Uncle Patrick’s (Useless or Useful, you decide) Tip of the Day — Inexpensive Red Wine

Every time I’m at Bottle Barn, a liquor store or a grocery mart, I’m confronted with an overwhelming selection of wine. Since I primarily drink red wine, half the bottles on the shelf become irrelevant (whites, pinks and everything else in between). So instead of 1000 choices, I now have 500; still a plethora of decisions.

I’ve turned to some experts who’ve helped the situation by writing an article in the local newspaper called "Tasting Room". Click here for a link to this article and its archives online I’ve taken their suggestions for a wide range of red wine and then trimmed out anything over $20 and rated between and (except in a few instances) and compiled the list here for your consumption. If you have any suggestions, please reply within the comments; I’d love to hear about your favorites.

This list is in no particular order and each item contains a link to detailed information about the wine on the Tasting Room/Press Democrat website…

ZINFANDEL
Sebastiani    2004 Sonoma County - Zinfandel ($15)
7 Deadly Zins    2004 Old Vine, Lodi - Zinfandel ($17)
Francis Coppola    2004 Red Label, California - Zinfandel ($18)
Kendall-Jackson    2004 Vintner’s Reserve, California - Zinfandel ($12)
Camelot    2003 California - Zinfandel ($9)
Atelier    2004 Contra Costa County, California - Zinfandel ($22)
McNab Ridge    2003 Mendocino - Zinfandel ($18)
Sin Zin    2004 Alexander Valley - Zinfandel ($20)
Clos La Chance    2003 Central Coast - Zinfandel ($18)
Edmeades Vineyards    2003 Piffero Vnyrd., Redwood Valley - Zinfandel ($25)
Hanna Winery    2002 Alexander Valley - Zinfandel ($20)

PINOT NOIR
Smoking Loon    2004 California - Pinot Noir ($9)
Gallo Family Vineyards    2004 Reserve, Sonoma - Pinot Noir ($15)
R.H. Phillips    2004 Toasted Head, California - Pinot Noir ($17)
Buena Vista    2004 Ramal Vineyard, Carneros - Pinot Noir ($34)
Clos Du Bois    2004 Sonoma County - Pinot Noir ($18)
Handley    2004 Mendocino - Pinot Noir ($19)
Kenwood    2004 Russian River Valley - Pinot Noir ($18)
Topel    2002 Serendipity, Monterey - Pinot Noir ($23)
Chalone Vineyard     2004 Monterey - Pinot Noir ($15)
Martin Ray Wines    2004 Angeline, Russian River Valley - Pinot Noir ($10)
Alderbrook Vineyards & Winery    2003 Russian River - Pinot Noir ($24)
Edna Valley    2003 Paragon, Edna Valley - Pinot Noir ($16)
Three Thieves    2004 Circle K Ranch, California - Pinot Noir ($11)
Big House Red    2004 Red Table Wine, California - red wines ($10)
Sterling Vintner’s Collection    2004 Central Coast - Pinot Noir ($14)

MERLOT
Genesis    2003 Washington - Merlot ($16)
Belvedere    2002 Healldsburg Ranchers, Sonoma County - Merlot ($18)
Cellar No. 8    2003 California - Merlot ($10)
Montpellier    2003 California - Merlot ($7)
Turning Leaf Vineyards    2003 Reserve, California - Merlot ($8)
Beaulieu Vineyards (BV)    2002 Napa Valley - Merlot ($18)
Delicato Vineyards    2004 California - Merlot ($7)
Esser Vineyards    2004 California - Merlot ($10)
Forest Glen    2004 California - Merlot ($10)
Hahn Estates    2004 Monterey - Merlot ($14)
Taft Street    2003 Sonoma County - Merlot ($13)

CAB
Moon Mountain    2003 Sonoma County - Cabernet Sauvignon ($16)
Chateau St. Jean    2003 California - Cabernet Sauvignon ($15)
Meridian    2003 California - Cabernet Sauvignon ($12)
Hess Estate    2002 Napa Valley - Cabernet Sauvignon ($20)
Sebastiani    2002 Sonoma Valley - Cabernet Sauvignon ($17)
Shannon Ridge    2002 Lake - Cabernet Sauvignon ($19)

RED BLEND
Kendall-Jackson    2002 Vintner’s Reserve, Sonoma - Other red ($16)
Mia’s Playground    2003 Alexander Valley - Other red ($16)
Ladybug Red  NV Cuvee V, Redwood Valley - Other red ($13)
Steelhead Red  2003 Dry Creek Red Wine, Sonoma - Other red ($18)

SYRAH/SHIRAZ
Pepperwood Grove    2004 California - Syrah ($8)
Jade Mountain    2003 Monterey - Syrah ($15)
Hogue Cellars    2003 Columbia Valley - Syrah ($9)
Cline Cellars    2003 California - Syrah ($13)
Quivira Vineyards    2003 Dry Creek Valley - Syrah ($16)
White Oak  2002 Napa Valley - Syrah ($25)
Clos du Bois    2003 Sonoma County - Shiraz ($14)
Black Swan  2003 Southeastern Australia - Shiraz ($7)

Right-Click this link and “Save As” to download a PDF version of this list (so you can take it to the store with you)