Some of the best wine values often seem like they shouldn’t be. Case in point: How can wine from in and around the Mediterranean cost about $10 and still be drinkable?
The reason is real estate, which is much less expensive in places like southern France, Spain, southern Italy, Greece and even Israel and Lebanon. Land costs so little that it more than makes up for the expense of shipping it to the United States.
Consider wines from these regions when you want a decent bottle but don’t want the wine to cost two or three times the dinner:
Southern France:
Dallas’ Martin Sinkoff was one of the first to import value-concious wines like Reserve St. Martin (a fine bulk wine, which is the technical term that includes wine in a 1.5 liter bottle). Most Dallas-area liquor stores also carry one of a half dozen or so Provencal roses that are clean, crisp and eminently drinkable.
Spain:
What’s better than an inexpensive, hearty red wine than one that comes in plastic bull attached to it? Try Sangre de Toro, made by the well-known Torres family, and keep the bull. It’s amazing how they can pile up.
Greece:
Kouros Patras is a citrusy, fruit forward Fume Blanc that compares well with its more expensive California brethren (and resembles some of those made in the Pacific Northwest). Serve it well chilled with chicken or fish.
