>> US I $15 and under
 
Chateau Ste. Michelle
Chateau Ste. Michelle is the largest player in Washington, and they excel across nearly every price tier. They offer stellar single-vineyard and reserve merlots, impressive wines made in collaboration with Ernst Loosen (Eroica Riesling) and Piero Antinori (the Col Solare blend), the Artist Series Reds - and yet, it's their little wines, Columbia Valley stalwarts, that we come back to again and again, drawn by their economy and consistency. Who else offers a syrah like the '01, with dense, chewy syrah character, at such a good price? Or better still, a fresh sunny semillon for $9, as true to the grape as any in this country?
Chateau Ste. Michelle, Woodinville, WA
91 I  2002 Columbia Valley Semillon $9 (6/04)
87 I  2001 Columbia Valley Syrah $13 (10/03)
86 I  2002 Columbia Valley Chardonnay $14.49 (4/04)
82 I  2001 Columbia Valley Semillon $9 (8/03)
GV I  2002 Columbia Valley Gewurztraminer $9 (8/03)
 
Foppiano
Through much of the last century, the Foppiano family made plump, easygoing reds for everyday consumption, and did a fine job of it. Typically, those reds were blended from zinfandel and petite sirah, and were thick, heady, uncomplicated wines. But as the vines matured, so did the winery. As they age, both petite and zinfandel vines produce wines of greater density and power, and Foppiano's reputation has been made on this slow, inexorable maturation, until grape sources that once contributed to jug blends are capable of much, much more. Witness Foppiano's Paso Robles Petite Sirah, a spicy, heady, black-fruited wine with enough tannic stuffing to age ten years or more. All that for less than $15. Here's to getting older, and better.
Foppiano Vineyards, Healdsburg, CA
91 I  2001 Paso Robles Petite Sirah $14.50 (8/03)
88 I  2001 Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel $15 (6/04)
 
Fox Run
Don't say we didn't warn you - the Finger Lakes are on a serious roll. Wine has been produced in New York since 1829, but most of the growth has occurred since 1975, and nearly half of the nearly 200 newly bonded wineries in New York are found in the Finger Lakes region. Vineyards here are almost Alpine in feel, with the deep, glacier-carved lakes regulating temperatures on the slopes. White wines excel, especially at Fox Run, where winemaker Peter Bell's gewurz is cool, smooth and spicy, with an elegance that belies its price, and his Arctic Fox blend of cayuga, chardonnay and riesling is full of peachy flavor, endlessly quaffable.
Fox Run Vineyards Inc., Penn Yan, NY
89 I  2001 Finger Lakes Gewurztraminer $14.99 (8/03)
84 I  2001 Finger Lakes Chardonnay $12.99 (10/03)
GV I  Finger Lakes Arctic Fox White $6.99 (6/04)
 
Handley
It's hard to believe that land in a place as beautiful as Mendocino's Anderson Valley was once dirt cheap, but when Milla Handley settled there, it was. That accounts in part for the affordability of Handley wines, but not for their quality. For that you can blame the weather. Cool foggy mornings set against warm afternoons led Handley toward white wines with an Alsace pedigree, and she's come to excel at them. Handley has also brought her touch for crisp, bracing whites to the warmer Dry Creek Valley in her '02 Sauvignon. How? She sends the grapes directly to the press without crushing them first - a Champagne trick which she believes helps to keep the acidity brisk.
Handley Cellars, Philo, CA
92 I  2002 Anderson Valley Gewurztraminer $14 (10/03)
90 I  2002 Dry Creek Valley Sauvignon Blanc $14 (2/04)
 
Kendall-Jackson
Kendall-Jackson has amassed such a wealth of vineyard resources throughout California that for them, providing a good bottle of wine on the cheap is almost second nature. Winemaster Randy Ullom and his winemaking team of Chris Johnson and Mark Theis sculpt wines from the tropics of the Central Coast to the fogbound zones of Mendocino, and somehow they're always able to find the sweet spot that balances all these divergent elements in ways that seem effortless.

Their top performer in the category is almost a poster-wine for that blending process, a meritage blend of white varietals made with fruit from a plethora of sources, bright with lemon pie and pear flavors, charming and generous.
Kendall-Jackson Vyds. & Winery, Geyserville, CA

90 I  2001 California Grand Reserve Meritage White $13 (8/03)
88 I  2001 California Vintner's Reserve Semillon $10 (8/03)
84 I  2001 California Vintner's Reserve Pinot Blanc $13 (8/03)
84 I  2000 California Vintner's Reserve Syrah $12 (10/03)
 
Kenwood
Kenwood has always been one of the more visible wineries in the Sonoma Valley area, partly because of its history, partly because of the bold design of its flagship series from the Jack London Vineyard (with its own storied history) and partly because they claim a rousing on-premise presence, as evidenced by their perennial popularity in our Annual Restaurant Poll. A typical Kenwood wine shows Sonoma lushness of fruit modified by a soft directness of tone, balanced, with a light touch. That said, their top scoring wine for $15 or less this year was a zin from Lodi, showing off the brighter, redder fruit profiles that AVA can offer, as well as a beguiling spiciness that begs for a steak.
Kenwood Vineyards, Kenwood, CA
87 I  2001 Lodi Zinfandel $11 (12/03)
86 I  2002 Sonoma County Chardonnay $15 (12/03)
82 I  2002 Sonoma County Sauvignon Blanc $11 (2/04)
 
Navarro
There are virtues to being in the Anderson Valley; it's gorgeous, quiet and isolated, you're far from the madding crowd (e.g., hordes of Napa tourists), and it's cool enough to make white wines that are crisp and delicious. Ted Bennett and Deborah Cahn cashed in on a hi-fi business in the early seventies and moved up north, buying in when land was cheap and plentiful. They were sufficiently beguiled by Alsatian varieties to want to grow them, and in this they have excelled. Even so, their top-flight wine this year was a rosé made with grenache, syrah and mourvèdre, which reminded our tasters of rosés from Navarra, in Spain.
Navarro Vineyards, Philo, CA
90 I  2002 Mendocino Old Vine Cuvée Rose $13.50 (12/03)
87 I  2001 Mendocino Chardonnay $13.50 (12/03)
87 I  2001 Mendocino Pinot Noir $14.50 (12/03)
86 I  2002 Mendocino Anderson Valley White Riesling $14 (4/04)
83 I  2002 Mendocino Navarrouge $12 (6/04)
 
Pedroncelli
The Pedroncellis have been making wine since 1927, generations before many of their better-known competitors. They planted vineyards in their neighborhood before anyone else thought to plant vines there. And they tend old vines they planted. From the fruit of those old vines, the Pedroncellis put out good juice at a good price, something that's been a point of pride in the family down to the current generation, as it is for assistant winemaker Mandy McCord. This year their pinot impressed us with its green-edged, dried cherry character, light and approachable now.
Pedroncelli Winery, Geyserville, CA
85 I  2001 Dry Creek Valley F. Johnson Vyd. Pinot Noir $14.50 (2/04)
85 I  2000 Dry Creek Valley Alto Vyds. Sangiovese $14 (10/03)
GV I  2001 Sonoma County Zinfandel $10 (6/04)
GV I  2002 Dry Creek Valley Chardonnay $10 (10/03)
 
Ponzi
Dick Ponzi, along with fellow pioneers David Lett and David Adelsheim, has been singing the praises of pinot gris and pinot blanc longer than anyone in this country, and it's a pleasure to report that he's still at the top of his game. The Ponzi gris is classic gris, and classic Oregon - balanced and lean the way gris can be, fleshy and rich the way Oregon can grow it. It's an even greater pleasure to report that it's still a steal (it's now made by Ponzi's daughter, Luisa). In fact, fully half of the winery's production comes in under $20, including an affordable, eminently quaffable pinot noir called Tavola.
Ponzi Vineyards, Beaverton, OR
90 I  2002 Willamette Valley Pinot Gris $13 (2/04)
85 I  2002 Willamette Valley Pinot Blanc $15 (6/04)
 
Qupé
Qupé has become a perennial member of our Regional Wineries of the Year. For a recent profile in these pages, W&S' Ray Isle asked owner Bob Lindquist about how reasonable Qupé's prices had remained. "You have to make a living," Lindquist responded, "but I try to keep that wine where everybody can drink it." Not a thing has changed since he said that, and all we can say is thank you. Lindquist and his crew in the Santa Maria Valley keep making better and better wine, sourced from better and more mature grape sources, and he doesn't seem to touch the prices. And no one can touch his marsanne, which in this vintage is simply brilliant.
Qupé Wine Cellars, Santa Maria, CA
93 I  2002 Santa Ynez Valley Marsanne $15 (12/03)
88 I  2002 Central Coast Syrah $15 (6/04)
88 I  2001 Central Coast Syrah $15 (12/03)
85 I  2002 Santa Maria Valley White $15 (8/03)
 
Sebastiani
The Sebastianis just celebrated their first hundred years of winemaking, and with it a return to form as a quintessentially Sonoma winery with a focus on local vines and their family heritage. They did recently jettison their most inexpensive line of California bottlings, but that doesn't mean they've abandoned value, and their Sonoma County Chardonnay embodies this commitment, packed with more ripe flavors for the buck than most in its price category. Like last year, Sebastiani's Sonoma Coast pinot noir counts among the best values from that appellation, a wine kissed with cool weather and green, woodsy tones.
Sebastiani, Sonoma, CA
85 I  2002 Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir $15 (6/04)
83 I  2001 Sonoma Valley Chardonnay $13 (4/04)
 
Talomas
Talomas represents hundreds of thousands of frequent-flyer miles for its winemaker, Ian Shepherd, the Australian in charge of this California brand and its sibling, Kirralaa. Both are joint ventures between the Mondavis and the Oatley family of Rosemount Estate. For the Mondavis this is not unusual - they have partnerships with wineries on most every continent except Africa. Of course, Talomas isn't Opus. Instead, it's an everyday good drink, a brand that shows off the Aussie pedigree of its winemaker: forward flavors, lush, sappy and round, impossible not to like - a glassful of Australian affability with a California address.
Talomas Vineyards, Oakville, CA
89 I  2000 California Cabernet Merlot $14.99 (8/03)
88 I  2000 California Cabernet Shiraz $14.99 (8/03)
 
Valley of the Moon
Valley of the Moon is joined at the hip to its more well-established, older sibling, Kenwood Winery, which purchased it in the late '90s. Kenwood's winemaker, Steve Rued, recently switched over to Valley of the Moon, taking the place of Pat Henderson, who came to Kenwood. While Kenwood's wines show the pedigree of history and older, established vineyards, Valley of the Moon wines have the feel of a younger brother, an upstart. They're rich, fresh and forward, lush in their fruit profile and easy on the oak. The pinot blanc in particular is pleasingly fresh and crisp, with plenty of snap.
Valley of the Moon Winery, Glen Ellen, CA
86 I  2002 Sonoma County Pinot Blanc $15 (12/03)
83 I  2002 Sonoma County Rosato di Sangiovese $12 (12/03)
83 I  2002 Sonoma County Chardonnay $15 (12/03)
 
Villa Mt. Eden
The best measure for value is the ratio of price to quality, and for that you need only turn to Villa Mt. Eden's Grand Reserve Chardonnay. Where else can you find a wine from the Central Coast's most prestigious and storied vineyard, Bien Nacido, for a mere fifteen bucks? Or a cabernet from the heart of the Napa Valley for twelve? Villa Mt. Eden draws fruit from nine prime vineyards from Mendocino to Santa Ynez, and has a knack for teasing out maximum character for minimal bucks.
Villa Mt. Eden Winery, St. Helena, CA
87 I  2002 Santa Maria Valley Bien Nacido Vineyard Grand Reserve Chardonnay $15 (6/04)
83 I  2000 Napa Valley Tall Trees Cabernet Sauvignon $12 (4/04)
82 I  2001 California Pinot Noir $10 (6/04)
 
>> US I $12 and under
 
Beringer
Beringer Wine Estates is many things to many people - a Napa éminence grise, a player on the world stage - but to those who quaff the wines of the Founders' Estate tier, it's a reliable name in everyday wines. Founders' Estate was conceived in 1998 by Beringer Winemaster Ed Sbragia to honor winery founders Jacob and Frederick Beringer. Ron Schrieve, who's the winemaker for the brand, was schooled at the University of the Pacific in Stockton, on the San Joaquin delta, where some of these grapes are grown. He crafts reds with a juicy, forward, red fruit profile, a charming riesling, and one of those rare white zinfandels - salmon-pink, actually - with enough acid to balance the sweetness.
Beringer Vineyards, St. Helena, CA
85 I  2001 California Founders' Estate Cabernet Sauvignon $12 (6/04)
84 I  2002 California Founders' Estate Chardonnay $12 (6/04)
GV I  2002 California Zinfandel $6 (6/04)
GV I  2002 California Johannisberg Riesling $6 (10/03)
GV I  2002 California Founders' Estate Pinot Noir $12 (2/04)
GV I  2002 California Premier Vyd. Selection White Zinfandel $6 (6/04)
 
Blackstone
Dennis Hill and his winemaking team at Blackstone have been very busy the past few vintages. After establishing a stretch of vineyards east of (and downwind from) the blustery Santa Lucia Highlands in Monterey, they've begun to turn out wines with loftier aspirations and tighter appellations - like Napa, Sonoma and the Russian River Valley. You might think that wines from these prestigious vineyard addresses would pull some attention from the less expensive California AVA wines that made Blackstone's reputation. But our own tastings suggest otherwise. The California bottlings, merlots, cabernets and pinots, as well as whites from Monterey, have the same lushness of fruit and broad drinkable appeal as ever.
Blackstone Winery, Graton, CA
85 I  2002 Monterey County Sauvignon Blanc $11.99 (8/03)
82 I  2001 California Cabernet Sauvignon $12 (2/04)
82 I  2000 California Cabernet Sauvignon $12 (12/03)
82 I  2001 Monterey County Chardonnay $11.99 (8/03)
81 I  2002 California Cabernet Sauvignon $12 (6/04)
81 I  2002 California Merlot $12 (6/04)
 
Bogle
Bogle Winery established their vineyards on the Sacramento River delta east of Napa County in the 1960s, at a time when you could find corn, wheat, tomatoes, sugar beets, leafy greens - everything but grapes - planted there. But Warren Bogle Sr. saw an opportunity in the windswept, fogbound flatlands of an island formed from levees and creekbeds, and ever since, the Bogles have been the Niebaums of the Clarksburg AVA, crafting solidly dependable wines of grainy depth and rustic charm. Clarksburg's windy flats are an ideal environment for head-trained petite, and Bogle's is a gutsy pot of black fig fruit, black in the glass, inky in its richness.
Bogle Vineyards, Clarksburg, CA
83 I  2001 California Petite Sirah $10 (12/03)
82 I  2002 California Chardonnay $9 (12/03)
 
Cartlidge & Browne
Tony Cartlidge and Glen Browne set out in the early eighties to make a forward, fruit-driven chardonnay that restaurants could pour by the glass. Then Robert Parker put some in his glass and blew the lid off the stuff in an early review. Cartlidge & Browne went from zero to sixty to sold out, which is the history of their winery in a nutshell.

Cartlidge and Browne are negociants, pulling in fruit from outlying AVAs like Clarksburg, Lodi and the Knights Valley, keeping yields fairly low and oak to a minimum, and sourcing old vines fruit where they can, all with an eye to keeping the price well within the by-the-glass zone. The result is an always approachable, almost rustic directness to their wines, as in the precocious '02 cabernet; it's lush, red, sappy and irresistible.
Cartlidge & Browne, American Canyon, CA

83 I  2001 California Syrah $10 (8/03)
GV I  2001 California Merlot $10 (8/03)
GV I  2002 California Chardonnay $10 (12/03)
GV I  2002 Knights Valley Cabernet Sauvignon $10 (4/04)
 
Forest Glen
Forest Glen's merlot is almost iconic in the value terrain, a common sight on supermarket and convenience store shelves across the country. And it is a wine of convenience, the one to grab on your way to a quick bite or an impromptu picnic. Ed Moody has slowly been expanding the brand to include other grape varieties, like the grapefruity pinot grigio we tasted last August. He crafts these wines from a variety of sources, most of them in California's central valley, and those vineyards delivered in 2002, with forward fruit profiles, lush textures and a friendly, immediate appeal.
Forest Glen Winery, Sonoma, CA
81 I  2002 California Merlot $9.99 (6/04)
GV I  2002 California Pinot Grigio $9.99 (8/03)
 
Wildhurst
Wildhurst's bracing sauvignons are grown in Lake County, an appellation that made its name on the strength of Robert Mondavi's Fumé Blanc, which originally drew most of its fruit from here. The region features abundant land, abundant heat, and a built-in cooling mechanism in Clear Lake, California's largest natural body of water. Clear Lake's cooling effect is profound, and vineyards can experience a temperature shift of as much as fifty degrees in a day.

This makes the area ideal for sauvignon, and some of the finest in the state come from this AVA. Wildhurst and its vineyards are owned by Myron and Marilyn Holdenried, whose families have made their living for generations as pear farmers. Pears are harvested later than grapes, so when these grapes come in, there's plenty of space to keep them cool in hangar-sized refrigeration buildings built for the pear harvest - which helps to maintain acidity, keeping the wines racy and tense.
Wildhurst Vineyards, Kelseyville, CA

91 I  2002 Lake Cty. Reserve Sauvignon Blanc $11 (8/03)
90 I  2002 Lake Cty. Snuller-Vincent Vyd. Sauvignon Blanc $11 (8/03)
86 I  2002 Lake Cty. Sleeper Vyd. Sauvignon Blanc $11 (8/03)
 
>> Argentina I $15 and under
 
Trapiche
It's wineries like Trapiche that have given Argentina a name for value. The brand has been a regular among our Value Brands of the Year, and this year Trapiche's lineup of recommended wines is even bigger than usual. From the basic Falling Star line up to the $15 Broquel wines, our panels culled seven wines out of our blind tastings that stood out for deliciousness at low prices. That $6 Falling Star Cabernet Sauvignon? Buy it by the case to have on hand for quick steak dinners all summer long. Guests coming? Spend a whopping $10 for the Oak Cask wines, which add a vanilla sheen to their ripe fruit flavors. If you really like your friends, splurge on the Broquel Malbec. With deep, licorice-licked purple fruit and firm, smooth tannins, it sums up everything there is to love about Argentine malbec - for just $15.
Imported by Frederick Wildman & Sons, NY
88 I  2001 Mendoza Broquel Malbec $14.99 (2/04)
87 I  2002 Mendoza Oak Cask Malbec $9.99 (6/04)
84 I  2002 Mendoza Oak Cask Cabernet $9.99 (6/04)
GV I  2003 Mendoza Chardonnay $6.99 (6/04)
GV I  2003 Mendoza Malbec $6.99 (6/04)
GV I  2003 Mendoza Merlot $6.99 (6/04)
GV I  2003 Mendoza Falling Star $5.99 (6/04)
 
Susana Balbo
Susana Balbo has been making wine in Argentina since 1981, back when female winemakers were as rare in Mendoza as lettuce is in their restaurants. She also worked at Catena, the Mondavi of Argentina, along with her husband Pedro Marchevsky, arguably the most learned viticulturalist in the country. Now, on their own, they have their own lines of wines, but it's Susana's affordable Crios de Susana Balbo we fell for hardest. The light, floral torrontés she makes might be one of the country's most expensive, but it's also the best, and at $15, who's complaining? It's a terrific warm-weather aperitif - the sort of wine you'd have while waiting for the coals in the grill to turn ashy. After the steaks go on, it's time for her red blend of syrah and bonarda, an unusual combination of a French and an Italian grape that turns out tasting beefy, burly and entirely Argentine. She makes more expensive wines, too, but who needs them when you can drink so well for so little?
Imported by Vine Connections, Sausalito, CA
89 I  2002 Mendoza Crios de Susana Balbo Syrah Bonarda $15 (2/04)
89 I  2003 Cafayate Crios de Susana Balbo Torrontés $15 (2/04)
 
>> Argentina I $10 and under
 
Doña Paula
Just how great is Argentina's wine potential? So great that the Chileans are climbing over the Andes to see what they can do there, too. Doña Paula is the Argentine venture of Ricardo Claro, who heads up Santa Rita, a Chilean winery based in the Maipo Valley. Claro picked some of Mendoza's best spots for his vineyards, the high altitudes of Tupungato and Luján de Cuyo. Then he appointed winemakers Stefano Gandolini and Matias Michelini to make the wines. They make three levels of wines, from the pricey Selección de Bodega to the affordable Los Cardos line that landed them in these pages. The three reds that captured the attention of our panels are all as purple as the thistles that give the Cardos line its name, with the juicy, sunny fullness of Argentine sun and the structure that's possible when the grapes come from higher altitudes. Whichever variety you're looking for, if it's Argentine reds you want, Doña Paula, only seven years old, is already a name to trust.
Imported by Vineyard Brands, Birmingham, AL
87 I  2002 Luján de Cuyo Los Cardos Malbec $8 (2/04)
84 I  2002 Luján de Cuyo Los Cardos Cabernet Sauvignon $8 (2/04)
GV I  2002 Tupungato Los Cardos Merlot $8 (2/04)
 
>> Australia I $15 and under
 
Jacob's Creek
Long before kangaroos and wallabies became the poster animals for affordable Australian wine, Jacob's Creek was there, its simple labels selling on the value-price ratio people found inside. They became Australia's most popular wine that way, and it's easy to taste why. For just $9, you can pick up any one of six easy-drinking reds, from the grapey Grenache-Shiraz to the deeper, darker Shiraz and Shiraz-Cabernet Sauvignon wines that we recommended last year. For an extra $6, you can pick up one of the Reserves, like the '01 Shiraz, a spicy, juicy red sourced from vines in the best Shiraz areas of South Australia, including McLaren Vale and Barossa Valley. It's elegant enough for filet mignon for less than the steak will cost you.
Imported by Pernod Ricard USA, White Plains, NY
82 I  2001 South Australia Reserve Shiraz $13.99 (6/04)
GV I  2001 South Eastern Australia Shiraz Cabernet $8.49 (8/03)
GV I  2002 South Eastern Australia Shiraz $8.99 (6/04)
 
Wakefield
"I'm a sucker for Clare," wrote W&S's Joshua Greene last October while reviewing new shiraz releases. He's not the only one. In the past 12 months, Clare Valley's wines have been coming on strong in our tasting panels, and not just the limey rieslings. The red wines are gorgeous, full-bodied yet more restrained than those from warmer South Australia appellations. The only trouble is that Clare reds tend to run $20 or more - except for those from Wakefield. Wakefield is an export brand for Taylors Wines, a family-owned winery founded in 1969. The winery puts out a huge number of wines in a number of different tiers, and though our favorite was the $50 St. Andrews Cabernet Sauvignon, we'd be happy to settle for the foresty, black-fruited, basic Clare cabernet at $15. Even better is the Shiraz, generously filled with black and red fruit flavors kept slim and cool in the crisp Clare air. The winery also offers sophisticated deals with its Promised Land line, sourced from Clare Valley and the Limestone Coast and priced at a reasonable $9.95.
Imported by Appellation Imports, Annapolis Junction, MD
88 I  2001 Clare Valley Shiraz $15 (10/03)
85 I  2002 Clare Valley Cabernet Sauvignon $14.95 (2/04)
GV I  2002 S. Australia Promised Land Cabernet Merlot $9.95 (2/04)
GV I  2003 S. Aust. Promised Land Unwooded Chardonnay $9.95 (2/04)
GV I  2002 S. Australia Promised Land Shiraz Cabernet $9.95 (2/04)
 
Wynns Coonawarra Estate
This is the second award for Wynns this year: The brand also earned a space as a Winery of the Year in our W&S Buying Guide 2004. That means, regardless the price, winemaker Sue Hodder makes darn good wine. But you know what? Only two of the wines that earned them that distinction cost more than $15. All the rest of Wynns' wines are $14 or less. And when you consider that wines like the violet-scented, chocolatey '01 Shiraz and the firm, black, plummy '00 Cabernet Sauvignon are both delicious now and have enough stuffing to improve after several years in the cellar, you'll be hard-pressed to find a better deal. Buy them by the case so you can track how they age.
Imported by Southcorp Wines, The Americas, Napa, CA
88 I  2001 Coonawarra Shiraz $14 (8/03)
86 I  2000 Coonawarra Cabernet Shiraz Merlot $12.50 (8/03)
86 I  2000 Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon $12.50 (8/03)
 
>> Chile I $15 and under
 
Concha y Toro
There are many affordable wines in Chile, but no brand comes close to Concha y Toro in consistently great wines at low prices. With a range that runs from simple varietal and blended wines under the Sunrise and Frontera labels to the terroir-driven Xplorador wines, the brand is a constant fixture in the W&S Value Brands of the Year list. The most dramatic bargains this year are in the Marqués de Casa Concha and Casillero del Diablo ranges, which winemaker Marcelo Papa has worked hard to reinvent since he took them over in 1998. The results are wines like the juicy, spicy, glowingly purple merlot (which might actually be carmenère, but who's quibbling when it tastes so good) and a voluptuous yet structured cabernet sauvignon pulled from the same vineyard as the reserve wine, Don Melchor; both wines are under the Marqués de Casa Concha line. Papa also put out a lush, spicy, smoky cabernet sauvignon for $4 less under the Casillero del Diablo label. Nothing recommended here earned less than 88 points - a claim few wineries can make at any price. Check them out.
Imported by Banfi Vintners, Old Brookville, NY
91 I  2001 Puente Alto Marqués de Casa Concha Cabernet Sauvignon $14 (2/04)
90 I  2001 Peumo Marqués de Casa Concha Merlot $14 (8/03)
88 I  2002 Peumo Marqués de Casa Concha Merlot $15 (6/04)
88 I  2002 Maipo Valley Casillero del Diablo Cabernet $10 (2/04)
 
>> Chile I $12 and under
 
Portal del Alto
Portal del Alto is a sleeper bargain brand. You may not hear about it much, over the clamor of the big brands, but it's worth snapping up its wines whenever you find them. The winery was founded in 1971 by Alejandro Hernández, who's known as "the father of Chilean winemaking" for his 40-some years of teaching enology at the Universidad Católica de Chile. He based his winery in the heart of the Maipo Valley - fine red wine country - and he has vineyards in San Juan de Pirque, Colchagua and Maule. Red wines are the strong suit: Just $7 buys a smooth cabernet sauvignon charged with cherry and spice flavor; another $4 gets a generously proportioned carmenère, sweet with black fruit and smooth as velvet. Either could handle a celebratory roast beef as well as they could a backyard barbecue.
Imported by Port Dixie Enterprises, Washington, DC
88 I  2002 Maule Valley Gran Reserva Carmenère $11 (2/04)
85 I  2001 Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon $6.75 (2/04)
 
>> France I $15 and under
 
Domaine Miquel
Good viognier at a reasonable price is worthy of an award in itself, but Domaine Miquel offers more than just a satiny, peachy, restrainedly floral white to compete with the hallowed, expensive viognier of Condrieu. The winery also pulls juicy syrah and plump merlot from plots on its vineyards in St-Chinian, where the Miquel family has had an estate since 1790. With low yields and mature vines, the wines offer more than expected from $10 Vin de Pays d'Oc bottlings: The merlot, for instance, comes from vines averaging 25 years old, giving it the structure to stand in for a basic Bordeaux. Whether you spring for the St-Chinian or stay with the Vin de Pays, Domaine Miquel offers some terrific deals.
Imported by Frederick Wildman & Sons, NY
88 I  2002 Vin de Pays d'Oc Viognier $14.99 (6/04)
85 I  2001 Vin de Pays d'Oc Merlot $9 (12/03)
85 I  2002 Vin de Pays d'Oc Merlot $9.99 (6/04)
82 I  2002 Vin de Pays d'Oc Syrah $9.99 (6/04)
 
>> France I $12 and under
 
Georges Duboeuf
It's no secret that Beaujolais is affordable: It's almost part of the definition of the region's wines. An affordable wine isn't necessarily a bargain, though, and many Beaujolais aren't. In our definition of a bargain, quality has to exceed expectation for the price, and in Dubouef's village wines, that happens regularly. These aren't bubblegummy Beaujolais Nouveau; they are serious wines, the best of which show why this appellation is considered part of Burgundy. Take the Morgon Grande Cuvée, for example. Its cherry-berry flavors are underlined with musky scents and structured by fine tannins; it's got more heft than many Bourgogne Rouge at the price. The Juliénas is even smokier, more sultry, a red for serious bistro foods like boudin noir. For Beaujolais in all its bright, fresh glory, though, go for the Fleurie, a violet-scented beauty with dark fruit held by vibrant acidity. With wines like these, you'll never go back to Nouveau.
Imported by W. J. Deutsch & Sons, Harrison, NY
90 I  2002 Fleurie $11.99 (10/03)
88 I  2002 Juliénas $11.99 (10/03)
87 I  2002 Morgon Grande Cuvée $11.49 (10/03)
83 I  2002 Beaujolais-Villages Château des Vierres $8.49 (10/03)
 
Paul Jaboulet A”né
If there's a single reason to include Paul Jaboulet A”né as a W&S Value Brand of the Year, it's the Parallèle 45. The winery can do far more than this $11 label; it's most famed for its Hermitage wines, La Chapelle and Chevalier de Sterimberg. But for everyday drinking, Parallèle 45 is hard to beat. It's found on restaurant lists across the country, and most any good wine store as well. It comes in white and red, both of which offer the hallmark flavors of the Rh™ne. In 2001, the white version was particularly good, with rich marzipan flavors and floral notes carried on a smooth, satiny texture. Either, however, are names to remember when you're looking for a reliable, affordable bottle. Jaboulet also came through with a juicy, delicious grenache-based red from the very southern Rh™ne, the C™tes de Ventoux, for just $9. At that price, you can drink well and save up for La Chapelle.
Imported by Frederick Wildman & Sons, NY
88 I  2001 C™tes du Rh™ne Parallèle "45" Blanc $10.99 (10/03)
86 I  2001 C™tes de Ventoux Les Traverses Rouge $9 (6/04)
 
Jeanjean
Good wine for $3.99? Sounds like a miracle, but Jeanjean does it. How? Lots of connections. The company has been around since 1870, although it was another hundred years before it began bottling its wines. Since then, it's become the eighth largest wine company by volume in France, working primarily as a négociant - and it's still in the family: Bernard Jeanjean is chairman of the company. The combination of volume and continuity allows the company to make a white blend with smooth apple and walnut flavors and a foresty, cherry-berry red that sell for just $4. Called Le Pichet, these wines are as easy drinking as their carafe-like bottle with the pull-tab closure suggests. Or step up to the varietal wines, like the sweet, spicy Syrah from the Pays d'Oc we recommended in this issue. Jeanjean also owns a few vineyards from which chief winemaker Matthieu Carliez pulled two lovely wines, one a weightless but flavorful white from the C™teaux du Languedoc, and the other a soft, rich red from Faugères underlined with earthy flavor. With a range from $4 to $13, Jeanjean fits any pocketbook.
Imported by Cannon Wines, San Francisco, CA
85 I  1999 Faugères Clos Roque d'Aspes Red $11.99 (6/04)
85 I  2002 Coteaux du Languedoc Devois des Agneaux d'Aumelas White $12.99 (6/04)
GV I  Vin de Pays d'Oc Le Pichet Red $3.99 (6/04)
GV I  Vin de Pays d'Oc Le Pichet White $3.99 (6/04)
GV I  2002 Vin de Pays d'Oc Syrah $5.99 (6/04)
 
>> Greece I $15 and under
 
Boutari
Greece offers some of the best bargains in the wine world, and if there's one name that shines above all the others in sheer number and consistency of great, affordable Greek wines, it's Boutari. The winery, which has earned a place as a W&S Winery of the Year eight times, dates to 1879, when Ioannis Boutari founded the estate in Naoussa in northern Greece. Today, the company makes wines from almost every wine-growing region in the country, both from its own 370 acres of vines and from long-standing contracts with growers, many brokered by chief enologist Dr. Yannis Voyatzis, who has been with the company for 20 years. Those sources allow Boutari to make everything from Santorini whites as mineral-driven and refined as Chablis to a Naoussa Grande Reserve that gives Barolo a run for its money, with truffley, meaty cherry flavors and the ability to age for decades - the '86 is just now hitting its stride. At $15, there's no reason to hesitate: Scoop them up now before people start to actually believe us.
Imported by Paterno Wines Int'l, Lake Bluff, IL
90 I  1998 Naoussa Grande Reserve $14.99 (8/03)
88 I  2002 Mantinia Moschofilero $13.99 (8/03)
86 I  2002 Santorini White $12.99 (8/03)
86 I  2001 Naoussa $9.99 (8/03)
 
>> Greece I $12 and under
 
Gaia
Gaia has only been around since '94, but it's quickly climbed to the top of Greek winemaking. In part, that's because winemaker Yiannis Paraskevopoulos has had plenty of experience; prior to founding Gaia, he worked for Boutari. In part, it's also because he and his partner, Leon Karatsalos, have chosen two of Greece's best wine regions in which to work: Santorini and Nemea. Gaia's crisp, minerally Thallasitis makes a good argument for saving Santorini's vineyards from bulldozers clearing ways for hotels, but it's the red wines from Nemea in the Peloponnese that caught our attention most this past year. With the local agiorgitiko, Gaia puts out everything from a gutsy rosé for $9 to a deep, dark estate bottling. $12 will get a juicy, dark cherry-fruited Nemea with enough structure to last a few years in the cellar, should you have that sort of self-control. I might if I had enough bottles of Ritinitis to hold me through the summer. While $10 for retsina doesn't sound like a bargain, it is for the ne plus ultra of resinated wines, a delicate, refreshing white with the coolness of a pine forest rather than the direct taste of its trees.
Imported by Athenee Importers & Distributors, Malverne, NY
92 I  Retsina Ritinitis Noble $9.38 (8/03)
87 I  2001 Nemea Agiorgitiko $11.75 (8/03)
86 I  2002 Peloponnese Rose 14-18h Agiorgitiko $8.75 (8/03)
85 I  2002 Peloponnese Nótios Moschofilero & Roditis $8.75 (8/03)
 
Tsantali
Tsantali has been a staple on taverna wine lists from Thessaloniki to New York for so long that people don't even think about it; it's just expected to be there. Now's the time to start paying the brand a little more attention, though, as its wines are getting better than ever. Take the Retsina. Once a workhorse of a wine, heavy with resin, it's now one of the most refreshing, reserved examples on the market. They've applied new techniques to old favorites like xinomavro, the "acid-black" grape of Naoussa, to come through with wines like the almost Beaujolais-soft and juicy Naousa Epilegmenos, arguably the tamest expression of xinomavro ever to appear. From the island of Lemnos, they came out with a tender muscat so light it's like Moscato d'Asti without bubbles. Tsantali offers a slew of other wines, too, but if you have to choose just one, make it the Makedonia Xinomavro, a light, spicy red fragrant with the sultry earthiness of the grape. The firm was founded in Macedonia, and that's still where the brand excels.
Imported by Fantis Imports, Carlstadt, NJ
88 I  Retsina $5.50 (8/03)
84 I  2000 Makedonia Xinomavro $12.50 (8/03)
83 I  Moscato of Lemnos Liqueur Wine $8.95 (8/03)
80 I  1996 Naousa Epilegmenos Reserve Red $9.95 (8/03)
GV I  2000 Nemea Agiorgitiko $12.50 (10/03)
 
>> Greece I $10 and under
 
Kourtaki
There are places in the States that haven't caught on to Greek wines yet, but even in those places Kourtaki shows up. It was one of the first on the scene, and it's remained one of the most reliable, as this eighth showing as a Value Winery of the Year attests. With Kourtaki, there's no worry about whether the best grapes went into a higher-end bottling. There's only one affordable level, and it reads like a roll call of Greece's greatest hits. There's something for every occasion here, from a fresh, clean Retsina for boldy flavored mezes, to Kouros, a light white with the delicate floral notes of roditis that makes as fine an aperitif as it does a dinner wine with sautéed fish. Our favorites this year, however, were the sweet wines. The golden, honeyed muscat from the island of Samos is like baklava in a bottle, with bright acidity that cleans it all up. The caramel-hued, cinnamon-spiced, plum-fruited Mavrodaphne from Patras edges towards a fortified wine from the south of France for only $8. Either deserves a place at the table, regardless of price.
Imported by Nestor Imports, NY
87 I  Mavrodaphne of Patras $8 (8/03)
86 I  2001 Patras Kouros $9 (8/03)
86 I  Samos Muscat $9 (8/03)
86 I  Retsina of Attica $6 (8/03)
GV I  2002 Patras Kouros $9 (6/04)
 
>> Italy I $15 and under
 
Beni di Batasiolo
It takes some looking to find good, affordable wines in Italy's Piedmont, home to truffles and Barolo. That's why we were surprised when Beni di Batasiolo popped up as a Value Brand of the Year. The winery is known most for its Barolo, pulled from 247 acres of vines in eight different vineyards of the Langhe. However, some of those vineyards also hold barbera, and the winery has long-standing contracts with growers around the area, too. Thus, Beni di Batasiolo is able to put out the two affordable Barberas, one soft, old-fashioned version from Asti and another meaty, ripe, tannic version from Alba. Both would be good to keep in stock, the first for meaty pasta, and the second for steak or osso buco. And if fish is on the menu? Check out the light, limey Gavi for $12, or, better yet, the creamy, rich chardonnay that sells for $11.
Imported by Marie Brizard Wines & Spirits, USA, New York, NY
87 I  2002 Langhe Serbato Chardonnay $10.99 (12/03)
85 I  2001 Barbera d'Alba $12 (12/03)
82 I  2001 Barbera d'Asti Sabri $12.99 (12/03)
80 I  2002 Gavi del Comune di Gavi Granee $11.50 (12/03)
 
Alois Lageder
Pinot grigio doesn't have to be dull, even for less than $15. Ask Alois Lageder. The man is passionate about every grape the Alto Adige grows, because he believes in the land his family has tended since the early 1800s. He works most of those vineyards with sustainable viticultural techniques (a quarter of them biodynamically), and encourages the over 150 grape growers he buys grapes from to do the same; and he makes the wines in an ultra-modern but low-impact winery designed by local architects, which runs mostly on solar and geothermic energy. All this sounds expensive (and some of his wines are), but at the "Classic" level, Lageder's wines are uniformly affordable. Our favorites this year included the '02 Chardonnay, a wisp of a white, with leesy lemon-meringue flavors, and the Pinot Bianco, taut and orange-scented with far more vivacity than most. The real head-turner, however, was his '02 Pinot Grigio, a lively, spicy white with the freshness of Alto Adige's mountain air and a toasty, mineral richness. It would be a beautiful Pinot Grigio at any price, but it happens to be just $14.99.
Imported by Dalla Terra, Napa, CA
91 I  2002 Alto Adige Pinot Grigio $14.99 (4/04)
87 I  2002 Alto Adige Pinot Bianco $12.49 (4/04)
87 I  2002 Alto Adige Chardonnay $12.49 (4/04)
GV I  2002 Alto Adige Riff Pinot Grigio $10.99 (4/04)
 
Montesole
Southern Italy has gotten a bad rap for bad wines in the last century, but wineries like Montesole are the ones turning that stereotype around. All of Montesole's wines are made from local varieties sourced from its own vineyards and those of local growers, and they are terrific across the board. You'll find three more recommended wines in the tasting section at the back of the magazine in addition to the ones listed here; these four are simply the ones that made the $15 cut-off. Now, the $18 fiano is delicious, but you're not missing out on much if you stick to the Irpinia Bianco with its wild, smoky pear flavors from coda di volpe and fiano combined. And the white Lacryma Christi is a revelation, bright, fresh and filled with intriguing honey and chamomile flavors. At $15, there's no reason ever to go back to dull Lacryma again. For red wines, try the Irpinia Rosso: It's not Taurasi, but at $11, that's okay. It's dense and delicious, a chewy, spicy aglianico-based red ready for pasta in a rich ragú.
Imported by Winebow, NY
88 I  2002 Lacryma Christi del Vesuvio Bianco $15 (6/04)
87 I  2001 Irpinia Rosso $10.99 (6/04)
86 I  2002 Irpinia Bianco $10.99 (6/04)
80 I  2002 Sannio Falanghina $13.99 (6/04)
 
Villa Matilde
Southern Italy isn't exactly known for its white wines: The rugged land and burning sun lend themselves better to hearty reds. Villa Matilde, based in Campania, makes those sorts of reds with its Falerno and reserve Camarato bottlings, but it also makes two excellent white wines. In keeping with the estate's focus on rejuvenating local varieties, both wines are made from the local grape, falanghina. The Falerno del Massico bottling comes from the estate's hillside vineyard in Croce del Massico; its lightly floral, pretty, honeyed fruit flavors would make a fine match to sautéed skate or roast trout. The Falanghina del Beneventano is richer, riper and more mineral-filled, which gives it the weight for roast pork or roast clams. Either offers good reason to look south when you're looking for something more intriguing than the average pinot grigio at a comparable price.
Imported by Winebow, NY
88 I  2002 Falanghina del Beneventano $13.99 (6/04)
86 I  2001 Falerno del Massico Bianco $13.99 (8/03)
 
Gladiator
Gladiator wines are hard to miss. They're the ones with the gladiator on the label, suited up as though he's ready to save good people from lousy, over-priced wine. He manages to do that, too: Gladiator offers solid value across the board. Made by Vinea S.r.L., a large viticultural consulting company based in Basilicata, the Gladiator line hits all the great grapes and appellations of Southern Italy. They impressed us this year with an earthy nero d'avola from Sicily for $12.99, worthy of the best meatball sub you can wrap your hands around, as well as a Salice Salentino for $11, juicy and black-fruited with just enough bitter-edged tannins to work through beef braciole. And the '99 Copertino Riserva is our new favorite for those times when the urge for pinot noir is stronger than the wallet. It's negroamaro, of course, but the balance of high acidity, dried cherry fruit, and earthy, truffley flavor will do in a pinch, especially with mushroom-topped polenta or squash risotto.
Imported by Testa Wines, Port Washington, NY
86 I  1999 Copertino Riserva $10.99 (6/04)
84 I  2001 Sicily Nero d'Avola Riserva $10.99 (6/04)
GV I  1999 Salice Salentino $12.99 (6/04)