I have had plonk from all counties at all prices.

But here in Charlotte, NC it is hard to find French wines I typically buy
them when traveling out of state or in Chapel Hill , NC. However at A
southern seasons you find no French Plonk but thats due to the fact most is
very good classified wines.

I think since you live in NYC and Mark is now in California you guys are
spoiled.

No doubt there are excellent french wines in the under $20. I like a Rodet
Rully-red or while under $20....but good luck getting them here at that
price or available often.

Rarely do I find wines from California under $30 to my liking. French
around $50 +. Oregon $25+for PN.

Austrailia, Chili and Argentina have the best drinking wines under $20 in my
opinion.

Sorry to disagree.

That said there is no competition for a good Burg or top growth
bordeaux...good or bad year the only difference is when they peak. :-)




"DaleW" > wrote in message
ups.com...
Dick,
Mark certainly never denied there's an ocean of plonk from France. But
I'd agree with him that I find it easier to find French or Italian
wines on the low-end that I like that CA. To me $20 is the magic mark
for California- choices open up there. I'm not denying the QPR of the
Rex Goliath PN and a few others, but few is the operative work. Once
we're in the $20's we start looking at the Ridge single vineyards,
various Syrahs, etc. But under $20 the US market is thin.

For France, this would be my annotations to Mark's under $20 list:
White:
'02 Bourgognes from good producers (I've enjoyed Javiller, Cote
Chalonnaise and Cote Maconnais (the '02 Drouhin Macon is great for $7
if you can find it).
'02 Bourgogne Aligote from good producers (Lafarge, de Villaine)
'02 Chablis (Brocard, Moreau, or just about any good producer's
straight Chablis AC, or for just under $20 the Brocard or Savary 1ers)
Loi
'02 Muscadet (Pepiere, Luneau-Papin)
'02 Sancerre, Pouilly-Fum?Menetou-Salon (Thomas-Labaille, Pelle,
etc)
'02 Montlouis (Deletang, Chidaine)
I left off '02 Vouvray as only ones I've had are the excellent Huets,
which are more than $20. I'd add the Clos Roche Blanche Touraine if you
can find '02.

I personally enjoy Trimbach's base Riesling and Gewurz, but some find
them too austere. Lots of other good Alsace producers.

Red:
'01 Cotes du Rhone (d'Andezon is very good for $10, or Coudelet de
Beaucastel if you can find under $20).
'02 Bourgogne (Lafarge, Bachelet, Sylvie Esmonin, Chevillon,
d'Angerville) or wines from outlying villages like Marsannay, Santenay,
or Savigny (try Pavelot, Girardin, Bruno Clair, Bize, Ecard)
'02 Cru Beaujolais (Coudert/Roillete Fleurie rules! Plus Brun/Terres
Dorres, Lapierre)
'01 & '00 Bordeaux from satellites such as Cotes de Castillon, Fronsac,
Lalande de Pomerol- my current fave is the '01 Cap de Faugeres
Another personal favorite is the Les Heretiques from Andre Iche, a VdP
d'Oc at $7-8, or his Minervois at $9-10.
I also like red Loires, and '02s were good and it sounds like many '03s
too. Look for producers like Breton or Olga Raffault.

As noted, there's a lot of plonk out there. Offhand, I can't think of
any region in the world that isn't 50% plonk in the under-$20 range.
But learning producers you like is the key.