Value for money is a curious expression. It means something a little different to each of us, but I imagine it does not mean the same thing as a ‘bargain’ to any of us.
A bargain is something sold cheaply, a product or a service that is run-of-the-mill, everyday, not something special. Buy one get one free on loo rolls, yoghurts, and slabs of beer for a party are all bargains, but I doubt you would describe any of them as excellent value for money.
Value, or my preferred term (why are they often French?) rapport qualité prix, which I shorten to QP in my annual Burgundy En Primeur Report, speaks of the quality and price ratio.
I like this – it seems more tangible and can refer to items of any quality and price. A Porsche 996 is widely regarded as the best-value Porsche around, but it can hardly be thought of as a bargain. A bottle of wine that sells for £15 but tastes more like a tenner is a rip-off.
But one that sells for a tenner and tastes like it could sport a £15 price tag represents excellent value. I have spent my entire wine trade career seeking wines that represent superb value for money. It was the first lesson I was taught in 1987 by the late great James Rogers. He would walk into the Barnes Wine Shop and put a couple of cases of wine bottles on the counter, all wrapped in kitchen foil. Our job as lowly bottle hands was to taste these wines blind and attribute a retail price to each. James would return after a hearty lunch for the grand unveiling. We then listed the wines with the finest flavours whose prices we overestimated by enough margin to warrant a ‘great value’ tag. While we are often a little too glib about this ubiquitous term, I have always tried to remain faithful to the philosophy, and so this month, I have picked three wines that I believe represent seriously great value for money.
I hope you agree.
2016 Greyfriars Vineyard, Cuvée Royale
£34.99 www.greyfriarsvineyard.co.uk
Greyfriars vintage sits this side of the thirty-five-pound mark, putting hundreds if not thousands of sparkling wines to shame.
This time, a neat 50% Chardonnay, 50% Pinot Noir brew with no fewer than six years under its belt. Only 3,400 bottles were made, and each one is filled to the brim with hand-picked, whole bunch pressed, old oak fermented, glorious wine.
This is a superb discovery, and if you have yet to taste it, I insist you make a beeline for a bottle or two because the perfume, lift, weight, and tension components here are assembled with such precision it is extraordinary. What’s more, it is still a baby, and it is clear that there is so much more to come over the next decade.
It also looks the part, making this the most exciting, desirable and finest-value vintage sparkling wine in England.
NV Langham Wine Estate, Culver Classic Cuvée
£30.95 www.langhamwine.co.uk
I am such a massive fan of the Langham portfolio of wines, and every single cuvée exhibits obvious value for money.
Culver is made from 51% Pinot Noir, 35% Pinot Meunier and 14% Chardonnay and it deserves its ‘Classic’ moniker. The current release is based on the 2019 vintage. With a careful addition of 17% reserve wine, the result is terrific balance, expressive, flavour-packed fruit notes and an overall experience that is ready to go right now.
All too often, NV releases seem tense, nervy and raw, arguing that they need a couple of years to calm down and find their equilibrium. Culver exudes class and control from the off, and it is so composed and rewarding that I am confident that even the most ardent sparkling wine snob would fall head over heels for this wine.
But the biggest shock would be the price tag – thirty bangers for a wine of this distinction, now that is bafflingly good value for money.
NV The Grange, Classic
£34.00 www.thegrangewine.co.uk
The current release of The Grange (another Classic that deserves this title) is made predominantly from the 2017 vintage.
The make-up is a neatly balanced 48% Chardonnay, 27% Pinot Noir and 25% Pinot Meunier. In this regard, it presents a different set of flavour triggers than Culver, making it a must-buy wine this month.
There is a touch of barrel fermentation here which serves to soften the edges, and with 13% reserve wine on board, it is fresh, as opposed to a more sluggish or weighty, number. With 37 months spent on its lees and 7g/L dosage, this is a thoroughly civilised sparkler with more than a little grace and distinction.
I scribbled in my tasting notes that ‘there is no Champagne around that compares to this wine at this price’. And also that it shows ‘juicy freshness and a most rewarding flavour’. Glance up the page to the price again and join me in welcoming The Grange to the tremendous value club!
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