A couple of recent TNs.
Last night - at a very pleasant pleasure-with-a-touch-of-business dinner, Union League in New Haven - I went for the 2002 Beaune Les Toussaints from Albert Morot. We were with a couplee of wine-interested but not
-knowledgeable friends who mostly drnink lower end stuff, and this duly provided a demonstration of changes in the glass: immediately on opening it was very New World - huge intense fruit, high impact then rapid fade - but after only maybe two minutes had shifted to being sharp, much thinner, almost bitter; and then after maybe twenty minutes settled down to a decent (but not spectacular) and as-expected well-balanced drink (which worked very well with mesclun/prosciutto figs, not so well with pheasant and sausage, too light for the latter). I think $75 restaurant price. B/B+, only average QPR at best probably.
Over the past couple of weeks as we've been moving into the new house and painting etc., a bunch of mid-low end wines, the best of which by quite a distance is the 2003 Bogle Old Vine Zin. This is honestly really good, and at ~$13 tremendous value: lots of fruit but not too jammy, and a good long follow-through with *very* smooth finish throughout despite reasonable tannin. I went out and bought out two stores ;). A-, and a clear A for value.