In Vino Paupertas

"Never think of leaving perfume or wine to your heir," advised the Roman epigrammatist Martial. "Administer these to yourself, and let him have the money." The flaw in Martial's dictum, if applied today, is that anyone who enjoys the better known wines, particularly French imports, is unlikely to have much cash left for himself or his survivors. Prices have spiraled upwards cruelly and there is no end in sight.

Even the most devoted wine drinker may pale on finding that his favorite 1962 Chateau Ducru-Beaucaillou, which just a year ago cost $5.95, is now $12.75; or that a 1967 Lynch-Bages, which was $4 in May 1971, is now $13.75. Traveling from Bordeaux to Burgundy, a 1971 Joseph Drouhin Pouilly-Fuisse, $4.80 last December, is up to $6.65. As for German wines: a 1971 Graacher Himmelreich Spatlese, $6.50 a year ago, is today $9.89.

Dollar devaluation, European inflation and speculation by large liquor firms are three of the reasons. Another is strict French laws regulating production of the most sought after wines. Demand continues to grow in the U.S., Asia and Europe. Not only are Americans drinking more table wine than ever* but Japan has had a stunning impact on the market. Tokyo importers sometimes outbid rivals by as much as 50%. In London, Sir Hugh Wonter, chairman of the Savoy Group, predicts that within a few years his hotels will have to charge $75 for a bottle of Bordeaux. "I think," Sir Hugh says, "that we shall have to take lemonade."

Costly Complexity. That switch is too radical for most wine lovers. Depending on one's pocketbook and palate, there are still many good buys to be had, and oenologists are helping laymen to search them out. Michael Aaron, vice president of Manhattan's Sherry-Lehmann Co., one of the largest wine retailers in the U.S., says that the affluent customer who balks at paying $60 for a 1970 Chateau Lafite label (it was $30 a year ago) can go to a quite acceptable Beychevelle at "only" $20.

Even that solution is too costly for the vast majority of Americans who take wine with their meals. Hence the search for wines that are not included in rated growths of Bordeaux, but are good nonetheless. Beaujolais is still a relative bargain, though many people might object to paying $9, say, for a Fleurie.

Wine Merchant Rod Pearson of Brentwood, Calif., suggests an alternative: "A Chateau Haut Bergy 1967 at $6 won't be as 'complex' as a Leoville-Poyferre, but the latter does not have three times the complexity at $18."

Many Americans are discovering the virtues--pungent aroma and mouth-filling fruitiness--of the Loire Valley's reds, such as Chinon and Bour-gueil, which can be had for $2.75-$3.

The big, full-bodied Rhone vintages--Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Hermitage, Cote Rotie--are $5.45-$6 and are good substitutes for Burgundies.

Real bargain hunting requires leaving France altogether. "We have to fight the French," says Wine Critic Roy Andries de Groot. "We have to declare war on them." More and more American stores are recommending hitherto unknown labels such as the Dolcetto and Inferno of northern Italy, which are light years ahead of spaghetti-joint Chianti, but easy on the wallet at $2.80-$3. Alexis Bespaloff, who says he tasted more than 2,000 samples for his forthcoming Guide to Inexpensive Wines, recommends reds from the Rioja region of Spain. "They have the style of Bordeaux," he says, "perhaps without the finesse." The Riojas, which are made from Garnacha and Graciano grapes, first cousins to the grapes of Bordeaux, sell for between $2 and $4.

Australia is exporting reds and whites that sell in the U.S. for only $2.69 and are skillfully blended for a bright, tangy flavor. One of the hottest items at Morrell & Co., a prominent New York wine merchant, is a 1969 Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon at $1.99 a bottle. "One customer," reports Manager Cal Green, "bought 50 cases."

For years, of course, Americans who are unconcerned about foreign label prestige have been using California wines (TIME cover, Nov. 27, 1972). Brands made from the Pinot Chardonnay and the Cabernet Sauvignon grapes have developed distinctive character of their own. California vin ordinaire is widely regarded as superior to that of France. Bespaloff points out that a California Sauvignon Blanc is "crisp, dry and clean"; at around $3, it is also half the price of a Chablis Cru. The California Grenache roses, made from the grape that produces Tavel, impress some connoisseurs as comparing favorably to foreign pinks. The U.S. versions sell for only $1.75-$2.49.

Overall, California prices have remained relatively reasonable, making them increasingly attractive as the prestige imports have grown more costly. But the California solution may prove short-lived; the 1972 grape harvest was the smallest in 30 years because of bad weather. This is expected to translate into a price increase of about 20%. Thus the search for bargains will go on.

*Americans consumed 337 million gallons of wine in 1972, 32 million gallons more than they drank in 1971.

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