"Mark Lipton" > wrote in message
...
> D. Gerasimatos wrote:
>> I don't know about in England, but in the USA it does seem that there is
>> an awful lot of French plonk in the low price ranges. I had a really good
>> white from the Maconaisse today for $11 US, but that is the exception
>> rather than the rule. Mostly, if the bottle is under $30 US I've learned
>> not to expect much.
>
> Dimitri,
> Frankly, I'm surprised by that last statement. Of course, what you get
> for your $ depends on where you live, where you shop and what your tastes
> are. However, in Berkeley, Kermit Lynch, Vino! and Solano Cellars all
> make a point of stocking some excellent French (and other) wines that
> retail for well below $30.

I agree with Mark on that, except I'd halve that price. There are nice cru
bourgeois 2000 Bordeaux in the ~$15 price range if you know where to shop.
There are even some nice Burgundies for under $25 - but I'll admit that you
need to be well informed to make a good selection.

IME, it's actually far easier to
> get a quality wine from Europe for under $20 than it is from the US.

Well, I wouldn't go so far as to say _that_! I'd say that quality wise in
that price range the value is close to equal between France and California.
Of course Mark's view is from an East Coast perspective, so that may account
for the difference in perception.

Tom S