Simple (and cheap) wines can be totally delicious. 4,5 € means cheap in the wine world (in Europe for sure), you only get entry level quaffers for that price but when well-made they can be more enjoyable than some more expensive ones lacking balance. And this is pretty solid.
great value
Cru quality Cotes du Rhone: Saint Cosme 2023
I bought Saint Cosme wines every year around 2010 and really loved the producer – I even visited them in 2013 which was a great experience. Then I somehow missed many vintages so I was happy to re-visit them again – and what a return! This basic cuvée was always great value but the current vintage is next level. I need to buy more!
Supermarket wines: Lidl Trebbiano D’Abruzzo 2023
Supermarket wines: Lidls Deluxe Reserva Privada Sauvignon Blanc 2023
Supermarket wines: Eszterbauer Sógor Kadarka 2023
The Sógor kadarka is back on form! The 2023 is as good as the best vintage I have tasted yet, the 2019. It’s good news, regarding that the 2022 was a disappointment. It’s a bit early but so far it seems that 2023 yielded the most charming and delicious Hungarian wines in recent years. Even though it was a disaster for most wine producers…
Lovely Beaujolais: Domaine du Mont Verrier Villages 2022
Can cheap red Burgundy be good? Doudet-Naudin Macon 2020
After some search, this was one the cheapest red Burgundy I found online in Europe – admittedly I mostly looked for merchants in Germany, as they are the most reliable and they almost always deliver wines to Hungary (and at a fair price). These days you won’t find many wines from this genre that cost less than 10 €, and those, just like this one, are most likely not a pinot noir, but a blend with gamay. It’s very good nevertheless.
Supermarket wines: Lidl Pinot Grigio delle Venezie 2022
It’s hard to imagine a more enjoyable white wine for the price (5,5€). Half the bottle was gone in 10 minutes at a family dinner, I mean by me alone – I just then realised I had to slow down. It’s that delicious. Continue reading
Amazing supermarket Tokaji: Royal Tokaji Late Harvest 2017
Péter Pince Mézes-mály Hárslevelű 2021
Four years passed since I reviewed the 2018 vintage of this wine (read here), and while the current release is better, the price is almost the same. Great value!