I went to BevMo with plans to buy every nickel wine rated over 90 points, just as I’ve done in the past. Oops, wrong plan. There are over 150 wines in the sale rated over 90, so it’s not practical to buy them all. Not to mention tasting them all!
Instead, I chose a dozen summer wines to taste. These are all white wines under or around $10 when you factor in the nickel sale price. The results are below. Keep reading for the SURPRISE winner!
The Italian Stella Rosa Imperiale Brachetto is a unique sweet sparkling wine made from the Brachetto grape. I’m not a fan because it’s too sweet. It’s $19.99 a bottle and the second bottle is a nickel.
The 2010 Main & Geary Pinot Grigio from California is a decent wine made better because the price makes it a bargain: just $12.99 for the first bottle (a nickel for the second).
The Villa Alena Prosecco is okay. But it’s not as good as many other Prosecco’s, and at $18.99 for the first bottle (a nickel for the second) it is too expensive even at the sale price.
The 2010 Gen 5 Chardonnay has a strong berry taste, something like raspberries. Not what I want in my Chardonnay. It’s $14.99 for the first bottle and a nickel for the second.
The 2010 Ranch 32 Chardonnay is a safe and sane wine, meaning it’s a predictable taste that neither disappoints nor surprises. It’s $19.99 for the first bottle and a nickel for the second.
The Italian 2011 La Castella Pinot Grigio is priced well at $12.99 for the first bottle and a nickel for the second. It’s light and crisp, though lacking in any real character.
I liked the Italian 2010 Mezzacorona Chardonnay, which at $8.99 for the first bottle is definitely the bargain of the bunch. It wasn’t a great wine by any means, but it’s a decent wine that would be fine for everyday use. ** Alert here, D’Aun did not like this wine.
The 2010 Trinity Oaks Pinot Grigio tasted a lot like Sauvignon Blanc to me. Not what I want in a Pinot Grigio. It’s $9.99 for the first bottle.
This is tricky to explain, but the 2009 Emile Chandesais Bourgogne Chardonnay from France tasted like … um … let’s call it a barnyard taste. Definitely not worth the $19.99 for the first bottle.
Some people love the oaky Chardonnay with vanilla and butter taste. It’s a classic California style that when done right is amazing. When overdone it’s lousy. But if you like that style, the 2010 Firestone Chardonnay and the 2010 Irony Chardonnay are both worth trying. At $16.99 for the first bottle of Firestone and $15.99 for the first bottle of Irony, they are priced right during the sale.
I was puzzled by the 2010 Michael Pozzan Chardonnay from the Russian River area because I couldn’t quite figure out what they were trying to do with it. Not worth the $16.99 for the first bottle.
Finally, I tried the 2009 Zaca Mesa Viognier. I usually like Viognier, so it was surprising to taste one that was disappointing. Maybe you’ll like it, but at $19.99 for the first bottle I found it overpriced.
So when all is said and done about the BevMo Nickel Sale, I found myself wondering what I could buy in the $10 range from the neighborhood wine shop. Turns out that you can get a lot of value. Jim at The Wine Steward suggested I try three different white wines, all priced at $10.99 or less. And guess what: all three are better than anything I tried at BevMo. And when you look at the non-sale price for the BevMo wines, the Wine Steward wines look amazingly well priced. Here they are:
The 2011 La Domitienne Picpoul de Pinet was wonderful. A good wine at just $10.99. It’s a varietal few people have heard about, much less tried. But this French wine is a wonderful option for a hot summer afternoon.
The 2011 McManis Pinot Grigio was $10.99 and tasted like a Pinot Grigio should: simple, clean, with a touch of fruity sweetness that blends well with a citrus crispness.
And the 2010 Calina Chardonnay from Chile was just $9.49 and was better than any of the Chardonnays I mentioned above.
So what should you buy at the BevMo Nickel Sale? Not much. Go to The Wine Steward and talk to Jim instead!
