Some familiar labels here and some new one. C, J A valuable hunt: 20 great wines for under $20 Jon BonnéSunday, February 27, 2011 NV Avinyo Brut Reserva Cava 2009 Quinta do Feital Auratus Vinho Regional Minho 2009 Tahbilk Ngambie Lakes Marsanne 2009 Leitz Dragonstone Rheingau QbA Riesling More... For a week, at least, let's suspend the use of the word "bargain." What's a bargain, anyway? If you buy Dom Perignon by the case, then finding it at Costco might be a bargain to you. And if you're one of those (looking at you, Mr. Franzia) who believe no wine should exceed $10, you're probably sharpening your rant pencil right now. Maybe a store's 5-cent sale is your perfect bargain, but not if the wines on sale make you yawn. For years, The Chronicle used a $15 benchmark to denote a "bargain" wine. Instead, let's talk about value. There's not nearly as much value as there should be in wine - and value itself is a dicey term when you dive into the depths of cheaply made mass-market wine. But there are many, many winemakers who still believe in value. Value is about wine that over-delivers. Forget those hasty moments when a famous vineyard sells some fruit on the cheap. The real values to me are from talented winemakers who make great wine at a fair price. And so, just in time to start planning for spring entertaining, I dived into a hunt for true value. I scoured the aisles of Bay Area wine shops. Could I find 20 of these wines under $20? And how. But it's not enough to have a one-off affordable hit. A great wine is a wine that performs vintage in and vintage out. So this list of 20 is meant as a buying guide that lasts beyond the season. All these wines have proved themselves over several vintages. Some have been great values for a decade or more - so I didn't even include vintages. In short, these are what I call bank wines: They're bulletproof choices. So stop worrying for the moment about bargains, and embrace great value. Marietta Cellars Old Vine Red ($11) Tastes like: $20 What: An ever-dependable table red that outshines its nonvintage roots. Why: Geyserville-based Chris Bilbro and his sons uphold a simple, if rare, prospect - that wine should be good, simple and affordable without being bland. Their Zinfandel-based blend, usually from Sonoma and Mendocino sources, is always released in nonvintage lot numbers (currently No. 53, with a brambly Zin profile that's accented by dry herbs from the rest of the blend), and what it lacks in long-term structure, it more than accommodates in friendly, soft fruit. Fulfilling and generous, the Old Vine Red has won fans for nearly 30 years by never pretending to be more than it is. Score one for honesty. Chateau Ducasse Bordeaux Blanc ($15) Tastes like: $33 What: Nuanced white Bordeaux in modest clothing Why: Herve Dubourdieu more than upholds the family reputation for amazing whites - brother Denis is an enology professor and Bordeaux winemaking maestro. Herve harnesses property in Barsac, in the Sauternes area, for this classic dry white - a proper mix of Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon and Muscadelle. It's the Semillon's figgy richness - and Dubourdieu's talents, which can also be seen in the spendier white Graves, Graville-Lacoste - that elevate Ducasse, providing fruit-driven opulence. For something richer than stark Sauvignon Blanc and more distinct than tarted-up Chardonnay, this shows how true talent shines at every level. (Importer: Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant) La Sibilla Campei Flegrei Falanghina ($18) Tastes like: $30 What: An authentic, mineral-packed take on Campanian white Why: Luigi di Meo and his family preside over their parcel in the Campei Flegrei, a massive caldera just outside Naples with soils so sandy that the vine louse phylloxera never took hold, allowing for ungrafted vines. While Falanghina is at the core of southern Italian trends, this is Falanghina like you never had; it might be one of the saltiest wines you'll encounter - in a good way (think pink sea salt), balanced by juicy apple and orange. A pure expression of a unique site, channeled without fashionable winemaking or oak. (Importer: Oliver McCrum Wines) Nigl Freiheit Kremstal Gruner Veltliner ($19) Tastes like: $29 What: Quintessential Gruner Veltliner from a master Why: Martin Nigl holds remarkable sway in Austrian wine; his Gruner shows the potential of the Kremstal region and his Privat Riesling is a standard-bearer. The Freiheit is just a bit more accessible and younger-drinking, often with a pink grapefruit presence amid Gruner's grass aromas. This is deep, terroir-driven stuff - a world away from the gulpable 1-liter bottles but easy to open without needing time to mellow. (Importer: Terry Theise/Michael Skurnik Wines) Yalumba Y Series South Australia Viognier ($11) Tastes like: $26 What: Viognier that actually tastes like Viognier Why: Great Viognier is a tough proposition. It easily becomes so sugary that most examples drown in an excess of honeysuckle and nectar. But Eden Valley-based Yalumba, one of Australia's historic wineries (founded in 1849), has made a cottage industry out of solid, delicious Viognier that escapes the grape's excesses. At a time when Australian wine - especially cheaper stuff - is absolutely in the doghouse, the Hill-Smith family finesses a wine that far outpaces its price tag. (Importer: Negociants USA) Quinta do Feital Auratus Vinho Regional Minho ($16) Tastes like: $25 What: If the Incredible Hulk drank Vinho Verde Why: Galicia may be the land of Albarino, but young winemaker Marcial Dorado looked across the border into Portugal in his quest for an extraordinary example. Then he blended in the native Trajadura grape, the backbone of most Vinho Verde. The result is Auratus, which has the base material of Vinho Verde but is a serious, texturally dense wine. Yet it retains vibrancy and herbal punch, making it one of the most consistently versatile whites for the price. (Importer: The Rare Wine Co.) Leitz Dragonstone Rheingau QbA Riesling ($16) Tastes like: $27 What: Top Riesling in a modest package from a German star Why: Johannes Leitz has made a name as one of the Rheingau's modern talents. He could easily take the fruit from his holdings in the steep Rudesheimer Drachenstein vineyard and make it fancy, but he wants Americans to drink Riesling. And so: Dragonstone. If many entry-level German Rieslings pander, Dragonstone is a grown-up wine, with far more in the bottle than the price lets on. Its fully dry brother, Eins Zwei Dry, is an equally great deal. (Importer: Terry Theise/Michael Skurnik Wines) Calera Central Coast Chardonnay ($16) Tastes like: $30 What: An unbeatable Chardonnay with classic California lines Why: Josh Jensen's label outside Hollister needs no introduction to the Golden State faithful. But he's always made an affordable range of Central Coast wines with the same care as he shows in his long-aging Mt. Harlan estate bottles. Aside from a bit less new oak, the only real difference between this and the Mount Harlan Chardonnay is the fruit - which here comes from a mix of Monterey and Santa Clara County sites. The ripeness and mineral power might not hit the heights of Mt. Harlan's power, but otherwise, the native yeasts, the barrel fermentation - all the same. And it's bottled under the Calera name, a sign of Jensen's belief in the quality of his wines. Meyer-Fonnéielles Vignes Alsace Pinot Blanc ($16) Tastes like: $24 What: A smoky, evocative Alsace white from an unheralded name Why: Amid the well-established labels (Zind-Humbrecht, Ostertag) that have filtered through Kermit Lynch's book, Meyer-Fonnés a recent and welcome discovery. Their Pinot Blanc shows off the best of that grape, with ripe apple and blanched almond, just rich enough for the generous, fatty flavors of Alsatian food (put it with pork chops) but with a focus that some more ambitious Alsace efforts lack. Here's to the new guy. (Importer: Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant) Broadside Margarita Vineyard Paso Robles Cabernet ($19) Tastes like: $35 What: Fantastically drinkable Cabernet with no makeup Why: Berkeley-based Chris Brockway keeps making the case for great everyday Cabernet with this bottle. Sourced from the limestone-rich Margarita site in southern Paso Robles, originally developed by the Mondavis, this is nuanced Cab packed with rich cherry and dried tobacco, surprisingly structured for the price. Naturally fermented and made in older oak, it's a tribute to the fruit of Cabernet rather than the trimmings. Avinyo Brut Reserva Cava ($16) Tastes like: $28 What: Cava to remind you why you love the stuff Why: There's too much cheap Cava in the world, but here's one from someone who cares. Namely the Nadal family of Penedes, who blend the classic mix of Parellada, Xarello and Macabeo from free-run juice into a sublime bottle that gets about 20 months on the lees for a mineral-packed set of bubbles. At 6 g/l dosage, it's more edgy than much Champagne, which might explain why it's a frequent site at savvier restaurants. It's easy to find cheap, mediocre Cava, but Avinyo exists in a different world. (Importer: De Maison Selections) Tahbilk Ngambie Lakes Marsanne ($14) Tastes like: $30 What: A prime example of this Rhone-native grape from one of the world's oldest sources Why: I keep thinking the Tahbilk folks will wake up and realize what they've been doing. One of Australia's oldest wineries (1860) situated in the Ngambie Lakes region of Victoria, north of Melbourne, it hosts some of the oldest Marsanne plantings in existence, dating to 1927. Inconceivably, this wine (which uses some younger vines) lands on the shelf for under $15. If Marsanne can be wound up in its youth, theirs is fleshy and generous - think yellow pear and guava - without giving up a powerful mineral core and classic chlorophyll accents. Another of those conversion whites. (Importer: Epic Wines) Chateau Musar Musar Jeune ($17) Tastes like: $31 What: A young-drinking bottle from one of the world's great estates Why: The wines of Chateau Musar, Lebanon's finest winery, have tremendous staying power. They're not cheap. But Serge Hochar - who believes Musar shouldn't be touched before 15 years - also releases a table wine that shows every bit of this legendary's property's potential. There's more Cinsault in this blend (plus Cabernet Sauvignon and Carignane), making for a distinctly fruity, strawberry-filled bottle - but with plenty of leathery Musar gravitas. All the prowess of Musar in an unoaked, happy-go-lucky package. (Importer: Broadbent Selections) Guimaro Ribeira Sacra Tinto ($16) Tastes like: $32 What: One of the world's most distinctive reds for the money Why: Spain's Ribeira Sacra is like a wine land from another age - its ancient vineyards rising precipitously on the banks of the river Sil. Pedro Rodriguez is one of the young vintners reviving the region, and his Guimaro wines show the best of the Mencia grape: hints of smoky chile and celery seed with beautifully tart fruit. Guimaro's rare B1P bottle could easily channel a spicier premier cru Burgundy, but here you can access the timelessness of the region's vineyards channeled through modern stainless-steel winemaking. Downright addictive. (Importer: Vinos & Gourmet) Gruet New Mexico Brut Rose ($15) Tastes like: $28 What: Stellar sparkling wine from an improbable place Why: Gruet has a solid enough following that the "So there's this bubbly from New Mexico" hook no longer impresses. The Gruet family makes the wines in true Champagne-style fashion; the Rose receives two years aging in bottle - almost unheard of for a $15 wine. While the standard Brut has its ups and downs, the pink, made entirely from Pinot Noir with color coming from a small portion left on skins, is consistently great. It makes the dream of weeknight bubbles an affordable reality. Foxglove Central Coast Chardonnay ($14) Tastes like: $30 What: A terrific second label from top California talents Why: Bob and Jim Varner could easily rest on the quality of their Varner estate Chardonnays from the Santa Cruz Mountains. Instead, they work even harder to finesse their Foxglove label, sourced from a range of Central Coast sources, mostly around Paso Robles. The Foxglove Chardonnay is always unoaked, allowing its ripe tree fruit to step forward; Bob Varner views it more as a white Rhone-style wine than traditional Chardonnay. Whatever works - here's access to some of the state's best winemaking at a price that serves as a valuable lesson about true talent. Evesham Wood Willamette Valley Pinot Noir ($18) Tastes like: $31 What: Serious Oregon Pinot for a blink-twice price Why: This tiny Salem-based label, founded by Russ and Mary Raney in 1986, has always been a semi-secret choice for those who want real Oregon drinking without an overabundance of winemaking. The blend takes in a range of Willamette Valley sites (the 2009 is all from the Eola-Amity Hills area) but always shows off a lighter, aromatic style of Pinot. It's a tribute to keeping Pinot affordable even amid its star shot. Though the Raneys sold last summer to Erin and Jordan Nuccio, I expect that Evesham will continue as one of those wise insiders' bets. Jean-Paul Brun Domaine des Terres Dorees L'Ancien Beaujolais ($16) Tastes like: $27 What: Beaujolais that makes a case for the beauty of humility Why: All the traction nowadays is in cru Beaujolais, but Brun attempts something different. This hails from his chalky property in Charnay, just outside Lyons, farther south than the crus and earning a simple "Beaujolais" label. The quality-minded Brun makes crus as well, but he wants this to be a calling card for Beaujolais' potential. So it receives tremendous care, fermented with indigenous yeasts and bottled with a minimum of sulfur dioxide. In the glorious 2009 vintage, Terres Dorees was a can't-miss. But it shines every vintage - a reminder that a great Beaujolais producer should care about quality at every level. (Importer: Louis/Dressner Selections) Domaine des Escavailles Les Sablieres Cotes du Rhone Rouge ($14) Tastes like: $27 What: A Rhone red that transcends its label Why: Gilles Ferran runs his family's property in the ascendant southern Rhone towns of Rasteau and Cairanne, plus Roaix. This Grenache-dominant bottle is mostly from sandier soils in Rasteau, but the simple table-wine appellation keeps the price down - even as fancier villages like Gigondas and Vacqueyras head toward the $30 mark. While Cotes du Rhone aren't the value they once were, here's a reminder of what they can still deliver. (Importer: Jeff Welburn Selections) Pine Ridge California Chenin Blanc-Viognier ($14) Tastes like: $20 What: A unique blend from a popular Napa name Why: This has been a familiar enough sight on shelves for more than a decade that it feels like there's not serious winemaking afoot. But to finesse this unexpected mix of two white grapes from the Sacramento River delta takes talent. At a time when Chardonnay was king, Pine Ridge's blend proved the appetite for fresh, aromatic, low-alcohol whites. And it keeps proving that point, with the current 2010 release in fantastic form. Jon Bonnés The Chronicle's wine editor. Find him at jbonne(a)sfchronicle.com or @jbonne on Twitter. http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/02/27/FDOU1HSA9F.DTL This article appeared on page H - 1 of the San Francisco Chronicle -- ------------------------------ * Dr. James Ellingson, jellings(a)me.umn.edu * * mobile : 651/645-0753 * * Great Lakes Brewing News, 1569 Laurel Ave., St. Paul, MN 55104 * * james(a)brewingnews.com James.Ellingson(a)StThomas.edu *