Two Very Good Inexpensive Wines, a French White and a Chilean Red

I had the opportunity to taste these two delicious wines at our friends' holiday party this past weekend.

They are both well priced considering their excellent quality.

The first is a French wine from the Loire Valley, France, Marigny Neuf Sauvignon Blanc and the second Cantaluna a Pinot Noir from the Colchagua Valley, Chile.  

Marigny Neuf Sauvignon Blanc is made at Ampelidae, a winery founded by Frédéric Brochet in 1995. in a small village, Marigny-Brizay near Poitiers in western France.

I found this wine to have a very nice smooth feel and flavor from end to end. No sharp edges, that we love or hate in most Sauvignon Blanc. The wines was so smooth I would have guessed that it was a blend. It went wonderfully with the cheeses served. There are losts pf gentle stone fruit aromas and flavors, not a lot of citrus. Tremendous price point as low as 10.99

"The application of the most modern winemaking techniques to a traditional grape of the Poitiers region, Sauvignon blanc, grown naturally on limestone soil in the west France, has resulted in a wine of exceptional quality. Lively gooseberry and lime flavors are a successful match with oysters and with chévre cheese." Wine Maker

The red was Cantaluna Pinot Noir from Chile. It also sells for around $11. A great value.

It is from the Cantaluna Vineyard "formed by a group of friends who, putting together their passion for the Colchagua Valley, the grapes and the wine, decided to form a society where each of them could contribute with their own experience and business knowledge, and whose objective was to develop high quality wines that would be internationally recognized.  

I liked this wine a lot. Now it is not the luscious delicate Pinot you frind from the prestigious vineyards of Burgundy. Nor is it the big robust Pinot that comes from Washington state. It is somewhere in between.

Nice fruit, well balanced, a delicous everyday wine.

"Tasting notes / Food Pairings: A smooth, ripe and very elegant wine with delicious hints of fresh red fruit and a delicate touch of oak. Ideal to accompany pasta, red meat or as an aperitif." Winemaker