Steakhouse Reds on the Cheap
Choice $20 substitutes for iconic Big Reds
When the NFL playoffs roll around, I tend to crave a big, polished, slightly indulgent wine to drink in front of the TV—what you might call a steakhouse red. Powerful and dense, often treated with a thick sheen of oak, this style is not exactly in fashion anymore.
With agile lightness and acidity and terroir transparency ruling the day, bold, oaky reds are now the quarter-zip pullovers of the wine world. But for every thing there is a season, and a steakhouse red is what I’ll be reaching for when the divisional round begins next weekend amidst bone-chilling weather.
Of course, the steakhouse wines par excellence are blue-chip Napa Cabs like Silver Oak and Harlan that I have no business spending money on. So this post is dedicated to a couple state store finds that are generally in league with the big boys but far less demanding in the cash department.
Instead of Duckhorn Three Palms Merlot, drink….Decoy Cabernet Sauvignon
Duckhorn’s Three Palms Merlot is about as quintessential a steakhouse wine as you can find in the world. It also usually retails for over $100. On the probably questionable advice of a Reddit thread, I decided to give the 2021 Decoy a spin—a cheaper Cab-based cuvée from the same iconic California estate, which is aged 18 months in 100% French oak, 40% new. For $25, this hit the spot with a lovely mid-weight to full-bodied texture and just enough richness and juiciness. A simple, good, guilty pleasure, like a fast-food burger. Steak frites wine.
Instead of Quintarelli Amarone, drink…Masi Campofiorin Rosso del Veronese
Amarone della Valpolicella is a sort of grandfatherly red-sauce joint wine. I don’t see or know a lot of people my age drinking Amarone, but maybe I’m just not hanging out with the right crowds. As someone with a weakness for old-fashioned things, I’d like to be drinking more Amarone, but the opportunity never seems to materialize. So I was curious about this $19.79 2019 Masi Campofiorin Rosso del Veronese bottling, from the same producer as the Masi Costasera Amarone Classico ($59.99). I ended up feeling it was probably my favorite of the four bottles mentioned here. Fermented with the addition of semi-dried grapes, this one rolls in super broad-shouldered and big, with an instantly recognizable Italian nose of brandied cherries. Fulsome and velvety with lots of power for the price, I want to drink it with bucatini all’Amatriciana. Wine Enthusiast issued a 92-point review of this bottle, writing: “The palate is sumptuous, rich, and balances the earth and fruit notes with near perfection.”
Instead of Penfolds Syrah, drink…Francois Villard L’appel des Sereines Syrah
I’m always amazed when Syrah actually smells like what they tell me it’s going to smell like—namely, smoked meat and black pepper. What a wild thing. The 2020 Francois Villard L’appel des Sereines Syrah has those aromatic notes in spades, plus garrigue, strawberry, and prunes. Culled from young vines in decomposed granite, it is super soft with no bite whatsoever, almost a little too flat in structure. Savory, mineral, and fairly dry, it’s a very cool pick-up for $19.99. 92 points from Wine Spectator: “Packs serious stuffing, staying impressively light on its feet through the perfumed, harmonious finish.”
Instead of Zuccardi Piedra Infinita, drink…Zuccardi Serie A Malbec
Malbec is another steakhouse heavy-hitter, and I’ll admit to never having tasting one of the really high-end expressions of this grape. Led by third-generation winemaker Sebastian Zuccardi, Familia Zuccardi is a powerhouse winery on the Argentine scene, winning tons of critical plaudits and several 100-point scores for its top bottlings like the Piedra Infinita. The Serie A Malbec is a nice compromise and introduction to the estate, highlighting the varietal typicity of Malbec from the Valle de Uco at super affordable prices. The 2022 Zuccardi Serie A Malbec ($10.99!) had a pretty blue fruit nose tinged with licorice and thick, slightly chalky tannins. As is often the case when I drink Malbec, I felt I was missing what all the fuss is about. But when I returned to it the following day and had a glass with dinner, everything—the acidity, the taut structure—fell into place. 92 points from Wine Advocate: “This has juiciness and structure and is fine-boned.”
The Eagles are in disarray, the Steelers are out…so here’s hoping the Lions take revenge on the Buccs for us.