>
> Dimitri,
> Frankly, I'm surprised by that last statement. Of course, what you get
> for your $ depends on where you live, where you shop and what your tastes
> are. However, in Berkeley, Kermit Lynch, Vino! and Solano Cellars all
> make a point of stocking some excellent French (and other) wines that
> retail for well below $30. IME, it's actually far easier to get a quality
> wine from Europe for under $20 than it is from the US. Right now, I'd look
> for the following "budget" wines from France:
snip

Mark, I don't think that he is wrong.

France has its fair share of plonk ALONG WITH every other country at that
price range.

I wish you could buy first growths for $30 and we would not be having this
issue.