Wineries with turrets and moats and caves and aeries and gravity-flow grape systems, and automated machinery and crystal chandeliers and world-class wine makers are fun projects that look good and sound good.

But the trappings don't really help to sell wine.

Wine brands, on the other hand, are valuable assets, especially if the people behind those brands are skilled and if the focus on quality wine remains the top priority.

In the last two decades, brands have become valuable to large wine companies, who see the names as door-openers to the gatekeepers who buy the wine they then sell to consumers. The more the gatekeepers feel comfortable that the brand is delivering consistent quality, year after year, and that the consumer is getting a fair deal in terms of price, the more likely they are to support that brand.

Over the years, wines like Kendall-Jackson Vintner's Reserve, Sutter Home, Fetzer, Beringer, Forest Glen, Rodney Strong and Beaulieu have delivered consistently and many more are reaching for more reliability across entire lines of wines.

Two of the latest to receive significant upgrades are Clos du Bois in California and Wolf Blass in Australia, and the parent companies of both have made significant investments to make sure the brands stay at the forefront of quality wines.

It's interesting to note that both brands have large wineries with modern equipment to make better wines. They also have superb wine-making teams to specialize in certain grapes, and they each do an array of lower-end wines (priced in the $10 range) as well as expensive red wines that are aimed at putting in a cellar.

Clos du Bois' wine maker, Erik Olsen, started in Washington at Chateau Ste. Michelle before moving to the Sonoma County-based winery. Late last year, when Constellation Brands bought the company, (along with a number of other brands), under the Beam Wine Estates umbrella, it knew that Clos du Bois was the flagship of what they bought.

Chardonnay is the winery's leader in terms of broad market image, but among the top end of their red wines is Marlstone, a respected and age-worthy Cabernet Sauvignon-based wine.

By adding in stylish and superb Dry Ros? and Dry Riesling wines to the already fine portfolio this year, the company was showing its commitment to new styles and to Olsen's skill.

In particular, the 2007 Ros? ($10) and 2007 Riesling ($15) are both superb wines and priced far too low for their quality.

Chris Hatcher has been a wine maker in Australia for decades, and when legend John Glaetzer retired as head of Wolf Blass, Hatcher was asked to assume that role. It coincided with the parent company, Fosters, committing to make the brand even better.

Hatcher's latest run of Wolf Blass wines is superb, starting with the lower-priced Yellow Label wines and on through the superb Gold Label, Grey Label, Black Label and ultimate Platinum Label wines.

Glaetzer once had a sign over his desk that read "No wood, no good," indicating that his red wines would be seriously oaky. Hatcher has lessened the wood component in most of the wines, improved the source of fruit, and has done superb work to make the line truly superb at prices that are well below the high quality.

A classic example is the 2007 Wolf Blass Riesling, Gold Label, from Eden Valley, a bone-dry wine with lime and green apple aromas. It is so loaded with fruit you'd swear there is a trace of sugar. At $18, it's a great value.

At the top of the line is a 2005 Shiraz, Platinum Label, that at $85 is priced with the top wines of Australia and is a powerful and still balanced statement of fruit and potential.

Most of the Yellow Label wines are priced in the $10 to $15 range and are excellent.

Wine of the Week: 2006 Wolf Blass Cabernet Sauvignon, Coonawarra, Gold Label ($25): Deep flavors with hints of black currants, chocolate, forest floor/herbs, and potential to become stellar in a few years.

Dan Berger resides in Sonoma County, Calif. Berger publishes a weekly newsletter on wine and can be reached at danberger@VintageExperiences.com. To find out more about Dan Berger and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

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