Springtime value shopping.
I’d been hearing the ads for Atlas Liquors on the radio for years. Since it was time for a springtime patrol, I decided to finally check out the place. Atlas Liquors has three locations – Medford, Roslindale and Quincy. I chose the Medford store since it’s closest to me. The place reminded me of the local packy from my hometown; packy is New England vernacular for package store, that establishment that sells beer, wine, booze, cigarettes, beef jerky and lottery tickets. Yet times have changed. Atlas has a solid craft beer selection, a wine selection that more than covers all the basics and a very reasonably priced liquor selection. So I wheeled into the parking lot, grabbed a shopping cart and was off on another Plonk Patrol.
My agenda for this patrol was straightforward – to find wines appropriate for the new season. I was looking for some fruitful whites, some picnic reds and some BBQ friendly stalwarts. The selection for value-priced wines at Atlas was extensive; I would actually have some trouble paring down my selection. In the end, though, I did come up with a solid six.
- My first white was the Montinore Estates Borealis Willamette Valley OR 2008. The winery touts this wine as “the northern whites”. It is a blend of 60% Muller-Thurgau, 23% Gewurtztraminer and 17% Pinot Gris. These varietals can reliably ripen in the cooler climate of the Willamette Valley. This is a very aromatic white and as an added bonus is organic.
- The next white, Snoqualmie Naked Reisling Columbia Valley WA 2008, is also organic. (Note – naked = organic). The winery has been producing organic wines since the 2003 vintage. And I always feel that I should be swirling more wines from Washington.
- My first picnic red was the Sepp Zweigelt Neusiedlersee Austria 2008. Zweigelt, for me, is the ultimate picnic wine – light, fruity and eminently quaffable, and of course served lightly chilled. Weingut Sepp Moser is a biodynamic winery.
- Great values come these days from Spain. My second warmer weather red was the Bodegas Ateca Garnacha de Fuego Old Vines Calatayud Spain 2008. This is a collaboration between the eminent Spanish importer Jorge Ordonez and the Juan Gil winemakers of Wrongo Dongo fame featured in a previous Plonk Patrol.
- Since I’m doing more grilling, I was in need of some appropriate reds. I’ve always liked The Old Vines Mourvedre from Cline in Sonoma Valley. What I found instead was the Cline Syrah Sonoma County CA 2007. Smoke and pepper – what better to go with the grill? Though not organic nor biodynamic, the winery follows principles of sustainable agriculture. The owner of Cline is also a co-owner of The Green String Farm which supplies such Bay Area restaurants as Chez Panisse.
- And finally, my splurge – at $12.99 – the Domaine de la Garrigue Cotes du Rhone 2008. A custom cuvee made expressly for the importer Eric Solomon, it’s a blend of of 65% Grenache, 25% Mourvedre and 10% Syrah. The grapes come from declassified Vacqueyras vineyards.
I had a selection I was quite pleased with – Old World and New, organic, biodynamic or sustainable, red and white, light-bodied and hefty. At checkout, the moment of truth. Remember the Plonk Patrol guideline – six wines for $72. My total was $73.25 – done in by my Cotes du Rhone, but close enough. Right? Until next time, your value wine advisor.
