Great Wine Under $14

Brad and I visited Roger, ChrisAnn, and Drew at Wine Lab last night to pick up a few bottles for his party. I always tell my friends there is a ton of great wine to drink between $8 and $14 (I'll do another post with some more bottles in this range). When I think about paying that much for a cocktail or one mediocre glass at a bar, I'm especially inspired to bring a few bottles to a gathering and open everything just to show how well anyone can drink! Last night we enjoyed bubbles from France and Spain and a refreshing white from California:

Varichon & Clerc Privilege, Blanc De Blancs, Brut, Methode Champenoise, France, $14

Awesome value. Drinks nicely and has the apple and (approachable) toasty notes you'd expect. Complex and flavorful for the price.

Cristalino Cava, Brut, Traditional Method (secondary fermentation in bottle), Spain, $11

This is such a clean, citrus focused sparkler. Taste this side by side with the Varichon & Clerc. V&C's toasty and leesey notes will be much more pronounced while the Cristalino's perky acidity, bubbles, and sour apple will define this cava. 

Valdez, Sauvignon Blanc, Sonoma County, California, 2006, $13

Surprisingly sublte, integrated oak for the price. Normally I stick to Marlborough and the Loire Valley for this varietal, but this is a tangy, tropical version from Sonoma that will be a crowd pleaser.

At Home In The Vines

Born and raised in Rocky Hill, Connecticut, I didn't discover the wine history of my home state until I started studying wine two years ago. When I was back east last fall, my sister and I drove up to Hopkins Vineyard, set on the northern shore or Lake Waramaug, to see just what Litchfield had to offer. Our favorite was Hopkins' sparkling wine made in the methode champenoise. Great acidity, pinpoint bubbles, and mouthwatering granny smith apple and pear notes. Cheers!