9/26/13 20great wines for fall, all $20or less - SFGate www.sfgate.com/wine/thirst/article/20-great-wines-for-fall-all-20-or-less-4… 1/4 20 great wines for fall, all $20 or less Jon Bonn� Updated 9:33 pm, Sunday, September 22, 2013 Fogust is behind us, Karl the Fog is set for vacation, a proper Bay Area summer is under way, and that can only mean it's time for another installment in our value hunt - one tailored to the sunny days on the way in the next month. As always, my scouting task: Find 20 great wines, all $20 or less. As this is our fifth installment of 20-for-$20 (previous selections at: http://is.gd/20for20) this latest class brings us to 100 wines worth keeping an eye out for. The usual caveats: These aren't meant to be bargains. They're not the industrial product of Big Wine. They're interesting, distinctive bottles from around the world that you can put on your table - or, given the return of that yellow orb in the sky, your picnic basket - with pride. That's crucial because, when many people seek out "bargain wines," the bargain they're making is to drink something that's wet and grape-based, and not much more. You deserve better. These are listed without vintage information because, in general, you should be able to buy them reliably across vintages. All the wines were found at Bay Area retail stores, although many domestic wines can be purchased directly from the wineries. If some sound unfamiliar, that's because, to find great value in wine today, you often have to veer from the usual roster of geography - or, as in the case of, say, Soave, turn back to a spot left behind as the whims of wine fashion rolled on. So enjoy this latest crop, and drink well right into fall. Who made the 20? See our picks, Page G8 Sparkling and Ros� Fermi Bohigas Galda Finca Mas Macia Brut Cava ($10, 12%) What: An easygoing cava for Prosecco fans Why: This bottling for K&L Wine Merchants is from Bohigas, which is responsible for some of Spain's best values in cava. It has a bit more user-friendly sweet pear and apricot fruit to balance cava's typical austerity; it also has quality that's hard to find at twice the price. (Importer: Beaune Imports) Heitz Cellar Napa Valley Grignolino Ros� ($19, 13.5%) What: One of Napa's lesser-known classics, pink edition Why: The legendary Joe Heitz inherited the Italian grape Grignolino (presumably Grignolino; midcentury vine mysteries abound in California) when he bought his vineyard in 1961 from Leon Brendel. It's been part of the Heitz story ever since - in both ros� and red form - the sort of joyously refreshing wine that's hard to find in modern Napa. The ros� is better than ever, full of strawberry blossom, mandarin orange, and peach. A quintessence of great Napa ground, with a humble purpose. Gaia 14-18h Peloponnese Ros� ($17, 13%) What: A fashionable pink choice from an improbable spot Why: The uninitiated in Greek wine take note: here's your gateway bottle. From one of the country's top wineries, this is from Agiorgitiko grown in Nemea, left on the grape skins for 14 to 18 hours (hence the name) to give an extra bit of depth. It tastes of plum pie and dark stones, with a bigger dose of tannin than many roses but no shortage of exuberant fruit. (Importer: Athenee Importers) White Birichino Monterey Malvasia Bianca ($16, 13%)9/26/13 20great wines for fall, all $20or less - SFGate www.sfgate.com/wine/thirst/article/20-great-wines-for-fall-all-20-or-less-4… 2/4 What: One of California's great new table wines Why: Alex Krause and John Locke have created a dark-horse hit with their young label. Malvasia offers the floral charm that has given Moscato a surprise run, and yet this is far more serious stuff, full of aromatic orange blossom and chewy, tangy fruit. Their source in the large San Bernabe Vineyard lets them work artisanally and yet at scale. Matteo Corregia Roero Arneis ($18, 13%) What: Piedmont's charming white, in a most serious form Why: Yes, the same Corregia whose Nebbiolo was spied by Rolling Stone in the hands of one Eddie Vedder, he of Pearl Jam. But this producer has been elevating the wines of southern Piedmont since Tears for Fears had summer's big hit. A reminder of how the region's floral Arneis grape tastes in classic form, full of iris, peach and green apple, and showing a mineral side to its fruitiness. (Importer: Gregory Condes Wines) Domaine Sigalas Santorini Assyrtiko-Athiri ($18, 14%) What: An early-drinking gem from a white wine master Why: On the arid Greek island of Santorini, Paris Sigalas makes some of the world's great whites. The Assyrtiko grape is responsible for the most profound bottles, but this adds Athiri from vines over 50 years old on average for an astonishingly complex wine. It smells like the tropical liqueur velvet falernum - that's a huge compliment, by the way - plus iodine and crushed rock. A perfect counterpoint of stony and oily texture, austere and ripe, with canteloupe and almond and lime flavors. (Importer: Diamond Importers) Cowan Cellars Lake County Sauvignon Blanc ($18, 12.7%) What: Proof that the Sauvignon Blanc spirit is alive and well Why: "Florida Jim" Cowan, based in Sonoma, specializes in more intellectual iterations of both this grape and Ribolla Gialla. But Sauvignon Blanc's simpler joys rally here, thanks in part to two days maceration on the grape skins and fermentation in old barrels, which provides a texture that's rich without heading into esoteric orange-wine territory. Rosemary and parsley aromas mix with warm fruit: quince, white peach and Meyer lemon. California's ripe bounty on display. Domaine Berthenet Vieilles VIgnes Bourgogne Aligot� ($13, 12.5%) What: The last path into affordable Burgundy Why: I've been saying for years that Aligot� - Burgundy's other, generally unloved white grape - is the region's remaining hope for the modestly walleted. Jean-Pierre Berthenet, based in the little-known Cote Chalonnaise village of Montagny-les Buxy, bolsters that argument. With an aspect of crushed sea shells and tree fruit flavors just ripe enough to round out a distinct chalky minerality, this shows the full texture that good Aligot� offers - at a price out of the Stereolab era. (Importer: Charles Neal Selections) Pieropan Soave ($15, 12%) What: An Italian classic on the upswing Why: Veneto's Soave region has been rallying in recent years thanks to a quality push from its top producers. Their family's wines were always a great example of Soave, even when the area was known mostly for plonk, and the wines coming from Andrea and Dario Pieropan should woo back even skeptics. Aged in glass-lined concrete, it's the perfect mix of soaring acidity and ripe texture: fresh sorrel and mint, plus richer pear and sweet corn flavors. (Importer: Empson USA) Hofgut Falkenstein Niedermenniger Herrenberg Feinherb Mosel Riesling ($20, 10.5%) What: A benchmark of new German white wine, newly arrived on the West Coast Why: In the past, German Riesling was viewed as either dry or sweet. But a handful of wines are appearing from producers who see things in subtler shades. Falkenstein's Erich Weber uses indigenous yeast and old casks, and he works in the Saar, a tributary of the Mosel once considered too cold for dry wine. Both this off-dry bottle and his Niedermenniger Herrenberg Kabinett Trocken ($19, 11%), a proximate love child of dry Riesling and Chablis, prove that's no longer the case. A mix of salty minerality with Fuji apple, rose hip and an exotic lime-leaf quality make this as revolutionary as it is thirst-quenching. (Importer: Lars Carlberg Selections/USA Wine West) Anselmo Mendes Contacto Vinho Verde Alvarinho ($20, 13%)9/26/13 20great wines for fall, all $20or less - SFGate www.sfgate.com/wine/thirst/article/20-great-wines-for-fall-all-20-or-less-4… 3/4 What: A wine to make you rethink Vinho Verde Why: Spritzy carefree stuff from Portugal, right? Not if Mendes, one of the region's top talents, has his way. Twelve hours of soaking grapes on their skins has turned this into an astonishingly dense, complex take on the Alvarinho grape. Packed with white flowers, tangerine and a great mineral depth, it's a game changer. (Importer: Wine-In-Motion, LLC) Ponzi Willamette Valley Pinot Gris ($17, 13.2%) What: An often overlooked Northwest benchmark Why: These aren't the best times for Pinot Gris - once Oregon's great hope until the blahs set in. But it remains a priority for Dundeebased Luisa Ponzi and her family. This is shoulder-season wine, with ripe apricot and almond to match tart and juicy green apple flavors. It always shows an intensity to charm white-wine lovers without the austerity that befalls so many steel-aged efforts. Red Fattoria di Fubbiano Rosso delle Colline Lucchesi ($19, 13.5%) What: A red for lovers of Chianti's old-fashioned charms Why: Perhaps it's Tuscan fickleness on the matter of Sangiovese, but the hills outside Lucca - despite their historic value - are an overlooked spot for the grape (plus Canaiolo and Ciliegiolo, which approximates Chianti's typical blend). As Chianti has fallen down the supermarket hole, this restored property in San Gennaro is upholding the best of Tuscan tradition. Loamy and balsam-accented, full of brambly fruit and a sanguine funk, this offers all the things Chianti lovers crave. (Importer: APS Wine & Spirits) Domaine Robert Serol Les Vieilles Vignes Cote Roannaise Red ($17, 12%) What: The greatness of Gamay, with a different postal code Why: First, before you make that Beaujolais snipe, acknowledge that the region and its key grape, Gamay Noir, are now the only hope of even approximating red Burgundy on a budget. Same notion here, from somewhere else: the hills outside Roanne, at the edge of the Loire. 40-year-old vines of the area's Gamay Saint Romain cultivar, grown on granite and porphyry, make for a stiffer structure than most Beaujolais - fleshed out by cherry fruit, mineral-edged tannins and plum-pudding richness. It's a utility player: Put it in the good glasses, or chill it slightly and serve instead of a ros�. (Importer: Joli Vin) Casa Santos Lima Quinta das Amoras Vinho Regional Lisboa Tinto ($6, 13%) What: Portugal's nuanced retort to supermarket reds Why: The monotony of mass-produced wine stems in part from this conundrum: Who can actually make interesting wine for under $8 without courting the lowest common denominator? Portugal, for one. This house, known for its Bons Ventos reds, harvests Castelao and several other indigenous grapes from its property north of Lisbon for a wine that mixes a smoky pimenton-like and black olive savory side with juicy berry flavors. (Importer: HGC Imports) Le Fraghe Bardolino ($14, 12%) What: The perfect red for the rose lover Why: Even compared to their cousins from Valpolicella, the wines of Bardolino have gotten scant attention in recent years, during the era when wine had to be either deep red or bright white. Today we live in a more complex world. Not far from Lake Garda, Matilde Poggi grows her Corvina and Rondinella to make the perfect fresh red for an age of nuance. Fragrant with candied violets and lilies, and full of tangy strawberry, it's got a sass - especially with a slight chill - to fit San Francisco's belated summer. (Importer: Oliver McCrum Wines) Monasterio de Corias Seis Octavos Vino de Calidad de Cangas Red ($17, 12.5%) What: Undiscovered country for lovers of spicy reds Why: Tart cider may be the prime directive in northern Spain's chilly Asturias. But its wine culture is rapidly evolving. This converted monastery near Cangas del Narcea uses not only the Mencia found in Bierzo but also local grapes such as Albarin, Carrasquin and Verdejo Negro to make reds that fall somewhere between the northern Rhone's peppery charms and the headiness of the Loire's Franc-based reds. Grassy and smoky - think seared padron pepper - with a firm mineral side and tangy cranberry fruit. (Importer: Vinos & Gourmet) 2012 Weingut Knauss Wurttemberg Trollinger ($17, 11.5%) What: The next liter leader Why: True enough that 1-liter bottles, especially with a screw cap, have aesthetic issues. But come and live comfortably beyond 750 ml. This is the grape known in Italy as Schiava, but here from young vintner Andi Knauss, based in southern Germany. Again residing in the border zone between pink and red, it's all that a lover of subtle Pinot Noir could want: fragrant with an iris aspect, yet deeply fruity. (Importer: Selection Massale) Louis-Antoine Luyt Sauzal Maule Carignan ($19, 13.7%) What: A game changer for Chile Why: Luyt, a Burgundy native, and the old organically farmed Carignane vines of the Maule region, might be what sends a generation of skeptics to explore South American wine. From 60-year-old vines, this resembles a minimalist take from the Loire or Mendocino - hardly the stuff most Chilean wine is defined by. It's heady stuff, full of smoked pimenton, plus plum skin and a stony bite. (Importer: Louis/Dressner Selections) Jim Barry The Cover Drive Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon ($16, 14.5%) What: A secret source for standout Cabernet Why: Where do you get robust, complex Cab without going broke? Australia, and not their frivolous stuff. Coonawarra's great red soils are generally overlooked, but all Cab lovers should know them. The dust and eucalyptus here are a reminder of the grape's intrinsically leafy side, but there's juicy blackberry fruit and enough tannic grip to telegraph that it means business. (Importer: Negociants USA) NOTE: Alcohol levels listed are typically for the most recent vintages. Jon Bonn� is The San Francisco Chronicle's wine editor. Find more of his coverage at sfgate.com/wine. 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