Europe Under $25 a Bottle

For some of you it may well offer some respite from the oak, coffee, cola and frankly sweet, residual sugar flavours that tend to punctuate so many New World wines.

I know coming to understand the wines of the Old World will take a bit more work but the rewards are many.

You should be pleasantly surprised by their balance and ability to make most foods taste better and it appears that despite a soaring euro you may experience better value, especially under $25. In any event, the failure of the New World to, well, do something 'new,' is giving adventurous sippers the green light to explore other options, such as the Old World.

Keep in mind the European tendency is to associate a wine with its appellation or the place that it comes from rather than any single grape name. Hence varietal wine made with cabernet sauvignon, pinot noir, tempranillo, nebbiolo and touriga nacional gives way to names like Bordeaux, Burgundy, Rioja, Barolo, Port and many regions and sub-appellations.

Perhaps the single greatest difference is the structure and style of European wine. To best understand it you must adjust your palate and your thinking. The normally higher acids and tighter structure make European wines eminently more food-friendly, as do their moderately lower alcohol levels, but it makes sipping them before dinner or on the patio a lit less appealing unless they are paired with some food.

So where does one begin.

Taking a page from a historical travel guide -- Frommer's Europe on $5 a Day -- and adjusting for 51 years of inflation, I thought it might be fun to explore some of Europe's more interesting labels that sell for less than $25 a bottle.

We sensibly begin with Lucien Albrecht Crémant d'Alsace Brut Rosé from Alsace. You will only find this sparkler in select private wine shops but even if it inspires you to think about European sparkling rose it will have done its job. This is just a delicious Crémant sparkler with a faint pink/coppery/salmon colour. It's made from hand-picked pinot noir grapes that deliver its strawberry/cranberry fruit flavours with plenty of zippy acidity and a whiff of minerality. Excellent for patio appetizers or sushi.

If the name Borges Meia Encosta Dão Vinho Branco 2006 doesn't scare you off or its blend of encruzado, assario and Bical grapes than get ready to be surprised by the usefulness of this spicy, ginger, smoky, melon rind and lemon scented white. Bone dry and unabashedly fresh and lean, you will love its fresh palate and ginger, lemon oil, nectarine, quince and butter flavours. The style is crisp and dry with some intensity. This will pair well with Asian food or fresh seafood and it's pretty good value too.

The Chateau Saint Martin de la Garrigue Cuvee Bronzinelles 2005 mixes syrah, grenache, carignan, and mourvèdre to present a bright floral, meaty nose with cherry, garrigue, tobacco and light barnyard aromas. The textures are supple; the fruit spicy with black cherry, tobacco, licorice and vanilla with smoky leather flavours with intensity and balance. Drink with pork or lamb.

A killer value in this market is the Ricossa Barbaresco 2003 from Piedmont, Italy. Normally austere in its youth this wine seems to transcend its age offering spicy, black fruit flecked with mushrooms, earth and coffee aromas. The textures are ripe, round, rich and pleasantly smooth for its age; the flavours reflect a mix of coffee, vanilla, black cherry and smoky with a dusting of fruit in the finish. Best with beef tartare or at least medium rare for the moment.

Style and elegance is the key to fine tempranillo and good Rioja and the Bodegas Palacio Glorioso Rioja Crianza 2004 has plenty of that. Glorioso is made in the soft and silky mode with plenty of smoky, vanilla red berry fruit with just a dusting of tannin. Lovely styling here and freshness. It's well crafted and it will get better with age. Good value.

Our finale is a pretty little, low alcohol, off-dry fizz that will charm you. The Michele Chiarlo Nivole Moscato D'Asti 2006 offers up a spicy, floral nose flecked with peach, lemon oil, mineral and orange rind bits. Light frizzante, and fresh, the palate is crisp and elegant with some sweetness, but all in balance. Expect a delicious spicy apple and nectarine-skin flavour streaked with mineral, floral, lime, muscat flavours. A delicious, fun-to-sip wine at an amazingly low six per cent alcohol.

Price: $25 private wine shops only

UPC: 03471952318005

Score: 89/100

Remarks: Excellent for patio appetizers or sushi.

BORGES MEIA ENCOSTA DAO VINHO BRANCO 2006, DAO, NORTHERN PORTUGAL

Price: $12

UPC: 5601129034041

Score: 87/100

Remarks: Will go well with Asian food or seafood.

CHATEAU SAINT MARTIN DE LA GARRIGUE CUVEE BRONZINELLES 2005, COTEAUX DU LANGUEDOC, FRANCE

Price: $20, $40 (1500 ml)

UPC: 03455840613021

Score: 88/100

Remarks: Solid flavour intensity and balance. Serve with pork or lamb.

RICOSSA BARBARESCO 2003, PIEDMONT, ITALY

Price: $22

UPC: 851241000577

Score: 87/100

Remarks: A bit rustic but incredibly cheap for Barbaresco.

BODEGAS PALACIO GLORIOSO RIOJA CRIANZA 2004, RIOJA ALTA, SPAIN

Price: $18

UPC: 8410351123006

Score: 88/100

Remarks: Silky with smoky, vanilla red berry fruit.

MICHELE CHIARLO NIVOLE AMOSCATO D'ASTI 2006, GAVI, PIEDMONT, ITALY

Price: $18

UPC: 00802365000561

Score: 91/100

Remarks: Delicious before or after dinner bubble.