Current Issue Articles

by Sherrie Petersen

   In these tough economic times, everybody’s looking for a bargain. Fortunately, it’s not too hard to find a good wine that can fit even the tightest budget.
  Of course, the best way to find a good bottle of wine would be to visit a tasting room and sample the wine you would like to buy. But sometimes there just isn’t enough time to squeeze in leisurely tastings at numerous wineries. So here’s a listing of just a few of the local wines you can find for under $20.
  Daniel Gehrs has been making wine for more than 30 years. You can be certain that when you buy his wine, a lot of care and experience has been poured into the bottle as well. His 2007 Reisling, 2008 Gewurztraminer and 2005 Unoaked Chardonnay are all listed at $19. And here’s a really yummy bargain: his 2005 Chenin Blanc sells for just $12! Like the Reisling and Gewurztraminer, the Chenin Blanc is cold fermented and full of delicate fruit flavors. If you’re looking for a great value in a handcrafted wine, this is it. Pick up a bottle at the Daniel Gehrs tasting room, 2939 Grand Avenue in Los Olivos.
   At Royal Oaks Winery you’ll find a number of wines that retail under $20. The 2007 Sauvignon Blanc, 2007 Semillon, 2007 Gewurztraminer, 2006 Merlot Rosé, Niagara, Winter Pear, Royal Rosé and Concord all range in price from $15.99 to $18.99.
  “Wines don’t have to be expensive to be good,” says tasting room assistant Marianne Chambers. The Royal Oaks Winery tasting room is located at 1651 Copenhagen Drive in Solvang.
While the Olive House might not be the first place you think of when it comes to wine, owner Jeff Feeley keeps a nice variety of local wines in stock and he’s always happy to open a bottle for you to sample when you stop by. He can even recommend four bottles under $20: a Reisling, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio and a Chardonnay. “You can usually find a lot of white wines under $20,” he says. “Red wine under $20 is tough.”
  Tough, but not impossible.
  El Rancho Market has a large selection of wine, both locally produced favorites and internationally known labels. Brian Evans, beverage manager at the market, offers some simple tips for “decoding” a wine label to figure out if what’s inside will appeal to your palate.
  “If you’ve had a wine from a vineyard or appellation that you like, look for that on the label,” he recommends. “The wines won’t be exactly the same, but they’ll probably be more similar to what you’ve liked before.”
  He also recommends looking for single vineyard wines. He says, “They tend to be higher quality and to have smaller production, so they use all the bells and whistles to make the wine the best that it can be.”
  Evans has several recommendations for good quality reds under $20. John Kerr’s Californio wines include a Zinfandel, a Syrah and a Chardonnay. All are priced at just $8.99! Mark West Pinot Noir, a lighter pinot with soft acids, and Christian Moueix Merlot, a 2005 Bordeaux, both sell for $12.99. Saisson L’Hiver Syrah, a rich wine with wonderful tannins and a hint of oak, sells for $17.99. Evans recommends decanting this wine before drinking.
  El Rancho Market offers tastings most Saturdays. Call Brian Evans (245-1052) to find out what they’ll be sampling each week. El Rancho Market is located at 2886 Mission Drive (Highway 246) in Solvang.
   The list may not be long, but the wines are tasty, and definitely worth the price. Try one or a few. At these prices, you can afford to experiment a little to discover some new treats.