July 27, 2005

Wine News: Who Knew a $10 Bill Had Such a Nice Bouquet?

"Decades ago, when people in wine-producing countries routinely drank a few glasses with every meal, vast amounts of wine were made quickly and cheaply. It was sold for pennies - make that francs, lire and pesetas - to be consumed right away. Most of it was utter swill: thin and sour, or thick, raisiny and volatile.

The wine industry has changed drastically since then, and people tend to romanticize those days, as if the demijohns and jugs filled at the local merchant somehow contained the sort of honest artisanal products that are no longer available. Nonsense.

The fact is that today cheap wine across the board is far superior to what it was 50 years ago. It is not hard to find dry, refreshing, satisfying wines for $10 and under, as the Dining section's wine panel learned in a tasting of 24 bottles."

Read more: Who Knew a $10 Bill Had Such a Nice Bouquet? (NYT Free subscription required)

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