How to choose inexpensive but tasty wine. Tasty and healthy semi-sweet wine

The symmetrical answer is simple: a good wine is one that gives pleasure. Only he is shameless. We love it for its capacity, but it’s completely useless.

“No need to complicate things. Is this good or bad wine?

Why do you want to complicate things? Why is it that the longer you study wine, the more difficult it is to talk about it briefly?

Compare: “Doctor, I feel bad. Is it possible without any difficulties? Just give me a good pill."

There are no difficulties if the question is asked by a person you know well, whose preferences are known, and it is clear what he is looking for. Or it’s obvious that the tastes coincide - you can simply recommend your favorite.

Are there really no simple answers? Eat:

For those who want "good wine" without getting into the details: find wine lovers whose tastes match yours and drink what they do.

A professional should skillfully open the topic of “good wine” to a stranger - like an oyster. And this is a rare case when answering a question with a question is the most correct one. Because the correct recommendation will depend on the answer to the following question:

What do you want from wine?

And for each option there will be a different answer to the question “which wine is better?”

Good inexpensive

“So that everyone likes it” is the most comprehensive criterion for the question “which wine is better?” on the shelves in the supermarket.

If you need to choose an inexpensive wine for a party and try to please everyone, then you should choose neutral, easy-drinking wines that do not require special attention. The reference point is wines by the glass on the wine lists of good cafes (not restaurants), where there are wines in this category. This is your cheat sheet for friendly holidays. See what they write there and look for the same thing in stores.

Inexpensive good whites (dry):

Soave (Italy). This is not a variety, this is a production area. On the labels it’s exactly this – “Soave”.
Pino grigio (Italy). This is a variety. Look for it on the label – “Pinot grigio”
Chardonnay (also a variety) from Argentina, South Africa, New Zealand, Russia. Chardonnay aged in oak barrels will be softer, fatter and seem a little sweeter, while chardonnay aged in steel will be livelier and more acidic.
Information about the method of aging Chardonnay can almost always be found on the back label - on the back of the bottle. The main label will simply say "Chardonnay"
For example, Russian Lefkadia makes very good chardonnay in steel. True, the price tag is depressing.
“Green wine” (Vinho verde), Portugal. A very light white wine with refreshing acidity, slightly sparkling. Only 9-11° alc. Ideal summer option. It’s surprisingly rare on restaurant menus, but it won’t be difficult to find in specialized wine retail stores.

What to pay attention to: A plain dry white wine should not have a straw color unless it is aged in oak. Unfortunately, in this price segment, white wines (especially Russian) are often over-oxidized, and due to the opaque bottle, it is not possible to assess the condition of the wine by its color. If the bottle is transparent, it is better to choose something that is lighter, paler or greener. And younger.

Decent semi-sweet whites:

Hungary, the homeland of the Tokays, offers quite pleasant semi-dry and semi-sweet wines from the local Furmint and Harshlevelu varieties. When well chilled, these wines retain their original aromatics and are easy to drink.

Every now and then the semi-dry Spanish ones turn out to be quite good. But it's easy to miss here. Therefore, if you catch a lucky bottle, take the box.

Inexpensive good reds (dry):

Merlot (almost any country, including Russia). This is a variety. On foreign labels the inscription "Merlot". The wine from this variety is not tart, with a calm aroma.
Shiraz (also any... but Australian is better:) This is a variety. The label will indicate either "Shiraz" or "Syrah". The aroma is bright, the taste is rich.
Malbec (this variety) is from Argentina. Find the “Argentina” shelf in the store, and on it there are labels with the inscription Malbec. Quite mild in taste, but at the same time bright in aroma, a wine with a berry and slightly spicy bouquet.
If you want a very tart, powerful wine, then your choice is Chile, Cabernet Sauvignon variety. But be prepared for the fact that many will find it rude. The head also loads quite quickly if we are talking about inexpensive samples (up to 700 rubles).

Acceptable semisweet reds:

Why is “acceptable” disparaging? Because I'm a snob.
“Half measures” cease to be of interest to almost everyone who is moving in the knowledge of the wine world, and does not remain a devoted fan of what he drank in the 3rd year of college.

But I myself once loved semi-sweet ones when I was little. Therefore, you have no right to judge people who like it. Moreover, there are many more such people than me. And they are stronger.

Montenegrin Black (Montenegro)
Domaines Arnaud (France)
Robertson Winery (South Africa) is already sweet, not semi-

They are all no more than 600 rubles. in retail and among many others stand out for the better.

What to pay attention to here: to where it was made! The hit of the recent tasting was Chateau Grenadier on Klin bottling. The entire label is in French and in the French manner. And on the counter label is the solution to the mystery of the 350 ruble price tag.

“Comrade, remember!”: cheaper than 400 rubles/bottle. – this is a risk. Always.

The best folk sparkling drinks:

Prosecco Well, who doesn’t know it. Mass-produced Italian sparkling wine made from the local Glera variety. These are mostly dry wines, less often some semi-dry ones. There are no pink or red proseccos, sweet ones are very rare.
Russian alternatives to prosecco: dry sparkling wines Aristov (for some reason in English), - a very worthy budget line from Kuban Vino; Fanagoria Charmat brut PGI is a dry sparkling wine made from our own grapes grown in the Kuban. (approx. PGI - Protected Geographical Indication)
Asti (Asti) Sweet Italian super hit from the Muscat variety. No comments needed.
Lambrusco – aromatic sparkling wine from Italy of all degrees of sweetness. “Fun and tasty” (c) That’s also possible. Just be careful. Especially if it's not your first. In the evening it smiles sweetly, and in the morning it puts pressure on the mind and tries to push it out into the street.
Cava is a sparkling wine from Spain. Mostly dry. Still democratic, but with character. Be careful with it: if you are used to the taste of Prosecco, Cava may seem bitter (yes, in Spanish, Cava wine is masculine. Because wine).

Can you drink wine in boxes?

Can. But only dry and mostly not Russian (if we talk about the value of wine as an independent drink, and not a raw material for mulled wine).

One of the pleasant discoveries of recent times is the dry white “Viorica Muscat” from the Southern Wine Company (Ochakovo group), a very striking example of high-quality table wine from the variety of the same name (purchased at Magnit in the Krasnodar Territory for 360 rubles/2l).

Otherwise, Montenegrin and Italian dry wines in cartons are a good choice for mindless bottling at noisy parties. Of the whites, I would like to mention the Italian Trebbiano, since it is easier to miss with white. Trebbiano is a simple, light variety that is difficult to find fault with and just as difficult to spoil.

(The question “which wine is bad?” is partially covered below, in)

Good wine as a gift

A good wine as a gift is a textbook exemplary wine that is known to most connoisseurs. And “the best wine as a gift” is clearly to please the taste of the person to whom it is given.

You can give a visit to a wine tasting

For every winephile, the love of wine goes through different stages: periods of passion for powerful reds give way to romances with fragile whites, complicated stories with ports and sherries, and inevitable moments of revelation with naturally sweet ones. Try to find out what stage the recipient is in - and buy him a star in this segment.

What to choose when you need to decide quickly?

If you need to choose a wine as a gift, but access to information about preferences is very limited, then give dry red wine.

If you have the opportunity to find out your attitude to other categories, then you have a better chance of pleasing and being more original than the general mass of givers.

White dry

Riesling trocken (Riesling trocken) Germany - wines with austere aroma and bright acidity. Riesling is a grape variety. Troken means "dry".
Chablis Premier Cru (Chablis Premier Cru) France - a classic “mineral” Chardonnay.
Puligny-Montrachet (Puligny-Montrachet) France - a classic soft Chardonnay aged in oak.
Lafoa Italy - bright aroma of sauvignon with herbaceous notes.
Sancerre (France) - calm sauvignon with notes of “carved flint”.

Red dry

Saint Emilion Grand Cru Classe France - classic Bordeaux, “right bank”.
Margaux Cru Bourgeois (Margaux Cru Bourgeois) France - classic Bordeaux, “left bank”.
Chateauneuf-du-Pape (France) - spicy expression with animal aromas.
Barolo Cannubi Italy - a classic aged Italian wine, preferably at least 7 years old. Barolo is the name of the wine, or rather the appellation, i.e. this is Italian DOC. Kannubi is the name of the vineyard. Manufacturers may be different.
Chianti Rufina Italy - just good Chianti :)
Tannat (this variety) is from Uruguay. Jokes aside. If you find it. "Tannat" on the label. But not cheaper than 1200 rubles.
Separate line: new Russian brand "Phantom" (vineyard in the Rostov region). A very interesting option is “70\30”, in which 70% is the purely Russian variety Krasnostop and 30% is cabernet sauvignon. A bright, well-balanced, truly interesting wine. Among the risks is a high price in the absence of a proven ability to longevity. But the opposite has not yet been proven...

Sparkling

Champagne Champagne, France!
Franciacorta Italy.

Sweet whites

Sauternes, France.
Eiswein Austria - so-called. "ice wine"
Vin Santo (Italy).
Recioto di Soave (Italy).
Trockenbeerenauslese (Trockenbeerenauslese) Germany - if your birthday boy can read this right away, then you have hit the nail on the head: people who know this wine treat it with trepidation.

Sweet reds

Recioto della Valpolicella (Recioto) Italy.

Fortified dry

Sherry (Jeres, Sherry) is, of course, Spanish.
Madeira, of course, Portuguese - in my opinion, the best choice among fortified ones, from the point of view of a gift up to 5000 rubles.

Fortified sweet

Sweet sherry Pedro Ximenez is a legendary sherry from English novels.
Port wines (e.g. brands such as Quinta do Noval, Taylor's).
Marsala (Marsala) Italy (white).

There is no special system in this collection, these are examples offhand - a cheat sheet for a fire emergency. With accents so that you can be understood quickly in a wine boutique)

A competent cavist (boutique consultant) will offer a line from the category you need based on the purchase amount - without it, adequate advice is impossible.

Therefore, do not hesitate to voice your budget and ask consultants. Let me emphasize that it makes sense to ask consultants at wine boutiques, and not guards at department store wine departments.

Wine with food

Wine meets food with three facets: taste, aroma, alcohol.

At the same time, alcohol is what makes wine stand out as an ingredient. More on this below. Otherwise, you can compare wine with sauce and you will understand that everything is not so complicated. After all, there are only 4 basic tastes, and we have extensive experience in combining them.

A simple parallel: black tea + lemon + sugar = a combination of tart, sour and sweet. Some people don’t like lemon, others won’t add sugar: the point is that we are able to intuitively choose flavors that complement each other and guess what will be tasty and what will not.

For example: Sour + sweet – YES,
Bitter+sweet – YES.
Sour+bitter – NO ,
Bitter+bitter – Hardly*

* you can take combinations of sour wine and sour food, bitter wine and bitter food, but in these cases the wine should be less sour/bitter in taste than the appetizer. But in the case of sweet-sweet, it’s the other way around: sugary wines go well with ice cream (the classic is Pedro Ximenez sherry with vanilla ice cream). These are the tricks :)

Of course, it’s easier to choose food after experiencing the wine in person, rather than by description. But descriptions of wines, as a rule, contain the main accents of their taste.

Some common examples:

Wines that taste bitter: dry white wines from Gewürztraminer, Torrontes, Verdejo varieties; dry white wines from the south of Italy and Spain.
Wines with pronounced acidity: dry German Rieslings, champagne, young sauvignons.
Salty wines: dry sherries, some Greek white wines.
Sweet: sauternes, recioto, ice wine, port, sweet sherry.

There is no need to complicate things here. Wine has a taste, everything else has a taste - and these tastes should combine in the way we like. A “good wine” for food is one that makes you feel good.

The example takes tea as a parallel to the “fifth taste” of red wines – astringency (i.e. “astringent taste”, called “tannin” in wine).

When choosing wine pairings, use parallels with non-hot food:

Will this dish go well with tart wine?
– imagine it with cooled strong black tea.
Will it go well with acidic wine?
– what happens if you drop lemon into this dish?
Would this go well with bitter wine?
– what happens if you eat this with an olive?
Etc.

Wine and food shouldn't be a clash of tastes. They should complement each other, just like everything else on the plate.

At the same time, the proportionality of the “weight category” of wine and dish is more important than rules like “white goes with fish,” because they follow from here.

“Weight category” is the force with which the dish/wine attacks our receptors. If you take a sip and your mouth is immediately full of impressions, you have bright wine in your glass. A dish should be chosen that is comparable, at least in terms of perception power (unless, of course, we are talking about gastronomy and not a tasting appetizer, the purpose of which is to slow down intoxication without distracting from the wine).

Wine and food shouldn't argue about who's cooler.

It's about the intensity of flavor and aroma, regardless of their profile. If the merits of one completely drown out the merits of the other, make friends with them separately.

Significant parameters that determine the intensity of the taste of wine:

Alcohol adjustments

Ethanol is a universal sensory catalyst. In the broadest sense, including gastronomic.

Hence the rule:

Do not wash down your food with wine until you finish it, if you are not sure about the combination.

This is one of the simplest pieces of advice I can give. If you pour an imperfectly selected wine into a full mouth, alcohol will come to the fore and take with it all the shortcomings of the combination. Take a sip between servings of food into your mouth. If the balance is close to ideal, this rule can be neglected. In other cases, you will be surprised how much the compatibility will improve;)

A few more useful NOTs:

– NO nuts for wine (especially walnuts)
– NO vinegar for wine (this is about salads and marinades)
– NO canned wine
– NO coffee before wine

So that's the bottom line.

In the end, you need experience anyway. Moreover, yours, not the experts. No matter how many lines gourmets and critics write about pairing wine and food, all of this is just parting words and examples on the long journey of personal experimentation.

Even the basics of this science become outdated over time. Over the course of several decades, the food industry has changed and winemaking technologies have developed. As a result, many combinations stop working. In addition, there are those that are generally controversial, but due to marketing efforts or due to a combination of circumstances, they gain popularity (for example, foie gras and Sauternes...)

If you like the rule, use it. If you don't like it, find something else. Personal taste is the final criterion.

A glass of good wine solo

There are wines that you want to be alone with. These are wines with complex aromas that can unfold in a glass within an hour. And yes, these are most often expensive and very expensive wines. Perhaps you can name examples yourself.

Bottle for "surprise"

Here, of course, you need to focus on the tastes of those you are going to surprise, and not on the taste of the wine.

Counting on immediate delight, you need to choose bright and self-explanatory solutions.

Thus, you can be surprised by the year of the harvest, the size of the bottle (from the common 1.5 liter “Magnums” to the 6 liter “Methuselahs” and the absolutely incredible 15 liter “Nebuchadnezzars”), its design (Italian wine “Diadema” with Swarovski crystals, lockable on key, a bottle of El Candado sherry and many examples of “expensive and rich” from champagne houses).

In general, the gloss and promotion of manufacturers will tell you what you need to admire.

Wine as an investment

In short, here you cannot do without consultants and ratings. This is if you are going to buy wine with the intention of selling it.

If a bottle accidentally “fell” on you, which, as you happily found out on the Internet, costs 40 thousand rubles of money, do not rush to take out a loan against it. To sell a bottle of wine of this level, you must show its provenance, i.e. life history (storage) or have a reputation as a serious collector - as in the case of an expensive work of art. Without this, you will have to go for serious discounts.

Of course, if you yourself purchase wine with a good pedigree, then be prepared to provide it with further appropriate living conditions: either at home or somewhere for money. And keep in mind that investment wines are usually bought by the case;) Also keep in mind that the sale of wine by private individuals is illegal in the Russian Federation.

Wine "misunderstanding"

There are different types of misunderstandings. Some are associated with the desire to earn money and threaten losses, others – with the desire to save money and threaten hospitalization.

I believe that among the readers of this material, the majority are reasonable people, regardless of income. The question “how to make money” was touched upon above in, and it can only be expanded in a separate material. The question “how not to get poisoned” is much simpler: if in the first case a high price is a risk, then in the second it is almost a panacea.

And yet I cannot ignore phantasmagoria such as bottled wines from “barrels” at domestic resorts, Asti DOСG from the Moscow region and Chateau Grenadier from Klin bottling. And if the last example is just a touching mimicry, suitable for mulled wine, then the first two examples are an outright falsification, possibly dangerous to health.

By the way, about the legendary powder wine

Actually, in order not to end up in yet another alarming chronicle, pay attention to the origin of the wine and its composition. No matter how strange it is to mention the composition here, sometimes the nature of dubious drinks is not hidden by the manufacturer and is finely indicated on the back label, in the shadow of a bright label verified by marketers and lawyers - misleading, but not subject to jurisdiction.

For example, Asti DOCG is an inscription that obliges a lot in Italy, but, apparently, it “rolls” normally among our authorities. “Chateau Grenadier” from Esperanto Vin nowhere claims that it is French, but it tries in every possible way to look like it, while honestly admitting where it was made.

It’s completely dark - with resort wines “from the tap” - there you’ll have to get to information through swamps and battles. In such cases... don't.

Wine for mulled wine

In my opinion, “good wine for mulled wine” is a wine that is not interesting in itself, but at the same time is of high quality from the point of view of at least Russian GOSTs. To use truly good wine for mulled wine is to abuse it by declaring that its bouquet is so “nothing” that we lose nothing by killing it with heat and spices.

Boxed wine is exactly the category of wine that is ideal for mulled wine. And in this niche, Russian manufacturers take their well-deserved place. Just don’t take semi-sweet and sweet wines, as well as the Isabella variety.

Most “tetra packs” with dry merlot, cabernet sauvignon and chardonnay (for white mulled wines) are an excellent base for a decent mulled wine, especially if you add fresh fruit and real spices to it instead of ready-made mixtures in bags. Of course, dry

The debate about the benefits and harms of alcoholic beverages continues. But even the most ardent opponents of alcohol will not refuse a glass of good wine. Wine means truth, revelation, and is also called the moisture of life. To know the depth of the drink and enjoy drinking it, you need to know how to choose a good wine.

Which wine is better to choose

The diverse classification of the drink can be divided into: taste, aroma, presence of alcohol. Based on alcohol content, they are classified into:

Fortified (sherry, port, Cahors) - have a high rate of 16% to 21%.
Sparkling wine (champagne) – they contain up to 14% alcohol and contain carbon dioxide.
Table, still, non-sparkling wines (Bordeaux, Cabernet, Chardonnay) – alcohol content is also up to 14%.
Flavored (vermouth) – up to 20%.

Based on color, wines are divided into:

Red, their palette is extensive, from rich garnet to terracotta brown (aged varieties), from ruby to purple (young varieties).
Pinks, softer colors from pastels, light rubies to the whole pink spectrum.
White varieties have straw, greenish tones (young dry varieties), amber (fortified, dessert).

Almost all brands change their color over time; fortified and dessert wines acquire amber colors, while dry wines darken. When eating food, they determine which wines are better suited for what by its color and content. Dinner dishes are best used as a flavorful addition to the table, and dessert dishes are best used as final dishes. Restaurateurs recommend taking into account that the more refined the drink, the simpler the dish, and vice versa.

Read also: good Abkhazian wine

Examples of successful menu combinations:

Sparkling, effervescent wines can be drunk with almost any food, as long as it is not borscht or herring with onions. Serve chilled (up to 8°C) in narrow glasses.
Red varieties are served with meat dishes, fried and spicy, with any type of cheese, various fruits, and go well with pasta, pizza, etc. Recently, restaurants have been offering popular flavor variations for fish products: salmon, trout, sushi. The optimal temperature for them is room temperature (18°C) and served in wide glasses.
Dry white brands “love” the first dishes (soups, stews, purees), all kinds of salads with mayonnaise, but without vinegar. Low-fat sausages and veal, poultry, and, of course, fish – classics of the genre. Drink chilled (up to 12°C).
Pink - considered universal, served with hot dishes, seafood, desserts (temperature up to 18 °C). For them and dry dishes, utensils with a high stem and narrow walls are used.
Sweet (dessert) varieties - they are heavier, stronger, drink them with pastries or jelly (up to 16 ° C) from small charms on a low stem.

Read also:

How to choose good wine in a store based on the label - 10 rules

You don’t have to be a sommelier to learn how to buy a decent drink, and not a drink that leaves a terrible aftertaste and, at a minimum, dizziness in the morning, and at a maximum, body disorder.

Ten rules for choosing good wine in a store will help you avoid this:

Clearly separate sweet and dry varieties. To produce popular semi-sweet drinks, wine materials of the lowest quality are used. They add a lot of preservatives and chemical components. Abroad this type does not exist at all.
Manufacturer information. The main thing is to have the name and information about the manufacturer; if this is not available, it is better to immediately return the bottle to the shelf. On the front side of the right drinks you can always read the brand name in large print.
The region of production also serves as a calling card. The absence of this indicates the low quality of the product.
Grape variety. Only very expensive wines that you cannot buy at a regular retail outlet are made from one grape variety. First-class drinks of inexpensive and medium cost are produced by blending, i.e. mixing several varieties of berries. If the label shows 100% of one name, there is no doubt that it is a fake.
Harvest time. The labeling of high-quality alcohol must indicate the year of the grape harvest. You will not find such information on a diluted concentrate, a chemical analogue.
Duration and place of aging. The barrel is considered an ideal storage place; only high-quality brands are stored in them. Divided by age:

vintage, made from high-quality berries, languishes for 3-7 years, from 6 years is considered a collectible species;
ordinary ones go on sale with aging from 4 months to 1 year.

Description of the advantages and originality that add a positive image to the brand.
Product cost. The rule that cannot be attributed to wine is that you can pay not for quality, but for the brand. An inexpensive drink cannot be natural and tasty; too much work is put into it.
Package. Cardboard packaging is the “friend” of cheap chemical concentrate. If you pour a noble drink into it, it will certainly lose its virtues. After all, only a glass bottle or a wood barrel can preserve the richness of taste.
Original containers, for example, ceramic or decorative, have a negative effect on wine storage or hide the fake.

Country of manufacture

Russia

Grapevines in Russia are grown in the Krasnodar and Stavropol territories, regions of the Caucasus, Crimea, Volgograd, and Saratov regions. But most of the products in stores are made from imported materials; they are in demand. Of course, competition on the world market is high, but now reasonable prospects are predicted for Russian winemaking. The drinks are made from classic varieties of berries and are distinguished by their natural, floral taste.

Read also:

The following brands hold the palm:

"Isabella", "Aligote";
"Pino black";
"Cabernet Sauvignon".

Known manufacturers:

"Caucasus";
"Russian Vine";
"Phanagoria";
Rostov plant, Tsimlyansky plant (among sparkling wines), etc.

Ukraine

The climate of Ukraine allows the development of this industry in almost most of the territory, but still the vine bears fruit where there are mild winters and long hot summers. These are Southern Bessarabia, Transcarpathia, Southern regions. The best brands, taste and aroma qualities, which are quite at a decent level:

"Shabo";
Agrofirm "Belozersky";
"French Boulevard" (specializes in sparkling varieties).

Soil and climatic factors make it possible to obtain berries with balanced levels of acidity and sweetness. But still, imports dominate the Ukrainian market.

Georgia

There are about 4 thousand grape varieties in the world, over 500 grow in Georgia. During Soviet times, it supplied 80% of all fine wines of the republics. Now the demand for them is not decreasing, the drink is impeccable. Perhaps this is due to the special Kakhetian wine production technology.

Huge cone-shaped jugs, qvevri, are buried in the ground, then the berries are kept at a temperature of 14°C, and the juice is squeezed out with feet. There is also mechanical processing and mass production, but as a result of this method, full, extractive characteristics with a soft astringency are obtained. The distinctive features of Georgian brands include a long and pleasant aftertaste and harmony of aromas. The best varieties:

"Khvanchkara";
"Rkatsiteli" etc.

Moldova

Moldovan alcohol is credited with sophistication and lightness of taste. Drinks from the Kodrovoy and Central regions of the republic are saturated with shades of wildflowers, and the aromas of violet can be traced in them. In this country, they prefer to make wine not only by fermenting grape berries, but also apple juice.

Collectible bottles may contain a kind of acid; to reduce its level, you need to open the container in advance and let the wine “breathe.” Not inferior in characteristics to foreign products, it has a lower cost. Among the popular ones:

"Moldavian";
Aligote "Onesti";
"Dneprovskoe white";
"Romanesti"
Cabernet “Chumai”;
“Bouquet of Moldova” (flavored vermouth, similar to Italian).

France

The French, like the Moldovans, have been growing vines since ancient times and drinking alcohol from an early age. In this country, the quality of the products produced is controlled on a regional basis; accordingly, grape varieties are not indicated on the labels of French drinks. On its territory there is the largest vineyard in the world of a high-quality variety called Bordeaux. 80% are red wines.

The insanely expensive, limited-release Bordeau "Petrus" is considered one of the noble red drinks. It comes from the Polerole region. The south-eastern side is famous for its white dry “Entre de Mer”, with a rich aroma of a fruity bouquet, in perfect harmony with seafood. The regions of Médoc, Saunères, and Prav produce the legendary premium cru brands:

"Chateau Latour";
"Chateau Lafite-Rothschild";
"Mouton-Rothschild";
"O-Brion";
"Chateau Margaux"

Italy

Gourmets will agree that the definition of “good” does not apply to French and Italian wines. They are ideal, even those that have an average or affordable price. A distinctive feature is the balance of taste, color, aroma, and aftertaste.

The climatic conditions of the Apennine Peninsula contribute to the development of culture. Under the Italian sun and warm rain, the berries are filled with full-fledged juice, as a result of fermentation of which a divine drink is obtained. Although it is not so easy for Italians to break into the world market due to competition with their neighbors. Production has a stepwise classification:

elite;
DOC category (by region, sugar and alcohol capacity);
IGT (inferior taste);
dining rooms, from prefabricated varieties.

The division of alcohol into red Rosso and white Bianco came to us from there. And all these names have long been associated with something especially pleasant and solemn:

"Lambrusco";
"Dolcetto";
"Malvasia Nera";
"Amarone";
"Lagrein" and many others.

Just because a wine is inexpensive doesn’t mean it’s tasteless. Let's try to figure out how to choose the right delicious wine in an affordable price category. (Of course, we’re not talking about “babblers” for 100 rubles.)

For many people, buying wine in a restaurant becomes an ordeal. What can we say about choosing wine on your own in a store where you can see several racks of all kinds of bottles of different price categories. The matter becomes even more complicated if the wine is intended for important guests or celebrations. The chooser feels responsible for the taste and quality of what is poured into the bottle.

Why do we feel depressed and think that everyone will judge us for our choice, especially if we buy inexpensive wine? You may answer: “Well, because wine producers know the quality of their product and will not sell something really worth it cheap.”

But wine can get onto store shelves in different ways! No one is safe from buying counterfeits. Yes, you need to be careful when choosing wine, but everyone can make the right choice. By the way, one of the points: you should buy wine without excessive tension and suspicion. This is not an exam, a lot depends on the case.

How to choose and buy wine

How to choose wine? Looking through multi-page wine lists in a restaurant or looking at rows of bottles in a store can make you feel desperate. And if, on top of all this, your budget is limited, you can give up, choose the first bottle you come across with a cute little animal on the label and run away.

But in fact, armed with a little knowledge, you can buy or order wine like a pro!

First, you must decide what “cheap and cheerful” means to you. The range will be taken here from 300 to 500 rubles.

Secondly, we must admit that the excise stamp is not a confirmation of the taste of the wine. Just like a plastic stopper or a screw cap is not a sign of a bad wine. It’s just that wine is a kind of tradition, a cork stopper is part of the tradition. But some manufacturers are moving away from it. For example, some winemakers in New Zealand and Australia were the first to use metal screw caps and for good reason: they reliably protect the wine. Such caps can be found on bottles for 300 rubles and 1200 rubles.

Basic rules

Wines from some countries, wine-growing regions, types and varieties of grapes are sold cheaper than their analogues. For example, Vinho Verde from Portugal - a wonderful white wine with a tart fruity taste and small bubbles. It is ideal for summer picnics and quiet family evenings on the veranda of the dacha. And you can buy it for even less than 300 rubles.

Italy also produces several good wines ranging from 300 to 500 rubles. Take at least Primitivo, Sangiovese And Merlot.

Avoid wines that require long maturation: e.g. Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Barolo or Amarone. These wines shouldn't be cheap. If they are inexpensive, then it is a fake (or bad wine) or not yet ready to drink.

Choose from wines that taste good when "fresh". These include Shiraz, Sauvignon Blanc, majority Rieslings and some others.

How to buy wine in a restaurant

Nowadays, few restaurants offer homemade wine. Most often, wine lists contain a list of bottled wine. If you often go to a certain restaurant and there is a large selection of wines, then order a new name each time. This is a great way to find out what your likes and dislikes are. Remember the taste of the wine, how it goes with various dishes, how it smells, what you liked/disliked.

Make your list of preferences and ask the waiter to advise/recommend something suitable. Some restaurants (at least abroad) even practice preliminary tasting.

Dispelling the myth about wines

Have you heard the rule: red wine - with meat and white wine - with fish and poultry? This rule was observed when French wines were served with lunch or dinner. Now it no longer works - our tastes and food have changed so much. Asian, Indian, Mediterranean trends have penetrated our cuisine, which changes the “rules” for wines. What should you consider when buying wine for a particular main course?

Here's a simple rule: Asian foods often pair well with crisp, acidic white wines. These good quality wines can be purchased for a fairly reasonable price. Red wines with a pronounced, rich taste go well with fatty red meat. You can choose red wine from those produced in Australia, Spain, Portugal, Italy - they will suit both quality and money.

Even good champagne can be affordable. This question is especially relevant on the eve of the upcoming New Year. Do you want to see sparkling wine on your holiday table that won’t break your pocket? Then look Cremant from France, Asti (Asti) And Prosecco (Prosecco) from Italy and Cava from Spain. Bottles of this wine can be found for 500 rubles (600-700 is more likely).

Good luck with your choice!

It is difficult to choose a decent wine without understanding anything about it. Some people use the rule “the more expensive the better.” But even at a high price, the drink may turn out to be of poor quality. If you are just going to explore the culture of wine, then start with inexpensive products. A few tips will help you find a good drink.
There was no wine culture in the USSR. The drink was considered a dessert drink, and therefore was sweet. And it differed only in color. Red wine or white - the dilemma of the Soviet man. It tasted the same.
But time passed, the range of wines expanded, and more and more people became interested in what was in their glass. And a stereotype arose: only an expensive drink can be tasty and aromatic. Although today even budget brands are quite decent. Wine for daily consumption does not have to be expensive at all. For a casual dinner, you can grab a bottle for a modest price. But here it is important to choose the right wine. After all, a cheap drink can turn out to be not only tasteless, but also harmful to health. And then you will be lucky if you wake up in the morning with just a headache. It's worse if you get severe poisoning. But don’t think that all wine at an affordable price is of poor quality. Among the budget options there are plenty of bottles of excellent drink. All that remains is to learn how to find them.

1. Buy within 300-600 rubles.
2. Take the bottle on which the shadow falls.
3. Don't buy on sales. Huge discounts are attractive, but don’t be fooled. The miser pays twice. Take a closer look at the bottles; if they have an external defect (the label is damaged, there is dirt or splashes on the bottle), then the price is reduced because of this. You can take this. If the packaging does not have any flaws, then you should be wary. The product itself is probably damaged.

4. Choose young wine.
5. Focus on white wine.
6. Look at the geography. European drinks will cost more because... France, Spain, Italy, Greece, etc. They have been engaged in winemaking since ancient times and have succeeded in this area. Products from the New World (Chile, Argentina, America) have more affordable prices. In these countries, vineyards appeared relatively recently, which makes it possible not to inflate the cost of drinks until now. Both wines will be delicious, but if you want to save even more, you should give preference to drinks from the New World.

7. Don't focus on the traffic jam.
8. Don't look at the grape variety.
9. Forget about sweets.

10. Understand the place of manufacture. Pay attention to where the wine is not only produced, but also bottled. It is better to choose one that does not involve intermediaries. When a manufacturer is independently responsible for the quality of a product, it is not profitable for him to lower the bar and spoil his reputation. And middlemen sin by diluting the wine to reduce costs.
As you understand, when choosing a wine, you need to carefully study its label. To please yourself and your loved ones with an inexpensive and tasty drink, buy a young (1-2 years old) product, manufactured and packaged in one place, preferably brought from the New World. And let it be a cold bottle of dry white wine.
uznay-kak.ru
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Wine: 9 Myths and Facts You Should Know About

The deeper the hole at the bottom of the bottle, the better: MYTH
Some winemakers say that this shape is needed to ensure that most of the sediment remains at the bottom. This recess in the bottle is usually made for more convenient transportation and storage of wine. Thus, when choosing wine, you should not attach special importance to the recess at the bottom of the bottle, much less its size.

Russian women prefer wine, and men prefer strong drinks: TRUE
According to statistics from wine restaurants, wine consumption in Russia has increased 10–15 times over the past 20 years. And this is thanks to women. Men still prefer stronger drinks. There is also an opinion that a woman can smell more aromas. For example, she is able to smell musky, but a man cannot. This can be explained by hormones that increase in different phases of women’s cycles.

White wine with fish: MYTH
A common myth is about pairing fish only with white wine. Sommeliers do not pay attention to such cliches. Moreover, it is often recommended to pair red wines from Mediterranean countries such as Italy or Spain with fish. Red wine is served with tuna and fattier types of fish: carp, trout and salmon. In addition, if red wine was used in the sauce for the dish, then red wine should also be served.

Red wine is good for women: TRUTH
Many studies show that the flavonoids contained in wine stimulate collagen production. Flavonoids are powerful antioxidants. They reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and varicose veins. Dry wine has an analgesic effect during menstruation. It dilates blood vessels and relieves spasms. Wine also stimulates the production of the male hormone testosterone, which helps balance hormonal levels.

Wine dehydrates the body: MYTH
Dehydration is a big fear of wine lovers. There is an opinion that alcoholic drinks dehydrate our body. And this is true if you don’t know the measures. Sommeliers recommend that those who are afraid of dehydrating their body with wine should wash it down with still water. The amount of water should be the same as the amount of wine. And if you drink the daily amount of water (1.5–2 liters), then dehydration does not threaten at all.

Red wine is more popular than white: TRUE
According to statistics, more than 65% of respondents would prefer red wine to white. It’s difficult to say what caused the scales to tip in favor of red. Many people love the richness of red wine over the sour notes of white. Some people consider white not the main drink. It has been observed that white wines are more popular in countries with warm climates, as white wine is considered more summery.

Wine for mulled wine needs to be boiled: MYTH
Mulled wine is a favorite winter drink based on red wine. This is hot wine, but it cannot be boiled. To prevent the wine from losing its properties, it must be heated to a maximum of 70 degrees. When boiled, most of the alcohol will evaporate and it will lose its taste. You need to boil the base of the drink: water, spices and other ingredients.

Red wine is healthier than white: TRUE
The chemical composition of red wine is significantly higher than white wine. Red wine contains large quantities of antioxidants - substances that slow down the aging process of the body, reduce cholesterol levels and have a beneficial effect on. A glass of red wine can saturate a person with rare vitamin P. Vitamin P ensures the absorption of ascorbic acid and has a good effect on metabolism.

Wine contains a lot of sulfites, which cause headaches: MYTH
Many people attribute headaches after wine to an allergy to sulfites, but this is not true. A very low percentage have these types of allergies. As a rule, these are people with asthma. Wine contains a small amount of sulfites. In addition, dried fruits contain much more sulfites than wine.

There was no wine culture in the USSR. The drink was considered a dessert drink, and therefore was sweet. And it differed only in color. Red wine or white - the dilemma of the Soviet man. It tasted the same.

But time passed, the range of wines expanded, and more and more people became interested in what was in their glass. And a stereotype arose: only an expensive drink can be tasty and aromatic. Although today even budget brands are quite decent.

Wine for daily consumption does not have to be expensive at all. For a casual dinner, you can grab a bottle for a modest price. But here it is important to choose the right wine. After all, a cheap drink can turn out to be not only tasteless, but also harmful to health. And then you will be lucky if you wake up in the morning with just a headache. It's worse if you get severe poisoning. But don’t think that all wine at an affordable price is of poor quality. Among the budget options there are plenty of bottles of excellent drink. All that remains is to learn how to find them.

1. Buy within 300-600 rubles. Wine cheaper than 300, unfortunately, cannot be classified as a quality product. But more expensive drinks will be appropriate for a home dinner or a friendly party. You'll enjoy them, but don't expect much more. Unfortunately, you won’t be able to taste the versatility of the taste.

2.Take the bottle on which the shadow falls. Budget alcohol is not stored in wine cellars; it is located on shelves in the sales area. And often the bottles “sunbathe” right under the store’s powerful lamps. Therefore, before purchasing, make sure that the container is cold. If it is hot, then the product “boils” inside, losing all its taste and properties. Don’t be too lazy to climb deep into the stand and take a bottle that is not exposed to the spotlight.

3.Do not buy on sales. Huge discounts are attractive, but don’t be fooled. The miser pays twice. Take a closer look at the bottles; if they have an external defect (the label is damaged, there is dirt or splashes on the bottle), then the price is reduced because of this. You can take this.

If the packaging has no flaws, then you should be wary. The product itself is probably damaged.

4. Choose young wine. The rule “the older the better” does not work with budget drinks. If you see a “ripe” wine that costs up to 600 rubles, then it is most likely sour. It’s just that this bottle or batch was not sold on time. Of course, you won’t get poisoned with this product, but you obviously won’t like the taste. Therefore, give preference to young wine.

5 .Focus on white wine. The technology for making such a drink is simpler. And the cost is lower. The chances of choosing an inexpensive good wine among white varieties are higher than among red varieties.

6.Look at the geography. European drinks will cost more because France, Spain, Italy, Greece, etc. They have been engaged in winemaking since ancient times and have succeeded in this area. Products from the New World (Chile, Argentina, America) have more affordable prices. In these countries, vineyards appeared relatively recently, which makes it possible not to inflate the cost of drinks until now. Both wines will be delicious, but if you want to save even more, you should give preference to drinks from the New World.

7. Don't focus on the traffic jam. There is an opinion that a quality wine can only have a natural cork. However, even expensive products these days come with a silicone or screw-on capsule. This is just the manufacturer's choice.

8. Don't look at the grape variety. The taste of the drink depends more on the manufacturing technology: harvest date, fermentation temperature, sugar level. Don’t focus on the variety; study other factors. Good inexpensive wine is young: last year or 2 years ago. Please note that the label must state "natural wine". If this is not the case, then the drink is synthetic.

9. Forget about sweets. You might be surprised, but nowhere in the world do they drink semi-sweet or sweet wine. There are, of course, dessert varieties, but they are not in demand. Only dry wines have a rich and rich taste.

As you understand, when choosing a wine, you need to carefully study its label. To please yourself and your loved ones with an inexpensive and tasty drink, buy a young (1-2 years old) product, manufactured and packaged in one place, preferably brought from the New World. And let it be a cold bottle of dry white wine.

The well-known owner of the website udaff.com. The content is published without changes.

So, by popular demand, I’m doing a short review of dry wines in the category under 500 rubles, which you can really drink and most of which I myself have tried several times. Let's start unconventionally - with red, then pink, then white. I don't know why, I just felt like it. I will present to you 15 wine samples.
ATTENTION! Where the inscription “my choice” is written, this means that I not only drank this wine and liked it, but I buy it again and again.

1. Michelle Torino Shiraz 2010 | Michel Torino Coleccion Shiraz 2010

Argentina
Estimated price: 357 RUR | 7.5 EUR | 80 UAH

There will be a lot of wines from Michelle Torino today, since Michelle Torino is the producer who never makes bad wines. And even his budget wines are quite drinkable. A light wine that is ideal with something meaty, and which you can drink a lot and unnoticed. My friend and I went through 3 bottles of the lamb.

2. Michelle Torino Don David Malbec 2008 and Don David Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 | Michel Torino Don David Malbek 2008 | Don David Cabernet-Sauvignon 2008

Argentina

Now there is still 2008 on sale, but as it runs out, it is replaced on the shelf by 2009. The wine was aged for 1 year in oak. If we talk about Malbec - I tried it, and I really liked it - the wine is dense and rich. As for cabernet sauvignon, this sample is the absolute leader among cabernet sauvignons in terms of price/quality ratio.

3. Rapido Red Sangiovese 2009 | Rapido Red Sangiovese 2009

Italy
Estimated price: 407 RUR | 10 EUR | 100 UAH

Dense, but not overly rich. Light bitterness in the aftertaste. In general, I really love wines from Italy, and I am partial to them.

4. Rocca Alata Valpolicella Superiore 2009 (producer: Cantina di Soave) | Rocca Alita Valpolicella Superiore 2009

Italy
Estimated price: 395 RUR | 10 EUR | 100 UAH

This wine was a real discovery for me. To receive such a beautiful Valpolicella for such money is simply a gift. Today, by the way, after a “photo shoot” in the store, I bought several bottles to take home. One of them was this wine.
The wine is light, but not watery. Quite high acidity, but this acidity is correct. Aromatics: undergrowth, dried cherry. My choice!

5. Undurraga Sybaris Pinot Noir 2010 and Sybaris Carménère 2008 | Undurraga Sibaris Pinot Noir 2010 | Sibaris Carmenere 2008

Chile
Estimated price: 535 RUR | 13 EUR | 130 UAH

Pinot noir is very similar to classic French pinot noir at this price point.
This Carminer has been voted the best Carminer in Chile at this price point. Carminer – my choice!

So many wines, so many opinions. If you could buy “delicious” wine, everything would be extremely simple. But, fortunately or unfortunately, wine cannot be called “delicious”. Thousands of experts, cavists and tasters sophisticatedly describe the aroma and taste of wine, and you say: “Delicious.” Don't do that.

At the same time, it is completely unclear how to choose a good wine. There are many more ratings that present the best wines according to certain characteristics. Let's talk about them.

Robert Parker scale

Perhaps the most famous wine rating is the Robert Parker (RP) 100-point scale. The final score consists of the characteristics of color, aroma, taste and aftertaste of the wine. The minimum RP score is 50. This wine will be terrible. But those who score 100 points are already masterpieces.

A lot has been written about this rating, and many are inclined to believe that it has already lost its impartiality. However, the tops discussed below rely on the RP scale. Therefore, we do not undertake to judge this, but simply move on.

Wine Spectator annual ranking

The top wines from Wine Spectator are interesting both in the choice of wines and in prices. There are not only super expensive drinks, but also quite cheap ones.

Since 1988, the magazine has compiled its list of the “Best 100 Wines,” which experts tasted throughout the year. This list contains both famous brands and unknown new items. What pleases me most about this top is that they are not trying to sell me anything. The authors of the rating themselves state that this is not a shopping list, but a guide to wine producers.

Unfortunately, of the affordable wines in Russia this year, you can buy only three of the top 100. For example, Matua Sauvignon Blanc is an excellent white wine with a bright fruity-floral aroma and tropical notes on the palate. It ranks 40th in the ranking. If you're looking for a good semi-dry white wine, go for it.

100 inexpensive wines from the "Wine Enthusiast"

And here is another interesting rating from the Wine Enthusiast portal. Its peculiarity is that it includes only inexpensive wines. Each bottle costs no more than $15. To compile this rating, experts tasted 1,450 wines and chose the best. The geography of drinks is quite wide - the rating includes drinks from 17 countries.

It was not possible to find specific specimens from the list in Russia, but the general trend is clear. The top ten includes American wines, drinks from Colombia and Australia. Grape varieties in the top 10 include Sauvignon Blanc, Shiraz and Pinot Noir.

How to choose good wine?

If you set a goal and go around several Yekaterinburg supermarkets in one evening, you can quickly notice one pattern: the presence of people with thoughtful eyes in the alcohol departments. Well-dressed men peering into bottles of red; friends repeating memorized names; students hanging around Tetrapacks with some kind of Muscat. The likelihood that, upon leaving the store, they will be able to rationally explain their choice of wine is extremely small.

Looking at the vast majority of such buyers, IMC author Elena Babushkina decided to take up the “liquidation of alcohol illiteracy” and walked through the retail chains of Yekaterinburg together with the sommelier of the Troekurov restaurant Andrei Levin. What to focus on when choosing grape wine costing up to 300 rubles and from 300 to 600 rubles - read in the resulting material.

ANDREY LEVIN, sommelier of the Troekurov restaurant:

The direct function of wine cheaper than 600 rubles is to decorate the taste of food and joyful intoxication. Such drinks are appropriate for a home dinner, or at a major celebration where alcohol is purchased in bulk. Having made the right choice, you will enjoy it, but you should not expect from it the versatility of taste that more expensive wines can give.

It is important to remember that wine for 300-600 rubles is not wine from the cellar. It is stored on counters, which, in turn, are illuminated by spotlights. These lights are very powerful and point directly at the wine, so never buy wine that is hot to the touch. This wine “boils” inside the bottle, losing all its properties. Bottles of sparkling wine, for example, often explode right on the shelves.

In an area such as a sale basket, you should only pay attention to single bottles with external defects. If the wine does not have any, and is even displayed in orderly rows, it may be a manufacturer’s mistake, and this is indeed a defective batch.

An incredible, huge myth is the age of wine. I myself came to this profession with a learned attitude: the older the wine, the better it is. This is not true, or rather, not entirely true. If you see a “used” wine that costs about 600 rubles, most likely this is a bottle that was not sold on time. At best, the drink inside is on the verge of souring (at worst, the wine has already turned sour). Remember: the younger the democratic wine, the fresher it is, the tastier it is.

Another myth is the presence of sulfur dioxide in wine. They say they can cause poisoning. They say it gives me headaches in the morning. Believe me, you will die from alcohol poisoning before getting poisoned by sulfur dioxide, because the concentration of this preservative in wines is negligible.

When you come to the store with three hundred rubles, it is best to focus on bottles of white wine. I can explain why, point by point. Firstly, white wine initially costs less, since white grapes are less demanding and reach maturity faster than red ones. Secondly, white wine is easier to understand and drink. Some find it difficult to “make friends” with red wine also for the reason that it gives a 3D effect - a three-dimensional sensation of taste and smell. That's why it's valued higher.

By choosing wine in the range of 300-600 rubles, you can give yourself a little relaxation. As a rule, these wines already fall under the quality control zone of the producing country, have a certain category and meet a number of requirements. In Russia, such a product is already considered illiquid (expensive!), so you won’t find fakes on the shelves. This price category allows you to choose dry white, semi-sweet white, and dry red. But you won’t find a semi-sweet red one for this money.

In general, a passion for semi-sweet and sweet wines is what the mentality of Soviet youth, Soviet childhood dictated to us. In the Soviet past there was no high gastronomy and interesting wines, there was no drinking culture. Wine was a dessert - and, therefore, simply had to be sweet. Sweets are lighter in flavor, easy to drink, and do not require the drinker to think about what is in his glass. This approach is already losing its relevance. You would know how happy I am about this!

When choosing wine, you cannot ignore the geographical component. For example, wine from the Old World (all of Europe - France, Italy, Spain, Germany, etc.) is always more expensive, because the wine-making traditions of these countries date back to the times of Ancient Rome. The Romans taught the Gauls - the French - to drink wine, the French became trendsetters in wine fashion. Fashionable = expensive.

In turn, New World wine (which includes Chile, Argentina, South Africa, South and North America, Australia and New Zealand) is more affordable in price, although it is not inferior in quality to Old World wine. Local artisan producers adopted the traditions of European winemakers back in the 19th century: at that time, the “grape plague” was raging in the Old World - an invasion of the phylloxera aphid, killing vineyards year after year. Winemakers, in desperation, fled with their vines (and sometimes even without them) to other countries, crossing the Atlantic Ocean and ending up in Chile and the USA. There they encountered a hotter climate and the best conditions for ripening grapes, which to this day allows them to keep prices down. So, when buying wine for 300 rubles, you should first pay attention to the wines of the New World.

Those who plan to develop their taste should also focus on New World wines. The fact is that these countries often produce single-varietal wines, while bottles of wine from Europe often mix 2 or more grape varieties. If you want to learn how to distinguish grape varieties, I advise you to start, for example, with the wines of Chile.

There is an opinion that a silicone stopper indicates a low grade of wine. When buying affordable wine, don’t worry about it - it’s just the manufacturer’s choice. The same goes for the “mobility” of the polyethylene capsule that protects the cork. If it spins, it doesn't mean anything.

A win-win option when going to the store is to focus on well-known wine lines.

“Leaf of trust” from Andrey Levin:

NEW WORLD. Chile

“Concha y Toro” (producer of Frontera, Sunrise, Terrunyo wines, line of wines costing from 200 to 10,000 rubles);

MAPU (Chilean project of French winemaker Baron Philippe Rothschild, a line of wines costing from 300 to 1500 rubles).

NEW WORLD. Argentina

Trivento (line priced from 280 to 1100 rubles);

TOSO (I don’t single it out, but you can trust it. It’s always fresh and very simple).

NEW WORLD. Australia

HARDY’s (wines costing 300 - 700 rubles; especially interesting is the white semi-dry wine in the region of 550 rubles, which as a result of a marketing ploy became known as semi-sweet in Russia).

NEW WORLD. South Africa

Things are complicated with wine from South Africa now. At one time, representatives of winemaking companies made no effort to sell South African wine on the Russian market. Project managers did not work. The result is that “tired wine” is stored on the shelves, which could not be sold. I don’t recommend South African wines to you.

NEW WORLD. New Zealand

There are no cheap manufacturers, and all the expensive ones come in a wide range. However, if you see New Zealand wine on sale and costing about 600 rubles, you are in luck! Grab a bottle and grab some lemon and grapefruit slices for a snack.

NEW WORLD. USA

There is no American wine costing up to 600 rubles on our shelves - this is not the right price category. American wines are expensive, not because they are special, but because of the high markup.

OLD WORLD. Spain

Torres (one of the greatest producers, wines from 500 to 4000 rubles);

Marques de Caceres (wines from 529 to 4000 rubles).

OLD WORLD. Italy

Pasqua (wines from 435 to 1000 rubles);

Via Veneto (wines from 215 to 350 rubles. It is reasonable to focus on varieties such as Soave, Bardolino, Valpolicello, Cabernet, Merlot and Chardonnay).

OLDY LIGHT. France

I haven't met any cheap French rulers that I should trust. At your own peril and risk, you can take wine made by someone unknown and where for 300 rubles, but with a French name that must contain the word “Cuvée” or “Chateau”. But the best solution is to take wine from another country.

OLD WORLD. Germany

In the price category up to 600 rubles, you can truly trust only the wine “Milk of the Beloved Woman” - Liebfraumilch. This wine is produced in the Rheinhessen region from Riesling and Müller-Thurgau grapes. And be careful: it is wiser to ignore any wine that is desperately similar to the “Milk of the Beloved Woman” (either in terms of the label or the color of the bottle). But you need to get used to the elongated shape of the bottle, which is called the “Alsatian flute” - this is the signature style of German winemakers.

DOMESTIC WINES

Speaking about affordable wines priced up to 600 rubles, one cannot help but say a special word for patriots. Perhaps they should be happy, because Russian winemakers have gained a second wind. French specialists are hired and vineyards are being revived. During our shopping trip in the wine library of the Magnum alcohol market, we came across two interesting examples: wine from the producer Chateau le Grand Vostock, the Golubok variety (one of the few decent grape varieties), as well as a series of still wines from the Chateau Taman winery (line priced from 300 to 700 rubles). They still lack a little nobility: for example, the wine smells of foliage not from a fairytale forest, but from the Central Park of Culture and Culture park. But let's believe that everything is ahead.

RESUME

If you have a maximum of 600 rubles in your pocket, your wine diagnosis is a cold bottle of young wine, preferably dry, preferably produced in Chile, Argentina, Australia, Italy, Spain or Germany. As an experiment, you can pay attention to wine from France or New Zealand, provided that it is on sale and costs around 600 rubles.

The question of whether good wine can be cheap is not new. There are already hundreds of materials on this topic, but in order not to re-read them all, we decided to dot the i’s in one. Below, brand chef sommelier of the Maison Dellos restaurant holding Sergei Aksenovsky and wine expert Anton Obrezchikov talk about below what price you should definitely not buy wine, what to look for when choosing an inexpensive wine, how to drink it correctly and other nuances.

Sergey Aksenovsky

brand chef sommelier of the Maison Dellos restaurant holding (restaurants “Cafe Pushkin”, “Orange 3”

and others)

Price is a starting point for those who find it difficult to navigate. I pay more attention to the region and country of origin.

I would divide the topic of good inexpensive wine into several parts: what to choose, how to choose and how to drink. The latter plays an important role. Unfortunately, few people pay attention to the process of drinking wine outside the restaurant. At home, we usually don’t always follow the rules; we don’t bother with the right temperature and the right glasses. But everything is in order.

What and how to choose

For good expensive wine, I would advise going to specialized stores and wine stores, but in the case of inexpensive wine, on the contrary, I advise going to supermarkets; due to their volume, they can provide a favorable price. You can, of course, come across good prices in a boutique, but this is rather an exception. In the West, by the way, chain supermarkets have long been puzzled by the issue of educating customers through their own wine guides. For example, the British Tesco has been publishing a guide in the form of a booklet for ten years now. It has its own ratings, its own identification marks, which are designed to help the buyer with the choice of wine. If you want to buy inexpensive but good wine, you need to go to serious chain supermarkets, such as, for example, Auchan, Perekrestok, and so on.

Everyone has their own inexpensive wine. For some, 300 rubles is the limit, for others - 400, 700, and so on. But, frankly speaking, it is very difficult to find more or less normal wine on the store counter for less than 600–700 rubles. In fact, now this figure is approaching a thousand rubles. You, as a private client, can order wine from an importing company. So it will cost you much less than in a store, and even more so in a restaurant. For this purpose, wine trading companies have departments for private/corporate clients. Once you are in the company’s customer base, you can count on quite reasonable prices and delivery of wine. Conditions for all companies are different. But if we consider supermarkets, I repeat, 600–700 rubles, in my opinion, this is currently an extremely low price indicator, below which you can only take it if you are confident in what you are taking.

Old World Wines usually cost more. This is also not news. Therefore we focus to the New World

It is clear that Old World wines tend to be more expensive, this is not news. Therefore, we focus on the New World - Chile, South Africa, New Zealand and Australia. We do not pay attention to the screw cap: as we say, this is not an indicator of the quality of the wine (the cork can also be rubber, polyurethane, composite, and so on, this in this case simply reduces the cost of packaging). Inexpensive wines are young wines that need to be drunk right away, and over 80% of these wines are made with screw caps. If you see an inexpensive wine on the shelf with some old year - even the year before last - this most likely indicates that the wine is from an old purchase (which, again, may allow the store to make a lower price for it). But it may have been stored incorrectly. Stores do not always have the correct storage conditions (temperature, humidity, absence of bright light and foreign odors in warehouses, good ventilation). Wine in a democratic format is usually very popular and sells out quickly. That's why we pay attention to the year - the younger the better for inexpensive wine.

We are also looking towards white wines. Experience shows that white wine is easier to find at an affordable price. Inexpensive semi-dry white wine is easier to find than normal semi-dry red. In addition, we give preference to monovarietal wines, that is, wines from one grape variety. As a rule, the name of the variety can be seen on the wine label. Anything of more than one variety is already an assemblage wine. Single-varietal wines tend to be more understandable.

The varietal characteristics of grapes in wine are the basis, like a letter in the alphabet; having studied them, you will be able to form words, that is, gradually recognize them in assemblage wine.

Cultivate your taste

Taste is a muscle, it needs to be trained. Even if you don't have it, it can be developed like any skill if you have interest and motivation. In the case of the body, we play sports, in the case of wine, we taste it. Thanks to this, the receptors become more developed, sophisticated, and over time they recognize more and more nuances. But only if you do everything consciously. They didn’t just drink and forget. You need to make an effort and, even in the case of cheap wines, read the labels, remember, take photographs.

Nowadays there are a lot of mobile apps for wine. For those who are starting to be interested in wine, I would advise using, for example, the Vivino application. This is an extremely simple story: any person, drinking a bottle of wine, takes a photo of the label through the application, the scanner recognizes the wine, and you immediately get access to information about your wine: the internal rating of this wine, reviews, how many people have tried it, price, region, information about the manufacturer. Then you can place in the program the location of the place where you drank, with whom you drank, and your impressions of the wine you drank, which will then be seen by another user who scanned the same wine. The downside of this program is subjectivity. The users are non-professionals, and therefore the reviews and ratings are often strange.

To put it very roughly, there are varieties that are complex, complex, noble, and there are simpler ones. Of the latter, it is easier to find inexpensive wine - these are, for example, pinotage (red), pinot grigio, blanc, (white). There are more complex varieties - nebbiolo: cheap wines from them are, in principle, rare. But, again, I repeat, this is a very crude explanation.

Even inexpensive wine you can make it more interesting, just complicate it due to correct delivery

Three components of the wine business

Winemakers themselves often distinguish three components of their business. The first is territory, that is, a set of climatic and natural indicators that ultimately affect wine. These are soil, groundwater, slope exposure relative to the cardinal points, distance from the sea, and so on.

The second component is production. A winemaker has a lot of tools within the framework of legislation, thanks to which he can influence and correct the wine production process itself. This also includes working in the vineyard. This is a whole science.

The third is marketing. Making wine is one thing, it is important to be able to sell it. And here often the efforts of one winemaker cannot do it. Wine producers unite in associations, consortia, and unions to protect, promote, and popularize their own wines and wine production regions. As an example, the situation with Austrian wines in Russia. Holding annual salons of Austrian wines in Moscow for several years has done its job. Austria produces amazing wines, but conscious promotion of the product is also important here. Nowadays, any wine list of a decent Moscow restaurant cannot do without Austrian wines. Therefore, it is impossible to neglect marketing.

If we talk about marketing in terms of its share in the price of a bottle of inexpensive wine, then it’s probably worth looking for serious brands here, because they can afford to maintain the level of quality, for them it’s easier than for small producers. By the way, as a rule, small producers sell their wine material to larger ones, who mix it and release it under their own brand. If you really pay attention to the company, then you should choose large manufacturers.

How to drink

Much has already been said and written on this topic. Allegedly, you can screw up good wine so that you won’t experience anything: if you serve it at the wrong temperature or drink from the wrong glass. Following this logic, it turns out that inexpensive wine can be made more interesting, complicated by just the right presentation. Of course, a RUB 320 wine served at the right temperature won't turn into ambrosia in your Riedel glass, but at least give it a try. It will be a rewarding experience.

If you bother with a picnic, worry about the glass, the temperature of the wine. You will enjoy more. Of course, you can, like in your student years, drink wine from plastic cups, but in this case you are simply pouring something into yourself. In principle, there is no need to talk about any organoleptics.

What is the correct pitch? This is primarily temperature. Both red and white wines need to be refrigerated. Why is this important? Different aromatic compounds have different weights and evaporate at different rates at different temperatures. If you serve the wine warm, you will simply lose most of the aromatic components: they will evaporate. It’s better to supercool the wine a little and give it a chance to warm up in the glass (for a picnic, you can cool it a little more and wrap the bottle in foil so that it keeps the temperature longer). By the way, it heats up very quickly, so you need to hold the glass by the stem so as not to heat it by hand.

All red wines should be chilled to 16 degrees. Pink and white ones need to be cooled more, from 9 to 11 degrees. Simply place the bottle in the refrigerator for 30-40 minutes.

Get one universal glass. It has a Bordeaux shape - with an unsealed, cut edge. There are such impersonal wine glasses, the so-called jokers, made of thick glass, from which any wine will be the same in aroma and on the tongue.

I have several glasses at home, like any person who deals with wine, because I know that this affects the perception of wine. I don’t bother too much: I have five glasses. Two for sparkling wine: a narrower and taller one for prosecco and a larger one for champagne wines, which is more reminiscent of wine - the more serious the champagne, the larger the glass should be. The aroma appears due to evaporation, due to the interaction of oxygen with wine, and the larger the contact area, the larger the evaporation area, and the brighter the aroma will be. If the glass is wide in the middle and narrowed at the top, the aroma will be more concentrated. In addition, there is one glass for white wine - sauvignon blanc and riesling, one universal Bordeaux glass, another large Bordeaux glass for Bordeaux and the largest one - for serious wines, for example, pinot noir.

Well, don’t forget: the simpler the wine, the simpler the appetizer should be. After all, wine has always been and is a meal companion. Drink wine, taste it, write down your impressions, study wine. Everything is learned by comparison. We all once started with inexpensive wine.

ANton cutters

wine expert

Wine is a material that can sometimes be quite difficult to evaluate, like objects of art. There is poor quality cheap wine, but there is also poor expensive wine. Obviously, there is a certain lower price threshold, after which the price of wine “on the shelf” includes almost nothing except the cost of a glass bottle and the cost of capping it.

A bottle of wine made in Europe cannot cost one euro simply based on the labor costs of the winegrowers. At the same time, for example, for one and a half euros in Italy, for example, if you know the places, it is quite possible to buy a liter of sane table wine in bulk - from a machine similar to a gas station. This wine will not be outstanding or memorable in its characteristics, but if it is just normal, without mistakes, made under the right set of circumstances, with the right people and in the right place, you can drink it with great pleasure, for example, on a spontaneous picnic with some local snacks.

What follows from this? The emotional component of wine is extremely important. Of course, a wine that costs 100 euros a bottle will be different from wine from a gas station - it will be richer, with more complex aromas in the bouquet, it will live and develop in the glass, and you will understand this without difficulty, whereas a wine that costs one and a half euros will you will simply wash down your food - like water, but only with wine.

Will a wine that costs a thousand euros a bottle be any different from a wine that costs a hundred euros a bottle? Undoubtedly, but if you compare both with wine “from the gas station”, you are unlikely to notice the difference - rather, they will need to be compared with each other. Can a thousand euro wine be bad? Yes, it may turn out to be spoiled, for example, by a disease called “cork”, but if you buy such wines, then you can probably prove the defect to the people who sold it to you, and, in an amicable way, they should return your money, be it a sommelier in a restaurant or an importer.

In addition, expensive wines are sometimes counterfeited, as are art objects. Is it worth overpaying the conventional difference between a bottle that costs a hundred and a bottle that costs a thousand? This, to be honest, depends on who you want. Wines for 5, 10, 15, 50, 10, 500 and 1,000 euros per bottle can each be excellent in their own way, the main thing is not to try to compare them with each other solely on the basis of price and prove to anyone with foam at the mouth that the bottle of Massandra that you bought yesterday at Auchan for 400 rubles is cooler than this Portuguese port for 4 thousand rubles. If a winemaker set such a price for his wine, apparently he wanted to say something by this. If the price of your favorite wine hurts your eyes compared to the European one, try to find something similar in style, but only cheaper. All wine is different - this, in fact, is the main meaning of the “message in a bottle”.

Illustration: Olya Volk