Chill Out With A Bargain

With the temperatures rising and not showing any signs of letting up, I have been more apt to opening up a chilled bottle of Chardonnay or Pinot Grigio lately. I don’t know how the weather is in your neck of the woods, but here in Austin we have had record breaking heat for the past week…meaning the temperatures have been in upper 90’s, breaking 100 at the hottest point of the day. Thank the high heavens that I do not work outside during the day, and I only subject myself to that extreme heat when I choose to lounge by a pool or float in a river.
On that note, I thought I would like to share with you some of my favorite Chardonnay’s and Pinot Grigio’s for under $20. The list is in no particular order, and I tried to include wines from various regions.

• Growing up in Texas my parents often took trips to Texas vineyards. One of their favorites, and in turn one of mine, is Messina Hof's Barrel Reserve Chardonnay It is rich, woody, and buttery, and at $12 it won’t break the bank.


• For those of you who prefer fruitier Chardonnay, try Robert Mondavi's Napa Valley Chardonnay. Its a steal at $20. It got a 90 from Wine Enthusiast, and is quite refreshing with it’s lively acidity and abundant fruit flavors.


• Personally I don’t check to see if the grapes that go into a wine were grown organically, but I know that a lot of people do now days. So here is one organic Pinot Grigio that I tried about 2 weeks ago with my friends, and was rather impressed by. It was Luna 2006 Pinot Grigio. The nose is filled with the aroma of pear, peach, and apricot, and those flavors blend flawlessly with oak into a nice smooth finish. At about $18 a bottle maybe I should go organic!

I hope my suggestions helped you out. I will probably add some more later on this week/next week. I would love to hear some of your favorite bargains, so comment away.