Three for Three

We all look for midweek wines that are delicious yet not expensive...no more than twenty bucks should do the trick. Yet, how many times are we disappointed? So, here are three producers with wines that are winners at this price point.
The most anticipated was the Santa Rita, Medalla Real, Cabernet Sauvignon, Reserva Especial, 2005. It got a "91" rating by Wine Spectator and proudly displays it on the neck. This has a mixed berry nose with a little menthol. Zesty, tangy blackcurrants, medium-full bodied, ripe tannins, a little chalky with a moderately long, complex finish. Good wine, not quite "wow" status. $20.
The Killikanoon, The Lackey, Shiraz, 2003 clocks in at 15% alcohol. Nose of plums, leather, cedar. Full bodied, meaty, ballsy but straightforward wine with black fruit. The high alcohol bruises the palate, so it's a little unbalanced. It's also rough on the back end. But, for $16, can't go wrong. Good wine also.
A perennial good value producer is Mas des Bressades. Their 2005 Cabernet-Syrah has a stinky beef and mushroom nose, a little musty (koko factor: "like an old shed"). Medium-full bodied with beetroot, dirt and iodine. The fruit is layered underneath - pomegranates and fresh cranberries. Complex, old world and plain good. $18.
Cheers!!