Charles Shaw. Remember the name. More specifically, remember Charles Shaw Winery if you want good, cheap wines. The wines produced under the Charles Shaw label are remarkably drinkable. You’ll love them if you’re not a snob with a wine cellar full of vintage wines. Once you start drinking these good cheap wines, you’ll never want to stop-they taste so good for the price. What more could you ask for?
Charles Shaw does not produce cheap rot gut wine. There are a lot of wines in the $3.00 category, but Charles Shaw outshines them all with the most drinkable dinner wine-you’ll want to guzzle them, but don’t. Life is too short to guzzle a ”3-buck chuck”. Under the Charles Shaw label you will find five varieties of wine-three red and two white.
Go with Merlot (red)
Famous as the most popular grape grown in Bordeau, France, but now grown in California, Merlot is smooth and mellow. Merlot has enjoyed a steady rise in popularity-maybe because several types of grapes are blended to achieve that soft, fruity flavor-a rich plend of plum, black cherry, violet and orange. Serve merlot just slightly below room temperature for best results. I like a glass of Merlot with a rich, red pasta dish.
Carbernet Sauvignon (red)
If you want a wine that speaks its mind, come to the Cabernet…. but be aware that it mellows as it ages. It too has a somewhat fruity taste, but be careful what foods you pair it with; it will overwhelm delicate dishes. I like this fine dinner wine with lamb.
Shiraz (red)
The most widely planted grape variety in Australia, Shiraz grapes produce a wine with that’s dark and has a peppery flavor that I really like. You should drink this wine with your more intensely flavored meats like Elk, Boar and Caribou; it’s good with lamb too.
Chardonnay (white)
Are you going on a romantic picnic in the mountains with just a basketful of bread, cheese and fruit? Then take along a lightly fruity Chardonnay; I can’t think of a better way to enjoy the semi-dry, apple-like flavor of this delicate and delicious cheap white wine.
Sauvignon Blanc (white)
This wine is crisp, dry and oh so refreshing. The name sauvignon means savage, and you could say it fits that description. It’s said to have a grassy taste, but I found it leaned more toward the tropical, and I loved the way it tasts with sushi-it’s one of the few cheap white wines that goes well with this delicacy.
You must be asking yourself why these wines are so darn cheap; well I couldn’t believe their prices myself. When I went wine shopping, I expected to spend at least $20.00 on a decent bottle of wine.
What’s happened is that California is growing a lot more grapes than it used to, and a lot more people have decided to open wineries and make the stuff. Because of all this, the price of grapes has plummeted, resulting in cheap, but good wine for all of us.
Sources
- http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/48679/cheap_wines_top_5_wines_under_300.html?page=3&cat=22
- http://www.huntingsociety.org/Shiraz.html
- http://www.localwineevents.com/
Useful Resources
- Visit http://www.LocalWineEvents.com to find out about wine events worldwide. Get your wine questions answered, submit articles, find out about wine-tasting clubs and vacations; it’s all here.
- Join the Red Wine Academy and get a free newsletter all about red wine.
- http://www.redwineacademy.com/?gclid=COasueWbxZUCFQJ-xgodjRKnjQ
- About.com offers a very comprehensive listing of wine suggestions for Christmas dinner, no matter what you’re serving. Visit them at http://wine.about.com/od/holidayswithwine/a/Christmasdinner.htm
