wine that retails here in Ontario for $13.95, so I'd imagine that it is in the $10 range throughout much of the U.S. It's comprised mostly (90%, I think) of Sangiovese and therefore has that nice mixture of earthiness and fruitiness that you come to expect from that grape. I'm not big on too much fruit, so I really appreciate the dark cherry, blackberry and maybe even plum flavours that are found here. It's also got a nice little peppery kick and finishes fairly dry. All in all, I think it would be a crowd pleaser. It's quite drinkable now, but would benefit from a couple more years in your cellar.

Cheap Grapes: Apollonio Copertino 2001

If you're like me, you find the landscape of Italian wine to be extremely confusing. To make matters worse, much of the good stuff (Barolo, Super Tuscans) is extremely pricey. Don't fret, because I've found a great red that has plenty of depth for a fraction of the price. Copertino is an interesting blend from Italy's Puglia region (the boot heel), made of primarily (70%) of a grape called Negroamaro. For those of you who love dark, earthy grapes - you'll love these devils. It is really ballsy, with a bit of coffee and cherry coming through. It's not super cheap ($17.95 in Ontario), but I'll bet it can be found for $12 in the US, and it's well worth the effort tracking it down. You're friends and family will be very impressed with your new 'discovery'.

Cheap Grapes: Château de Treviac Corbières 2005

Yes, another wine from the southwest of France. You are going to have to get used to that, as I have a huge bias for wines from that region. For my money, many of the most interesting and complex budget wines come from that neck of the woods, especially with the ever increasing price of wines from Australia and Chile. Many of you may be turned off by the price of French wine or even the confusing appellation system - but trust me, if you seen words like Minervois, Corbières or Rousillon on a bottle - give it a shot. This one should please fans of New World wines, as it's mostly Syrah with some Grenache thrown in to help provide a nice balance. It's fruity, but not overwhelmingly so - just a bit of a tangy zip. I often feel like Corbières wines are the black sheep cousin of Bordeaux. What attracts me to it is a real earthy boldness, but this one isn't too rough around the edges and should go nicely with just about anything off the grill. 2005 was a stellar year in most of France, so buy a case and enjoy it over the next few years, as it's a steal at $14.95 in Ontario.

Cheap Grapes: Mother Cluckers 2005 Chardonnay

If you live in Ontario, you'd better get moving as this product has been discontinued and the price has been slashed from $15.20 to $7.95 (so, we are really talking 'cheap' here). I was given the heads-up by a colleague and picked up a case at the Queen's Quay LCBO. Yes, I was more than a little skeptical (especially because I can't stand 'cute' labels) but I figured that I didn't have much to lose. At the very least I'd bring it along to various BBQs and parties throughout the summer, and at $95 a case, I'm not too picky. It turns out that it is very, very pleasant wine. One of my favourite New World whites is Oyster Bay Sauvignon Blanc and, although this is a Chard, there are certain similarities. This is unoaked (yay!) so you don't feel like you're about to enjoy a bottle of vanilla perfume. It also has some of those mineral/metallic qualities that I enjoy with the Oyster Bay SB. That is something I always look for in whites, as it speaks to greater complexity and you'll never find it in anything under $10. I'm not sure of the whole story of how it's been discontinued, or if it's available at a discount in other provinces and states. In Ontario, it is LCBO product #620088, and by my quick count of the availability on the LCBO website they are fewer than 300 bottles left in Ontario (179 at the Queen's Quay store). Run like a chicken with it's head cut off!

Cheap Grapes: Château Planères Cuvée Prestige 2005

You may have never had wine from the Roussillon appellation before, but don't let that scare you. It's not exactly Bordeaux or Burgundy, but I've enjoyed most of the wines that I've sampled from this sunny little region in southwestern France. 2005 was a stellar year throughout France, so even the wines from the 2nd and 3rd tier appellations are likely to be at their best. Carignan is the real go-to grape in the region, but this wine is a nice blend of Mourvédre, Syrah, Black Grenache and Carignan. The result is a good mixture of dark berries and earthiness with enough acidity to keep it out of 'jam' territory; making it a good match for most foods. It could hold its own against spicy food, but is gentle enough to go with seafood. My wife and I matched it with grilled rainbow trout, and loved it. It hit LCBO shelves a couple of weeks ago at $14.95 - a great deal IMHO as it kicks the ass of all of the New World competition at that price point. It's not one to let gather dust in the cellar, but my guess is that it will be great to drink from now until 2012. This is a good one - hunt it down.

Cheap Grapes: Chivite Gran Feudo Reserva

This is the ultimate crowd pleaser, and yet I don't think I've ever seen it served at a dinner party. If this wine had a profession, it would be a diplomat. I can't see it offending anyone. Temparanillo makes up most of the bottle, with a bit of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot thrown in for good measure. This nice blend gives it enough earthiness to please the most pretentious Bordeaux snob, and yet it's balanced by just enough fruit for those looking for a New World glugger. It sells for $15.95 at the LCBO and seems to readily available year round. It has become the 'go to' wine in my house as it has never disappointed (we're through the 2003s and into the 2005s now), and I try to make sure that we've always got a couple of bottles on hand.