Eighth 2008 Tasters Guild Event

 WORLD'S GREATEST WINE VALUES
A Tasting of the Highest-Rated Under-$15 Wines

at Best Western  2900 Jackson Rd, Ann Arbor

Monday, August 25; 7:00 pm

Map of 2900 Jackson Rd, Ann Arbor MI

I’m not ashamed to use numerical scores to express my relative enthusiasm for wines, nor to publish others’. I find they’re useful references and measuring rods. So long as there’s text.

Sometimes I’m reading my favorite wine magazines, noticing prices soaring, wondering if these days it costs $30 or more to buy a 90-pointer, and suddenly an extraordinary value pops off the page. And just when I’m thinking the magazines are becoming all about expensive and famous wines, a best-buy section leaps up to remind me that Wine Spectator, Wine Enthusiast, Wine & Spirits, and Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate have not lost sight of the wines we consume 90% of the time. Indeed, the first three parallel their annual Top 100 lists with Top 100 Best Value lists, while Parker frequently includes best-value sections in his publication.

Each year I peruse these lists and sections to make a selection of 60 best-value wines for upcoming wine-auction fund-raisers, and, boy, do these lots sell for big premiums over retail. If they’re so popular, I got to thinking, how about a Tasters Guild event along similar lines? Indeed, the First and Second Annual Best Values tasting were really popular events, worth repeating.

 So early next month I’m going to peruse the year's Top 100 Wine Values lists and Best Value sections of the above-mentioned magazines, and select 60+ wines in good availability that have rated 86/100 to 90/100 (or higher!) and that retail for $15 or less. Who knows? I may end up with all 90+/100 wines. That’s what happened when I put together this year’s auction lots!

We’ll have a much-improved Best Western buffet, plenty of Renner bread, and a sampling of best-value olive oils and cheeses.

We'll have tasting notes sheets for you at the tasting, but here's a preview of the list of wines and comestibles for the evening:

WINES (abbreviations follow the list)

U.S. 05 CLOS LA CHANCE HUMMINGBIRD SERIES - BUFF-BELLIED CENTRAL COAST ZINFANDEL CA HR
U.S. 06 FIVE RIVERS MONTEREY PINOT GRIGIO WE87
CHILE 07 MONTGRAS RESERVA COLCHAGUA VALLEY CABERNET SAUVIGNON RW5
CHILE 07 MONTGRAS RESERVA COLCHAGUA VALLEY CARMENERE RW5
AUSTRALIA 06 RED HEADS STUDIO YARD DOG SE AUSTRALIA RED ST89
SPAIN 03 BIERZO MENCIA ABAD DOM BUENO ROBLE, BODEGAS DEL ABAD W&91
U.S. 06 WATERBROOK COLUMBIA VALLEY CHARDONNAY WS89
CHILE 06 SANTA ALICIA RESERVE MAIPO VALLEY MERLOT WE87
AUSTRALIA 07 THE WISHING TREE UNOAKED WESTERN AUSTRALIA CHARDONNAY WE87 RP87
AUSTRIA 06 KAMPTAL GRUNER VELTLINER GOBELSBURGER, SCHLOSS GOBELSBURG RP89
AUSTRIA 06 KAMPTAL GRUNER VELTLINER LOESS, LUDWIG HIEDLER RP89
SPAIN 06 JUMILLA MONASTRELL ALTOS DE LA HOYA UNGRAFTED OLD VINES, BODEGAS OLIVARES ST91
ITALY 06 SOAVE CLASSICO, TAMELLINI ST89
AUSTRALIA 07 WOOP WOOP SE AUSTRALIA SHIRAZ ST89
SOUTH AFRICA 07 KEN FORRESTER PETIT STELLENBOSCH CHENIN BLANC WS86
ITALY 05 SICILIA, COLOSI RP89
CHILE 07 VENTISQUERO RESERVA CASABLANCA VALLEY SAUVIGNON BLANC W&91
U.S. 06 WINDMILL LODI PETITE SIRAH CN1
ARGENTINA 05 BODEGA DEL DESIERTO 25/5 ALTO VALLE DEL RIO COLORADO CHARDONNAY WS88
SPAIN 05 CASTILLA Y LEON TEMPRANILLO PENASCAL, ANTONIO BARCELO WS85
ITALY 07 TREBBIANO D’ABRUZZO, FARNESE RW5
U.S. 06 SNOQUALMIE COLUMBIA VALLEY MERLOT W&88
U.S. 06 SOBON ESTATE OLD VINES AMADOR ZINFANDEL CN1
U.S. 06 COLUMBIA CREST TWO VINES VINEYARD 10 COLUMBIA VALLEY WHITE WE88
AUSTRALIA 06 PENFOLDS KOONUNGA HILL SE AUSTRALIA CABERNET-MERLOT TG GG
AUSTRALIA 06 PENFOLDS KOONUNGA HILL SE AUSTRALIA SHIRAZ-CABERNET TG GG
SPAIN 06 CALATAYUD GARNACHA OLD VINES, TRES OJOS ST88
 06 THORN-CLARKE TERRA BAROSSA BAROSSA VALLEY SHIRAZ RP90
U.S. 06 RANCHO ZABACO HERITAGE VINES SONOMA ZINFANDEL CA HR
U.S. 07 FREI BROS. REDWOOD CREEK CALIFORNIA SAUVIGNON BLANC WE89
ITALY 06 CHIANTI CLASSICO, CASTELLO DI QUERCETO DC5
FRANCE LOIRE 03 SAVENNIERES, DOMAINE DES BAUMARD FW90
SPARKLING PROSECCO ROSATO, RIONDO RP90
SPAIN 05 ZAMORA VENTA MAZZARON, VINAS DEL CENIT RP91
FRANCE MEDITERRANEAN 06 AUDE MERLOT, YVON MAU BD93
SPAIN 06 CAMPO DE BORJA VINA BORGIA, BODEGAS BORSAO ST87
SPAIN 06 CAMPO DE BORJA BORSAO, BODEGAS BORSAO ST88
SPAIN 05 CASTILLA CODICE, DOMINIO DE EGUREN ST89
AUSTRALIA 06 BULLETIN PLACE SE AUSTRALIA SHIRAZ WS87
AUSTRALIA 05 NINE STONES BAROSSA SHIRAZ WS89
AUSTRALIA 06 NINE STONES HILLTOPS SHIRAZ RW5
SOUTH AFRICA 06 MAN VINTNERS COASTAL REGION CABERNET SAUVIGNON RW4
SOUTH AFRICA 06 MAN VINTNERS COASTAL REGION PINOTAGE RW4
ITALY 07 VERMENTINO DI SARDEGNA COSTAMOLINO, ARGIOLAS WS89
ARGENTINA 07 DONA PAULA LOS CARDOS MENDOZA MALBEC RW5
NEW ZEALAND 07 VILLA MARIA PRIVATE BIN MARLBOROUGH SAUVIGNON BLANC RW5
NEW ZEALAND 07 VILLA MARIA PRIVATE BIN UNOAKED HAWKES BAY CHARDONNAY RW4
AUSTRALIA 07 R WINES EVIL SE AUSTRALIA CABERNET SAUVIGNON RP90
AUSTRALIA 06 R WINES STRONG ARMS SE AUSTRALIA SHIRAZ RP91
PORTUGAL 05 DOURO TINTA RORIZ-TOURIGA FRANCA ALTANO, SYMINGTON ESTATES WS88 RW4+
U.S. 06 RUTHERFORD RANCH NAPA VALLEY CHARDONNAY BD90
U.S. 06 CELLAR NO. 8 CALIFORNIA ZINFANDEL CN1
U.S. 05 CHATEAU STE. MICHELLE ORPHELIN COLUMBIA VALLEY RED WN92
U.S. 06 CARTLIDGE & BROWNE CALIFORNIA PINOT NOIR  BD92
U.S. 06 TRINCHERO FAMILY MONTEREY RIESLING  WE90
ARGENTINA 08 CRIOS DE SUSANA BALBO MENDOZA TORRONTES RP90
CHILE 07 CONO SUR COLCHAGUA VALLEY CARMENERE RW5
GREECE 06 RHODES ATHIRI RHODOS, EMERY WS90
SPAIN 06 RIAS BAIXAS ALBARINO, BODEGAS NORA  RP91
PORTUGAL 05 DAO, QUINTA DOS GRILOS W&90

FOOD:
RENNER BAGUETTE 11oz
SAINT GEORGE EXTRA VIRGIN AGRIOELIA CYPRUS OLIVE OIL 750 ml
CASTELLI PARMA BUTTER quarter kilo
SARTORIO RESERVE ASIAGO WITH ROSEMARY AND OLIVE OIL pound Gold Medal - 2008 World Cheese Championship
ZAGOLLI’S ORIGINAL BLUE CHEESE DIP 7 ounce cup
COLUMBUS HERBES DE PROVENCE SAUCISSON 10 ounce log

ABBREVIATIONS
 CA HR = California Grapevine - Highly Recommended
CN1= Connoisseurs’ Guide 1 Rosette - Good Value
BD = Beverage Dynamics
DC5 = Decanter 5 Stars - Outstanding
FW = Fine Wine Review
RP = Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate
RW = Restaurant Wine 4 Stars (Excellent), 5 Stars (Exceptional)
ST = Stephen Tanzer’s International Wine Cellar
TG GG = Tasters Guild Judging - Double Gold Medal
W& = Wine & Spirits - Best Buy
WE = Wine Enthusiast - Best Buy
WN = Wine News
WS = Wine Spectator - Smart Buy, Best Value

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