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T K nJL 1 1 ^R 1BY JONATHAN LEVINEEven though the price of wine is in an inflationary spiral, there still are many good moderately priced wines that are available. To see what is available, I surveyed several area wine shops to determine their recommendations in the moderately priced imports.ONE OF BIGGESTOne of the biggest wine stores in New York is at 116 Montague Street in Brooklyn Heights. The manager, Howard Snider, recommends several French wines, all of which he feels are exceptional values.The store directly imports a 1971 St. Emilion, Chateau Bigarous, which retails for $3. Wines from St. Emilion, in the Bordeaux region, have a high percentage of the Merlot grape which softens the wine and gives it a perfume-like aroma. He describes this grand cru as %u201c a fine, full-bodied, but soft wine with a depth of character.%u201d He also recommends a white Graves, Le Reverdon at $3.49. Graves is considered to be the best area for white wines from Bordeaux, and he feels that the Le Reverdon %u201cis the equal of the more famous Chateau Carbonnieux or Chateau Olivier%u201d .Under the Cep de Vin label, he carries three wines. Muscadet at $2.79 is from the Loire Valley and goes well with shell fish. The Reserve Rouge at $2.49 is a medium bodied red burgundy, while the Blanc de Blanc at $2.79 for a liter bottle is an excellent buy according to Snider.From California, he features a Kenwood 1974 Burgundy Special Selection. This wine is made from 902 Pinot Noir grapes, has the taste of a classic burgundy and is well priced at $3.25. Finally, they feature the Konocti Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Blanc. A white wine made from the classic grape of Bordeaux, the wine has a copper color and a pleasant taste.A NICE SURPRISEIn doing this survey, one of the nicest surprises I received was the selection of quality wines, both American and imported, at Mareoilai Wine and Liquors. Located away from the main business areas of Brooklyn Heights at 66 Hicks Street, this store is one of the most pleasant stores I have seen. In the backroom where the premium wines are kept, in an almost soothing atmosphere (which makes buying much more enjoyable) an excellent selection awaits the consumer. The manager of the store, Judy Nichols is friendly, patient, and very helpful. Her recommendations include a 1967 Chateau Becausejour from St. Estephe at $4.49. The Bordelais consider the wines from the commune of St. hstepne to Sc elegant, yet vigorous, which heeds a lot of bottle aging to develop their full potential. Some describe these wines as being %u201c masculine%u201d as opposed to the more %u201c feminine%u201d wines from St. Julian and Maragaux. AnC+:11 %u2014 U lm / .v J L U l O i l L U C vv m eexcellent year for Bordeaux wines was 1967 and they should be reaching their peak now. This is an excellent value in imported wine. Nichols also suggests a 1973 Savigny Les Beaune. This Alexis Lichine selection sells for $4.99, %u201c An excellent wine with lots of fruit and freshness.%u201d In white wines, Nichols feels that the Pinot Grigio by Quarto Vecchio for under $3.00 is outstanding. This little known wine is made from grapes grown in the mountains of Northern Italy and is crisp and dry. I personally think Pinot Grigio is the best Italian white wine and it goes well with most any dish. From the Macon in France, she suggests the 1976 La Bemarde Pino Chardonnay for $4.49. Macon wines are dry with the aroma of the Chardonnay grape%u2014flowery and elegant. These wines are bigger and better than their more famous neighbor%u2014Pouilly Fuisse. A 1975 Loire Valley Pouilly-Fume with the soft round character, typical of this wine, is a good buy for under $5.00. The slight smokey taste of this wine makes it an excellent accompaniment to chicken or veal. Also from the Loire, she recommends a 1975 Vouvary, the Domaine des Bidaudieres for $3.89. A dry but soft wine, it is a good choice for people who do not like bone dry wines.EXCEPTIONAL VALUESIn Park Slope, two stores carry a full line of quality wines in our price range Bay-Riteat 323 Seventh Avenue is one of them. Sam Schacher, the owner, is willing to answer any questions a customer may have and to assist them in selecting a wine they can afford and enjoy. One reccomendation is the Marquis d%u2019 Aulnay by Bernard Grivilet. He explains that this wine is the over run of the great Puligny Montrachet (white) and Chambolle Musigny (red). Since these wines are among the best produced in Burgandy, the excess that produces the d%u2019 Aulnay is an exceptional value at $3.99. He further suggests a white Cote du Rhone: The Domaine des Causses at $3.99 is an outstanding wine. Wines from the Cote du Rhone are full-bodied, dry with lots of flavor, and a lingering finish. From the Macon, he recommends the 1977 Louis Gasquiel Chardonnay for $3.29. Another French white wine is a Sauvignon Blanc imported by Wildman. Sweeter than Macon wines, this wine provides a good accompaniment to fish. Arriving in the middle of November will be the first of the Nouveau Beaujolais%u2019. He recommends the 1978 Louis Gasquiel for $3.49. Highly prized in Paris, these wines are meant to be drunk very young and have a freshness that is delightful. Sometimes, the Nouveaus do not travel well and are not as good in America as in Paris. However, for the price, it is worth buying a bottle to see how well it stood the trip, and to sample a truly unique wine.RECOMMENDS IMPORTSAt St. George Wines and Liquors, 50 Clinton Street in the Heights, the ow/ier Leon Paley recommends several imports in our price range. From Burgundy, he recommends the Blanc de Blanc Sec by Prosper-Maufoux. This dry wine is one of the best of the French table wines, it is consistently clean, fresh and with an excellent Chardonnay aroma. A good value at $2.99. He also suggests the Chantefleur which he says is a blend of different wines, from one of the good burgundy shippers \a true Chardonnay.%u201d In a jug wine, he suggests the Villa Banfi Roman White. Drier than a Soave and more full bodied than a Frescati, he feels that at 3.79 a magnum is a %u201cgood buy.%u201d For a turkey dinner he recomkmends the 1976 Beaujolais Villages from Alexis Lichine for $4.49. Better, and cheaper than the 1977 vintage, this is a light, fruity wine with good taste and aroma. From Portugal comes two wines that he feels offer the best value in the store. These are the red and white wines fro Dao. The red is a full bodied wine, very lemudscent of a true burgundy, while the white is chewy, fat and has a touch of oak. Finally, he suggests Purpon, a natural hard cider from Normandy for $1.99.GOOD SELECTIONIn Boerum Hill, Sterling Wines sadliquors at 117 Smith Street carries a good selection of moderate-priced wines.Abraham Agosto, the owner, especially recomkmends two Bordeauxs from Nicholas. The Medoc is $3.39 while the Bordeaux Superieur is $2.79. The Medoc wine is fuller and a big softer than the less expensive one, but both are good values. He also recommends the Blanc de Blanc Sec from Prosper Maufoux, saying, it is one of his best selling wines. Another white he favors is a 1977 Vouvray from St. Michel. 1 A dry style wine, it is young, f resh, and sprightly. From Argentina, he recommends the Canto Rodado Malbec and Pinot Chardonnay. Both are estate lottled wines and sell for $2.99. %u201cThe Malbec is a heavy burgundy style wine, while the Chardonnay is subtle and soft.%u201d Finally, he carries a full line of Victori Sherries for $2.99, which he recommends for people who want something other than table wine.WELL-STOCKED SHOPSt. John%u2019s Wines and Liquors at 450 St. John%u2019s Place in Prospect Heights is a well stocked wine shop. The owner, Steve Dickstein is friendly and very helpful. From France, he recommends the 1977 Piat Beaujolais for $4.99, and one of the best Sauternes, the 1973 Chateau D%u2019Rayne Vigneau for $5.99. The latter is a sweet dessert wine that also goes well with pate or on the rocks as an aperitif. From Germany, he suggests three wines from the well-known Weber Corp oration. The Zeller Schwartz Kats for $3.99; the May Wine for $2.99 and a Libframilch for $3.29.the sweet side (especially the May Wine) as are most German wines. For the price, Dickstein says that the Libframilch is the best buy. Hefurther recommends three Italian wines that %u201c Would be ideal for holiday drinking.%u201d One of his choices is Sotte Voce at $2.99. This wine, he feels %u201c Is comparable to Bolla Soave as it is soft, dry, and without any aftertaste, but is much less expensive.%u201d From Emilia/Romagna, he recommends two Lambruscos: both Riunite and Giacobazzi sell for 12.89. These are slightly sweet and spritzy wines that are great favorites with the c oilege crowd.A FULL LINEClinton Hill BUI at 373 Waverly Avenue in Clinton Hill is a smallish store that has a full line of wines for reasonable prices.A Ms. Lambright recommends the nonvintage Canei, both white and rose, at $2.19. This soft Italian import is best served chilled and is %u201cvery popular.%u201d In a sparkling wine, she feels that another Italian wine, Asti Spumante by Bosca is an excellent buy. This wine is vinified in a semi-dry style and a. $3.99 is about %u201cThree dollars less expensive than the more heavily advertised Martini and Rossi product.%u201d From Portugal, she suggests Lancers Rose and their less well-known Bianco, both for $4.29 and the Mateus Rose for $3.89. These slightly sweet winesshould be served chilled and go well at any time.SEEING IS BELIEVINGAt Shawn Liquors at 141 Seventh Avenue, the manager is Dan O%u2019Sullivan. O%u2019Sullivan feels that his selection of wines is too extensive to be described: you have to visit the store, he says to see. He does, however, have several selections he would recommend. A 1975 Casa Sola Chianti Classico is $2.79, the 1971 Reserva is $3.79; he also carries a 1971 Brolio Reserva at $4.55. In Chianti Gassico means that it comes from a specified zone in the heart of the Chianti region; Reserva means that it has been aged in wood for at least an extra year to give it more flavor and life. The best buy of the three, says O%u2019Sullivan, is the 1971 Brolio, which %u201c Has had time to mature and exhibit the best qualities of a great Chianti.%u201d He also features the non-vintage Premiat wines from Rumania and sells their Cabernet, Riesling, and Pinot Noir all at $2.29. From Chile, he says that the Concha y Toro Caberet Sauvignon at $2.99 and the Riesling at $1.99 are %u201c Excellent buys.%u201d From France, he recommends the 1977 Jadot Beaujolais at $4.99. %u201c From a good vintage, this wine has excellent fruit and sprightliness.%u201d Finally, he recommends two Spanish wines, the red and white Siglo, both at $2.89.CHAMPAGNE: ALWAYS SPECIAL VLocated in Fort Green is Andy%u2019a Wine*and Liquors at 184 Myrtle Avenue. The owner, Vic Weiss, is able to recommend several excellent buys in different wines in which his store specializes. One wine that is always on special is Champagne. The classic, sparkling beverage is suitable for any occasion and is appropriate with thV holidays coming up. Weiss says that he has^ different New York State Champagnes on sale at three bottles for $5.50. These are regular sized bottles, and since the brand changes, one would have to visit the store to determine what brands were being offered at a particular time. He also suggests estate bottled wines from Argentina, both the Burgandy and Chablis sell for $1.59 per bottle. From France, he features the J. Pellerin Beaujolais at $2.99 which he feels %u201cIs an excellent buy and an excellent wine.%u201d Also from France is a newly arrived shipment of different 1973 Bordeauxs. All estate bottled wines, the1973 vintage was ok but not great. Ready for drinking now, his selection offers some good buys. The Don Crespo Rose from Portugal sells for $2.29 and Weiss recommends it very highly, as he equates it with Lancers or Mateus.EAGER TO HELPAnother Fort Greene wine shop with a full selection is Philips Liquors at 403Myrtle Avenue. Sany Stevens, the proprietor, is knowledgeable and eager to be helpful. In assisting a customer to select a wine, he feels that one must ascertain what the customer means by sweet or dry. Many American wine drinkers say that they like dry wines, but what they buy are on the sweet side. This may explain why Lambruscos are some of the best selling imported wines in America. Stevens recommends four French imports. A 1974 Auxery Duress at $5.10 is his personal favorite, and %u201c Is a terrific wine at an outstanding price.%u201d He also suggests a 1977 Victori Bouveau Beaujolais for $2.99. He says that this wine is fresh, fruity; and while not as good a vintage as the great 1976, it is a %u201cGood light wine for the price.%u201d He further recommends the house brand wines he carries. Two of them are a1974 St. Emilion for $2.49 and a 1976 Pouilly-Fume for $4.79. St. Emilion is noted for wines of complexity and softness, while Pouilly-Fume%u2019s are also soft and rich to the taste. However, for price and value, Stevens recommends his large selection of domestic jug wines, available in triple liter (about 100 ounces) that range from $3.29 to $3.59. This includes a house brand Sangria that sells for $3.49.While all of these will not be available in every wine shop, there are a number of good imports that one can purchase without spending a lot of money. Hopefully, these suggestions will give you some idea as to what to look for.And remember as Plato said \Veritas\November 16,1978, THE PHOENIX. Page 13