I always like to look back at last year’s list. Not going to include any on the list no matter how good they were in 2023. Sorry 2021 Result of a Crush Syrah as I am currently drinking will creating this list.
Always my 2nd favorite list of the year as there are so many quality wines around the world under $30.00 and with some guidance, tasting a lot and trying new things you too can create your own great list.
Here is the top 10 in reverse order.
10. 2021 Torbreck Woodcutter’s Shiraz – Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley (1/6/2024)
Day 1: Manufactured wine with a slight chemical smell and taste. Some pepper, dark fruits and spice. Simple stuff and a distant level of quality from the early to mid 2000s. 81 points
Day 3: No better and just a disjointed wine. A bit of heat along with underbrush, pepper and spices. Fruit is ripe and not enjoyable wine at all. 80 points
Recommendation: Please bring back the decant $25 and under Aussie wines.
Day 5: Well a little better. Fruit is just not there but less chemical in taste. Spices, floral, pepper and mild blueberries. Short to medium finish. 85 points
Day 7: Been doing this game a long time and this is the most epic transformation over time in my history. A sloppy mess on day 1 but on day 7 this is exactly what I remember is so great about this wine. Black pepper, eucalyptus, blackberries, minerals, spice and Lavendar. Great concentration and medium plus finish. If this was not a screw cap would have dumped it out after day 3 but glad I did not. 92 points
Recommendation: Based on a day 7 opening up on this one drink from 2027 to 2032. (92 points)
Cost: $24.00 Sam’s Club Bloomington
9. 2022 Seghesio Family Vineyards Zinfandel Sonoma County – USA, California, Sonoma County (12/8/2024)
Day 1: Had to buy a bottle to see if this would make the 3 Day Wine Review official top 10 under $30. Must have full days of tasting it and not from an in-store tasting. This is solid overall with cherry, dust, boysenberries, bramble, mild spice and floral notes. Way better than the last many vintages of this wine. Buy with confidence on this vintage. 92 points
Day 2: Excellent as well with floral, bramble, boysenberries, cherry and plum. A touch of pepper on this medium plus finish. Very fruit forward offering that would be a true crowd pleaser. 92+ points
Day 3: Outstanding again. Really holding form. Boysenberries, cracked pepper, floral, cherry, plum, spice, bramble and dust. Medium plus finish. 92+ points
Recommendation: This rivals some of the single vineyard offerings in recent memory. Highly recommend this wine as one of the best vintages in years. (92 points)
Cost: $22.00 Haskell’s Bloomington
8. 2022 Casanova di Neri Irrosso di Casanova di Neri – Italy, Tuscany, Toscana IGT (11/23/2024)
Day 1: Opened this at the tasting bar and offered a pour to several customers. Everyone loved it. Was going to get a case but wine is for sharing so left with 5 bottles. Amazing wine with a nice rustic edge featuring iron, dried leaves, sour cherry, menthol, earth and minerals. Medium plus finish and nice acidity. A true gem under $30.00. 93 points
Day 2: Wild game, funk, sour cherry, iron, minerals, dried leaves and earth. What an amazing value. 93 points
Recommendation: You like $60 plus super Tuscans then you will love this wine. (93 points)
Cost: $27.00 Sunfish Cellars
7. 2021 Grosgrain Vineyards Petit Grosgrain – USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley (3/5/2024)
Diam closure. Blend of 46% Grenache, 16% Syrah, 15% Mourvèdre, 8% Carignan.
Day 1: Ok this is a dude. Result of a Crush is the best wines in Walla Walla for $25 and this is so boring at that price point. Candy fruit, mild spice and floral. I really hope this improves on day 2. 75 points
Day 2: One thing great about the 3 day wine review is the honest reviews I offer. Hated this wine on day 1 and a massive improvement on day 2. Funk, raspberries, blue fruits, floral notes, pepper, minerals and green olives. Medium plus finish and very complex offering. Outstanding effort. 92 points
Day 3: Holding form of day 2. This wine needs a serious decant or hold.
Recommendation: 4 plus hour decant or drink from 2026 to 2032. (92 points)
Cost: $27.50 Sunfish Cellars
6. 2020 Tenuta di Arceno Il Fauno Di Arcanum Toscana IGT – Italy, Tuscany, Toscana IGT (2/28/2024)
Merlot 41%, Cabernet Franc 34%, Cabernet Sauvignon 20% & Petit Verdot 5%.
Day 1: Natural cork. Pop and pour and nice fruit up front featuring sour cherry, plum and blueberries. Mild funk, earth, leather and dried rose petals. Medium plus finish and very solid wine. 92 points
Day 2: A little dill along with sour cherry, dried herbs, earth, blueberries, leather, spices and rose petals. A complex effort for the money and medium plus finish. 91 points
Day 3: The best of the 3. This has plenty of life left and is a steal at $30 a bottle. Roasted Chesnuts, baking chocolate, dried herbs, blueberries, leather, crushed rose petals and sour cherry. Concentrated and balanced and nice acidity. A really good vintage of this wine. 93 points
Recommendation: 5 hour decant or drink over 3 days. This will cellar until 2031. (93 points)
Cost: $29.99 South Lyndale Liquors
5. 2020 Stéphane Usseglio Châteauneuf-du-Pape Le Vin du Pape – En Memoire a Jean XXII – France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape (3/2/2024)
Day 1: Opened a second bottle and much better. Garigue, spices, raspberries, minerals, sour cherry and forest floor. Medium plus finish. 93 points
Day 3: Still great and a super CDP value. 93 points
Recommendation: Under $30 from WTSO. (93 points)
Cost: $28.99 WTSO
4. 2013 Robert Foley Merlot – USA, California, Napa Valley (4/28/2024)
Day 1: This is the best $25 other than result of a crush. Bought via auction and could have had two cases instead of one. Funk, gravel, plum, tobacco, menthol, cherry and earth. Right banker in disguise. 94 points
Day 2: Holding form nicely. This is the best bottle of the case so far and gives great promise this wine will drink well through 2030. Menthol, funk, tobacco, sour cherry, stone, earth and smoke. Big style wine but so good. 94 points
Day 3: Over 10 years old and holding form. Wow purchase from my friends at Chicago Wine Company. Win for sure.
Recommendation: Should have bought all 3 cases instead of one. (94 points)
Cost: $24.00 Chicago Wine Company Auction
3. 2021 Result of a Crush Claret – USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley (7/20/2024)
Day 1: Deciding on getting a few more cases of this for fall shipment. Had at the tasting room but not as good as say day 2/3. Wish more tasting rooms would do that. Consumers would be amazed. Anyway this is drinking well with minerals, cherry, dust, stone, graphite and blue currants. Super complex wine and long finish. 93 points
Day 2: Beautiful minerality on this savory wine with blueberries, spices, cherry, graphite, stone, dust and floral notes. Really nice acidity and medium finish. A true gem. 93+ points
Day 3: Minerals, blueberries, stone, dust, floral notes, cherry and earth. Super complex wine and off the charts value. 94 points
Recommendation: One of the best wines in America for under $30.00. (94 points)
Cost: $30.00 Result of a Crush Wine Club
| 2. 2021 Big Table Farm Chardonnay The Wild Bee – USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley (3/8/2024) Day 1: Diam closure. This is an amazing wine. Honeysuckles, lemon zest, stone, Carmel, subtle oak and spices. Very clean and complex wine with perfect balance. Nice acidity. A true gem.92+ points Day 2: This is even better. Amazing effort and for $33 can’t beat the price. Subtle oak, lemon zest, orange peel, spices, stone, tropical fruit and minerals. Medium finish and nice acidity. Excellent. 94 points Day 3: Holding the form of day 2 and at this price will be purchasing more. 94 points Recommendation: Easy Twin Cities purchase. (94 points) Cost: $29.99 Sunfish Cellars |
1.2010 Weingut von Othegraven Ockfener Bockstein Riesling Kabinett – Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (11/29/2024)
Day 2: Opened at Thanksgiving and I was the only one who liked it but remember most people like Total Wine style wines. This is the richest Kabinett I have ever tasted. The color is dark gold. Almost Auslese like with golden delicious apples, honey, ripe peaches, spice, chalk, minerals and orange peel. Super complex and medium plus finish. Nice acidity. A real stellar offering for $24. 94 points
Day 3: This is amazing. Honey, ripe peaches, slate, stone, golden delicious apples, orange peel and chalk. A top wine of the year candidate for the price. 94+ points
Day 4: Wow was this good over the 4 days. The color on this looks like it is 30 plus years old but day 4 still fresh and delicious. Sour apple, petrol, honey, ripe peaches, floral, mild spice, stone and minerals. Super complex offering and can’t believe this wine was under $25. 94.5 points
Recommendation: Wow if you can get this somewhere buy it. (94 points)
Cost: $24.18 Surdky’s
Excellent reporting John! I look forward to hunting down some of these wines.