‘MURICA WINES - THE B SIDE EDITION
3 WONDERFULLY WEIRD, WACKY RED WINES UNDER $30.00 FROM THE US OF A TO TRY THIS 4TH OF JULY
It’s a party in the USA.
July 4th falls on a Sunday this year. And what better way to celebrate than to throw some burgers on the grill, chill poolside, and pop open a nice bottle of vino.
I wanted to devote this blogpost to wines from American producers you MAY have heard of, but hype some wines of theirs that are off the beaten path — their deeper cuts if you will.
These will probably be wines you can find in a grocery store from fairly recognizable names - BUT they will be really interesting varietals you’ve probably never heard of.
I personally love it when some of the more well-known wine producers try their hand experimenting with more esoteric varietals. I’ve also noticed it’s these esoteric varietals that are often cheaper than some of their more mainstream stuff.
Regardless, weird geeky grapes are a really cool way to get a sense of the winemaker’s style. And now, without further ado, let’s get to it!
J. LOHR WILDFLOWER VALDIGUIÉ - $8.49 @ Marketview Liquor
Valdi-wha?
If you’ve ever been to a grocery store or had grandparents, you’ve probably heard of J. Lohr. But that doesn’t mean this producer based out of Cali’s Central Coast is out of touch. It’s actually quite the opposite. J. Lohr’s commitment to sustainability is actually BONKERS. All their wineries and vineyards are certified by the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance. Just last year, they were recognized as leaders in their field. For a winery the size of J. Lohr, it’s actually really freaking impressive.
If you’re wondering what the hell Valdiguié is, it’s a dark purple wine that’s super floral. There’s lots of spices like black pepper and clove. If you’re fan of lighter-bodied reds like Beaujolais or Cali Gamay, you’re probably gonna go nuts for Valdiguié. And the best thing about J. Lohr’s Wildflower Valdiguié? You can find it for under $10.00.
HEITZ GRIGNOLINO - $23.95 @ Mission Wine & Spirits
I used to rep Heitz. And I gotta tell you, if there’s one wine I’m kicking myself I didn’t sell more of, it’d be this one.
The Grignolino is one of the few wines Heitz has that’s at a price point most of us can afford. If you’re lucky enough to drink Martha’s Vineyard Cabernet on a regular basis I tip my hat to you, but as you all know Thurstqueen is about finding affordable wines under $30.00 and Martha’s Vineyard wouldn’t fit in that category.
The reason I wish I could have sold more of it is is they’ve stopped making this Grignolino. Instead, Heitz has created a new label called Brendel as of 2019, which is a sparkling version of this Grignolino. I haven’t had it yet, and definitely plan on giving it a go in the future.
Regardless, I dug the crap out of the old school Grignolino. It was delicious and tasted like ripe strawberries - I mean, the name means, “little strawberry,” so go figure. This was the perfect picnic wine, and it literally would go with EVERYTHING. If you’re into Italian Dolcetto - you will love Grignolino. This is definitely a bottle to snag if you run into it on your travels.
JEFF RUNQUIST, “R” PETIT VERDOT - $27.00 Jeff Runquist Wines
If you’ve ever been to a Total Wine, you’ve probably seen a tall, skinny black bottle with the numbers “1448” on it. That’s Jeff Runquist’s most famous wine, the 1448 proprietary blend. That red blend is a tremendous value as well and is a delicious, smoky, fruity, powerful blend that’s the ultimate BBQ wine.
Jeff Runquist is a producer based out of Amador County and what I like about his style is he takes wines that are absolutely MASSIVE like Petit Sirah - total dad wine - and makes them in a soft approachable style.
You don’t see a lot of single varietal Petit Verdot, because this varietal is a freaking BRUISER. It’s like Malbec on STEROIDS. Petit Verdot is literally the Incredible Hulk of grapes.
But when Jeff gets his hands on this varietal? It’s so smooth and silky it’s ridiculous. The last time I visited Jeff, he was vinifying wines in plastic bins. His winemaking style is extremely gentle, and he uses a mixture of French and American oak. But the thing is, there’s a beautiful freshness to this Petit Verdot. Fans of really powerful reds like Malbec and Syrah will go absolutely nuts for this wine.