Past Issues: Bargain Wine, feb/mar 2008 --
Penfolds Under $15

In this regular feature, we spotlight those wines that offer great bang for the buck -- $15 and under, to be exact. Here you'll find our everyday wines, house pours, and occasionally a great new find. Have a favorite Bargain Wine? Tell us about it at editor@wineskinny.com! 

Australia's Penfolds winery has been producing a wide range of wines for over 160 years and is certainly one of the most widely recognized labels on the shelves today. From its legendary Grange, introduced in 1951, to its tasty introductory-level wines, it seems like Penfolds is always a good bet.

For this Bargain Wine, we're focusing on these $15-and-under bottles from Penfolds. Each one offers tasty ripe fruit flavors along with some balance and depth that you don't always find at this price point. Enjoy!

Penfolds 2007 Riesling Adelaide Thomas Hyland ($13). Quite nice, especially at this price. With appealing floral and citrus aromas and flavors, along with crisp apple, nectarine and mineral notes that linger on the finish.

Penfolds 2006 Chardonnay South Australia Koonunga Hill ($11). A really nice deal on a tasty wine, with appealing nectarine, citrus, vanilla and kick of spice that come together on a fresh, medium-bodied finish. Ready to drink now. (Weekend Wine 11/07)

Penfolds 2005 Shiraz South Eastern Australia Koonunga Hill ($12). Plump and juicy, with blueberry and plum flavors laced with warm baking spices, caramelized vanilla and a touch of racy black pepper. Ready to drink now.

Penfolds 2005 Shiraz Adelaide Thomas Hyland ($15). Jammy dark blackberry and plum fruit is laced with aromatic cedar and spices, finishing with touches of sweet vanilla. Ready to drink now.

Penfolds 2005 Shiraz-Cabernet South Eastern Australia Koonunga Hill ($12). Pretty floral and black fruit aromas introduce medium-bodied blackberry and currant fruit with bittersweet chocolate and toasty vanilla notes. Ready to drink now.

Penfolds 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon South Eastern Australia Koonunga Hill ($12). Juicy blackberry fruit picks up a bit of jammy character through the finish, along with a kick of black pepper and toasty oak. Ready to drink now and over the next couple of years. (Weekend Wine 12/07)

Check out previous Bargain Wines selections!
This now-fabulously-named column used to be called Easy To Find One Figure Wines, for reasons that we cannot currently remember but were surely enthusiastic about at the time. Anyhoo, check out our Past Issue Index for more great value-priced wine selections!