Wine Talk by Robert Whitley

Going forward in 2010, it is clear price considerations rule and consumers will continue the quest for value wines. That hardly means the wine enthusiasts among us have given up on flavor and character in their vino.
   
Trading down on the price ladder doesn't have to mean giving up on quality. As I am prone to do from time to time, I've taken stock of the wineries that have crossed my path over the past year and compiled a selection of what I consider true value wineries.
   
That doesn't always mean cheap; simply that the quality delivered for the price paid presents an attractive opportunity, though most of my favorites offer ample choice in the range of $20 or less. Favorites come and go, and I frequently move wineries in and out or up and down, so be forewarned my current Top 25 is a moving target and likely will change (perhaps drastically) the next time it is updated.
   
1. Flora Springs, Napa Valley -- No fair, you might think, because I lead off with perhaps the most expensive wines in the Top 25. Yet, the $26 price tag on the 2006 Flora Springs Cabernet Sauvignon this week was truly remarkable. Think about that. A solid Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon from a big-time Napa winery for under $30. A few years back the regular Napa Valley Cab from Flora Springs very nearly won the award for best red wine at the Critics Challenge International Wine Competition. Enough said.
  
2. Clos de los Siete, Mendoza, Argentina -- The great French winemaker Michel Rolland makes these wines, and they retail for less than $20. I'd put Clos de los Siete up against any $50 Napa red any day of the week. Might not win, but it wouldn't be outclassed.
   
3. Truchard, Napa Valley -- These guys grow their own grapes (selling much of it to other wineries that proudly tout the Truchard vineyard) in Napa's Carneros district and make a handful of superb wines that retail in the $18 to $30 range, including dynamite Syrah, Merlot, Chardonnay and Roussanne.
   
4. Castello Monaci, Puglia, Italy -- Recently refurbished vineyards are yielding exceptional Primitivo and Negroamaro near the southern Italian village of Salice Salentino. Except for the aggressively priced Primitivo Artas, all of the Monaci reds retail in the $13 range. Considering they mostly score 90 points or better when evaluated, these wines represent incredible value on anybody's scale.
   
5. Ca' del Solo, Monterey County -- This is for all intents and purposes Bonny Doon Vineyards, and the Syrah at around $15 is one of the finest produced in the United States. I could say the same thing about the Albarino, but I hate to keep repeating myself!
   
6. Veramonte, Chile -- This classy operation in Chile's Casablanca Valley makes one of that country's finest Sauvignon Blancs and also a superb red Bordeaux-style blend, Primus, both of which retail for less than $20. The Chardonnay is a good bet as well.
   
7. Rapitala, Sicily -- Very progressive winery in northern Sicily, not far from Palermo. Rapitala does a good deal with the so-called international varietals -- Cabernet, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, but its strongest hand is the indigenous Nero d'Avola. I've seen the Nuar Nero d'Avola for as little as $15 and it is a steal at anything even close to that price. Hugonis, a Cabernet-Nero d'Avola blend, is superb at less than $20 and the white blend Casali (Cataratto and Chardonnay) is a lovely wine at around $12. In all seriousness, all of their wines are very good and well-priced.
  
8. Mumm Napa Valley, California -- I don't believe there is a finer sparkling wine for the money than Mumm Napa's Brut Prestige, retailing for about $18. If you spy it at a lower price, buy as much as you can afford. That said, all of the Mumm Napa bubblies are well made, and even the pricey DVX at $50 could be considered a "value" in the context of non-vintage brut Champagnes that aren't nearly as good costing almost as much.
   
9. Planeta, Sicily -- The Planeta whites are the finest in Sicily, and though they are made in a ripe California style with plenty of spicy oak, they nevertheless express the minerality and typicity of Sicilian white wines.

Some believe Planeta's Chardonnay is the best in Italy, and I am inclined to concur.
   
10. Domaine de Mizas, Languedoc -- Outstanding Bordeaux and Rhone varietals and blends from a seriously dedicated wine estate in the south of France, near the Languedoc village of Nizas. The Le Mas rouge at $14 is one of the great red wine steals in the market today, and the old vines Carignan at $16 is simply terrific.
   
11. Jacob's Creek, South Australia -- Blending Bordeaux and Rhone grape varieties is Jacob's Creek's specialty. Their reds are amazingly well-balanced, considering most of the fruit is sourced from the warm climes of the Barossa Valley, but these are truly delicious food wines that generally retail for less than $20 a bottle. The reserve Riesling is a gem, too.
   
12. Burgans/Martin Codax, Rias Baixas, Spain -- Martin Codax is a large cooperative with a firm hand on quality control. It makes two wines -- the classic Matin Codax Albarino and the Burgans Albarino -- that are both very good, though stylistically different. The Martin Codax delivers the crisp structure and layered complexity found in the best Albarinos, while Burgans is juicy on the palate and packs less bite on the back end. Burgans is generally under $15, while Martin Codax is under $20.
   
13. Villa San-Juliette, Paso Robles -- This new project under the direction of star winemaker Adam LaZarre specializes in Bordeaux grape varieties. The Bordeaux blend Chorum and the Paso Robles Merlot are exciting new wines on the scene in the below $25 category, and the Sauvigon blanc is one of the best being made in Paso.
   
14. El Coto Rioja, Spain -- Both the Reserva ($20) and Crianza ($14) are exceptional red wines in their price categories. When I visit the tapas bars of Madrid, El Coto's Crianza is the wine I ask for most often if it's available. Always tasty, always priced just right.
   
15. Liveli, Puglia, Italy -- One of the top red wines you will find for less than $15.
   
16. Matua, New Zealand -- Matua's basic Sauvignon Blanc retails for about $12. There is no better deal in New Zealand Sauvignon.
   
17. Tangent, Edna Valley -- Winemaker Christian Roguenant is at the top of his craft in California, and he's done wonders with this all-white-wine brand from San Luis Obispo County's Edna Valley. The wines -- Albarino, Pinot Gris, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, just to name a few -- all retail for less than $20 a bottle. Don't let the screwcap throw you -- these are serious wines made from top-notch grapes.
   
18. King Estate, Oregon -- Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir from Oregon, well- made and at honest-to-goodness fair prices. What more could you want?
   
19. Valentin Bianchi, Mendoza, Argentina -- Napa's Bob Pepi has helped this winery tremendously as its consulting enologist. The reds are well-balanced and fairly priced. You will never go wrong with a Valentin Bianchi wine.
   
20. Bonterra, Mendocino -- All organic Syrah, Chardonnay, Cabernet, Merlot and others at less than $20, in most cases less than $15. And the wines are very, very good. Every one of them.
   
21. Husch, Mendocino -- High-quality Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Noir at ridiculous prices (usually below $25) given the consistently high quality. The Husch wines are beautifully balanced and well- crafted from superb vineyards in the cool Anderson Valley.
   
22. Remy Pannier, Loire Valley, France -- If you're not a fan of Vouvray but have an open mind, try the $15 Vouvray from Remy Pannier and be prepared to fall in love.
   
23. Castello Gabbiano, Tuscany, Italy -- Gabbiano has improved tremendously over the past decade and now makes edgy, top-notch Chianti Classico and Chianti Classico Riserva at below-market prices (generally less than $25). The prices are below market because the Castello had a long-time reputation for thin, bland Chianti. No more.
   
24. Robert Oatley, Australia -- All of the Oatley wines are distinctive and well-balanced, and most (Sauignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Shiraz) can be found for less than $20.
   
25. Kim Crawfrod, New Zealand -- His Sauvignon Blanc is a bit riper and more tropical than most from New Zealand's Marlborough District, but they are always well made and attractively priced at about $17.
   
To find out more about Robert Whitley and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.
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