Value Wines For May

Prices Have Gone...Down? Yes.

Good Wine Is Affordable In BCL Stores If You Know Where To Look

Liquor and wine sales are down significantly around the world, including British Columbia. This is finally showing up in deeper discounts on wine in BCL outlets (BC government liquor stores) and May prices are some of the deepest yet, only a dollar or two more than the lowest price before but in the right direction! Discounts range from $2.00 to $7.00 per bottle and from 10%-35%.

Writing and publishing this newsletter over the last four years or so has enabled me to track wine prices over that time. The general direction has certainly been up but I didn’t think that four years later there would still be very decent wines selling for under $11.00 a bottle and this month there are even a few wines where the regular price has been rolled back.

Prices are rising on just about everything these days or else the portions are being shrunk or the quality is going down or some combination of all three. But they ARE out there - good affordable wines. You just have to know which provide the best value for your money.

This newsletter was created to help regular wine drinkers avoid poor and overpriced wines and find instead, those best value wines, all priced under $30.00, with many costing much less. For instance, this month, there are 63 wines (the most ever) reviewed, with 32 of them costing $15.00 or less.

The wine bargain reviews are independently and originally written by me (no AI ever) and the wines are widely available from B.C. government liquor stores. Along with the actual review you will often find notes explaining different wine terms or backgrounds on various related wine areas.

There is no advertising, sponsorship or clickbait in BC Wine Bargains and with a few exceptions the wines reviewed are purchased by me.

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There’s no need to buy a dud wine.

Here are just four of the great value wines available this month.

Argentina

ED EDMUNDO DOUBLE OAKED CHARDONNAY 2024 - ARGENTINA

$19.99 reduced to 12.99 until May 30 - 750 ml.

On the nose, similar to vanilla yogurt, not off putting but well, there it is - plus a touch of lemon. The level of oak in the flavours is not as big and scary as the label might indicate, quite mild really compared to some of the lumbering California chards. The flavours include vanilla and a tropical fruit mix. The soft acidity makes it very easy, rounded and smooth though I wish it was a bit livelier. Definitely worth it at the sale price.

87 Points Richer, Oak Influenced Whites Find Store Nearest You SKU: 266489

Spain

FELIX SOLIS ROCK AND ROOTS ORGANIC TEMPRANILLO SHIRAZ - CASTILLA, SPAIN

$17.99 reduced to $11.99 until May 30 - 750 ml. SKU: 313323

The first light scent here is an interesting one of plum jam, baked cherry pie, along with graphite/charcoal briquette. The charcoal aroma note seems unusual but ultimately fits in with the flavours. There’s good intensity here of both dusty and fresh fruit along with some interesting tannins that contribute a lot to the lovely flavours. Unusually, the tannins actually lead the flavours in this wine with the fruit singing harmony instead of vice versa. The tannins here are structured, supple and fine grained without harshness, providing this light touch of charcoal that wraps around the core of red berry and dark savoury black plum fruit in a very pleasing way. Tasted ✓ 89 Points Savoury Fruit Red

Find Store Nearest You

Chile

MIGUEL TORRES LOCO DE PIEDRA CARMENERE 2024 - VALLE CENTRALE, CHILE

$16.99 reduced to $11.99 until May 30 - 750 ml.

This carménère is on the lighter side in terms of colour and flavour but there are clear, fresh aromatic notes of mulberry and raspberry along with herbal cedar and dusty cement. The flavours follow through, again showing light red berry fruits and there’s a good balance of acidity along with some relaxed tannins. This wine shows how pleasing carménère can be, even at a lower price point. It’s lighter but balanced, interesting, pleasing and easy drinking. 88 Points Ripe Fruit Forward Red

Find Store Nearest You SKU: 304320

Italy

COLLE CORVIANO MAGNOLIA - CERASUOLO D’ABRUZZO, ITALY

$19.99 reduced to 14.99 until May 30 - 750 ml.

Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo is an Italian DOC classification of a rosé style wine made from the Montepulciano grape in the Abruzzo wine region. The name cerasuolo, meaning “cherry” relates to the colour coming from its brief skin contact with the highly pigmented skins of the Montepulciano grape.

Cerasuolo originally existed as an official style within Montepulciano d’Abruzzo and was given its own DOC in 2010 – the first pink DOC in Italy.

A delightfully different rosé showing a delicate but giving nose of rose petal, light, expressive strawberry and cherry notes along with rose hip tea. The flavours provide a nice contrast with the Provence Rosé style and the colour tends more to strawberry flesh than salmon. It shows very fresh fruit flavours of strawberry and watermelon but a balancing acidity and a light but precise thread of skin tannins keep it from being cloying. Fruity, yet lean with touches of cranberry, the finish is long and placid. Pair with garlic prawns, scallops or saffron pistachios. 89 Points Rosé (dry/off dry)

Find Store Nearest You SKU: 365095

RIGHT WINE VIBE FOR THE MOOD OR OCCASION

To save you time and help you connect with the right wine for your mood or the occasion, below there are some wine suggestions in a number of handy short lists, all taken from this month’s sale wines.

Good Enough Weekday Wines Under $13.00 Sunday, Friends, Bar­be­cue Celebration/Best Dinner Party Wines Bigger, Fruit Forward Reds Easy Reds for Pizza & Pasta Whites for Chicken, & Fish Off the Beaten Path/Step Up Rosé

Go to the country shown to read or listen to that wine’s full review.