đ DRINK BETTER Cheapest Most Expensive Wines
Two years ago, a bottle of 1945 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti sold for a record $558,000. It has something to do with scarcity (only 600 bottles exist) and rare old vines and the influence of Burgundy blah blah blah. It also has a lot to do with how the global wine market operates much like the stonk market. Rare wines are bought, sold and hoarded by rich people, driving prices up. HODL, moon, rockets etc.
But weâre not here to talk about those wines or that kind of wine market. Weâre here to talk about expensive cult wines in the natural wine worldâwhich are, like, 5,000 times less expensiveâand how Iâve got pretty good dupes that are somewhat more affordable.
So, wine. Is there a difference between cheap and expensive? Yeh and no. Of course, we all want to drink a LâAnglore on a regular weeknight but, as your mum probably said, money does not grow on trees. And so, it brings us here, to the cheapest most expensive wines on DRNKS right now. Fizzes, oranges and reds that are crazy good for what they costâespecially if you buy all 6. You get 10% off. (But I probably didnât have to remind you).
Fizz
NV Alessandro Viola Blanc de Blancs - $65
Look, I know you can get shitty Champagne for this price, but this is more in line with entry level grower gear, and that starts at double this. Italian, not French. But has more in common with Champagne than Prosecco. Always tasty.
White
2020 Sonnen Dancers - $36
Seriously made Chardonnay from the land of not having appellations. Weird. Ultra cool-climate Tassie gear that makes me think it could be up the top of Burgundy. More on Tassie from our mate/chef Analiese Gregory here.
Orange
2020 Momento Mori Staring at the Sun - $42
In the north east of Italy and Slovenia and Georgia, skin contact white wine can be expensive âespecially if youâre looking for depth and character. Our mate Dane from Momento Mori bottles all those characteristics and more, except his wine is priced more like itâs from Victoria...which it is. Their flagship. Always so good.
Rosé
2020 Chateau Acid Rosato - $33
This has all the hallmarks of some of my favourite Grenache based rosĂ© / light red from the bottom of the RhĂŽne Valley. I didnât say LâAnglore, you said LâAnglore. The usual suspects here: biodynamic farming, zero adds, ancient basket press tech. Juicy.
Red
2019 LattaVINO Coghills Creek Pinot Noir - $35
Is there anything Owen Latta canât do? (Answers here). What a lord. This is exceptional Pinot Noir from an ultra cool climate part of Victoria...Why the heck is it only $35?Â
Another Red
2018 Les Fruits Occitan - $27
Sure, everyone knows we love Owen and wonât shut up about him, but sometimes, especially on a below 10-degree night, you feel like a bit more oomph. Like this Shiraz by Tim Stock, also a long-time importer of Georgian wines. Itâs not your usual Barossa monster but itâs got more weight than that Latta Pinot⊠And if thatâs your thing, then thatâs your thing.