Throughout the month of January, we here at Crown Liquors will be hosting a series of tastings that highlight affordable wines, wines that are under $20, before any discount, that we think offer some stellar bang for the buck! Our first stop in the series will be Italy.

While Italy certainly makes some eye wateringly expensive bottles (Barolo and Brunello anyone? ??) we think that it is home to some wonderful deals as well. One thing we think is important when trying to find great value in wine is to get off the beaten path a bit. Wines that have famous names aren’t typically famous because of their affordability, and often these wines congregate in the same areas, whether it is the likes of First Growth Bordeaux or Cult Napa Cabs that just isn’t where the affordability factor tends to hide.

One great example of off the beaten track this week is the Santa Barbara Marche Rosso, while Tuscany and Piedmont may be home to most of Italy’s premium bottlings, we look to this region, pronounced "Mark eh" on the eastern side of the peninsula to show what the entire country is do.

The wine is a blend of two grapes that are more famous in neighboring regions. Making up 70% of the blend is Montepulciano, most famous in Marche’s southern neighbor Abruzzo, and the other 30% is Sangiovese, the king of grapes in Tuscany. Montepulciano sticks to central eastern coast of Italy, Sangiovese however is grown all over the country, so while this blend may seem unfamiliar to us in the US, it isn’t out of place in the region.

So, while the region itself may be new to many, and the blend isn’t one we typically think of, the grapes are something that any Italian wine lover will know and have a well-established history in the region. We think this combination of things makes for a wine that isn’t just cheap, but oh so delicious!