Non-boring, reasonably affordable wines

[Bacchus]

The thread on the '08 Poujeaux got me to thinking about exciting wines on a budget. I agree with Claudius2's assertion about boring wine. Why bother? And I too am prepared to pay more for wine that isn't boring. On the other hand, I like a good deal as much as the next guy, and would love to find that $20 bottle that is every bit as good as a '61 Haut Brion! With that in mind, what is it that people look for in an exciting, affordable wine. And what gems have people found? (I'm particularly interested in everyone's list, of course, so I can go out and buy them all )

[Nicklasss]

I strongly recommend the ''basic'' Montepulciano d'Abruzzo from Masciarelli. The 2008 is very good. This is always avery interesting wine, not the most complex, but very genuine to Italian style, good fruit, good structure, good rusticity and all this for 15 $. And the secret with that wine : open it, drink half the bottle, and the remaining 1, 2 or 3 days after, the wine is only better... something amazing for a 15 $ bottle...

Nic

[Claret]

I used to sell Montepulciano d'Abruzzo from Masciarelli. It was one of my biggest volume wines and a great value. Too bad it is not sold in my local market now.

[Houndsong]

This board is littered with tns on $20 Bordeaux that various people, often more than one, find non-boring. Probably you can find 2x that many wines reported here that various people, often more than one, find non-boring+, and cost less than $40.

[Claudius2]

Guys
Recent trip thru Chianti Classico suggests that there are numerous affordable CCs that are excellent wines.
Wines like Carpineto, Monsanto, Isole e Olena, Antinori et al are very good for the price.
And Vin Nobile de Montepulciano is similarly reasonably priced and many are very nice.
These wines cost about Euro 7-15 in Italy.

[Bacchus]

Thanks for the suggestions, folks. I was kinda hoping for more Bdx, but I see Italy is the place to go for affordable, non-boring bottles. And I see Hound has mentioned a few Bdx in the affordable, non-boring category in another thread, so I'm heading over there. I think I was hoping we could discover the next Pontet Canet before it got all expensive too!

[Nicklasss]

If you limit my selection to Bordeaux and 20 $, i have to say that the only two recommendations i have is Chateau Tour St-Bonnet (Médoc) and Chateau Martinat (Côtes-de-Bourg). I had these wines on many vintages, good and less good vintages, and they're solid performers!

Nic

[DavidG]

When I want exciting wines in the $15-25 range I look to Cotes du Rhone and Cotes du Rhone Villages. Lots of excellent stuff there. I've always liked southern Rhone wines but hadn't paid much attention to the Cotes du Rhone and C-du-R Villages wines until the '07 vintage, which really turned me on to a lot of them. Many were riper/fruitier than preferred by some of the palates here but the '08s were less lush/plush and still delicious/exciting. I'm finding '09s to be excellent as well.

[Houndsong]

Is Pontet Canet really that good, or is it just that it's that expensive? I've had 98, 02, 03, 04 and have a mag of the 01. I know the 02-04 should provide interest in a few-several more years but candidly I am not busting it in search of the "next Pontet Canet".

[Chasse-Spleen]

You just have to teach your palate to forget the '82s you've drunk, and this fab 2000s, etc. Start drinking under $20 Bordeaux again and you will relearn to love it. But seriously, if Warehouse hadn't have jumped on all the dumped wines from Diago to the tune of hundreds of cases, I'd be really screwed.