Disclaimer: Spain has, by far, the best wine values in the world.

Remember what I said about Jorge Ordonez? No?  Well read up on him here on my post dedicated to his wine.  He’s a legendary wine importer and the 2009 Bodegas Volver Tempranillo is probably his best value ever.  Call me a fanboy.  Go ahead.  Jorge Ordonez is to me what Steve Jobs is to Apple fanatics.

I’ve had this wine for the last three vintages and the 2009 is the best yet.  Volver routinely scores 90 points but this year Robert Parker gave it 92 points saying “I would unquestionably drink as a house wine.”  Parker doesn’t review Spanish wines anymore, but he had this and thought it was so good that he wrote it up in his quarterly publication.  Need a back-up rating? Tanzer gave it 90+ points which is pretty much epic (he’s tough) for a $12 wine.

This wine pours an opaque purple/black and is incredibly polished.  It’s made in a modern style, with ripe flavors and sweet oak, but it’s not obnoxious or over the top.  I would love to do a blind tasting with this wine and a bottle of Numanthia Termes (also a Tempranillo), which is one of my favorites.  My guess is it would be a toss up – and Volver is half the price.  What’s more, as good as this wine is now, I would expect it to get better with a couple of years of bottle age – a perfect argument for buying a whole case.  I’ll be trying that one out on my wife.

According to Wine Searcher (the industry standard in wine price benchmarking), LA Wine Co. has everyone else beat by a full dollar.

Buy Here: 2009 Bodegas Volver Tempranillo 11.95

Robert Parker 92 points

“We next moved to a great value that I would unquestionably drink as a house wine, the 2009 Volver from La Mancha. Made from 50-year old Tempranillo vines, it sells for an astonishing $16-$17 a bottle.”

International Wine Cellar 90+ points

“($16) (100% tempranillo): Bright purple. Dark berries, cherry pit, licorice and tobacco on the nose. Slowly unfolds to offer sappy cassis and bitter cherry flavors lifted by tangy acidity and complicated by a peppery, spicy quality. Finishes gripping and long, with resonating cherry and spice notes. Give this some aeration or a couple more years of bottle age. “

Disclaimer: Spain has, by far, the best wine values in the world.

For my money, Spain has two premier red grapes: Garnacha (Grenache) and Tempranillo, though many other grapes play important supporting roles.  The Spanish version of Grenache can range from light and supple to huge and oaky.  This one forgoes the oak but has plenty of the spicy fruit flavors which define Spanish Grenache vs. the French or American versions.

Hailing from the Navarra region in Northern Spain, near the French border, this Garnacha splits the difference between Spanish spice and Southern Rhone sleek.  The nose is bright – focused on fruit over oak.  Immediately upon opening, this wine was on the lighter side with sweet cherry flavors coating the palate.  I opened it on Friday and today (Monday night), it’s gained weight and firmed up, showing its more serious side.  The wine is great either way, and the fact that it’s still good after having been open 3 days, suggests that it will improve with a few years of bottle age.

Slap a 91 point score on an American red and it could certainly add another digit to the incredible price of this wine.  This wine is more evidence that Spain leads the way when it comes to wine value.  But even with Spain’s proven track record, this is an exceptional value.  Caseworthy.

Buy Here: 2009 Artazuri Garnacha $8.99

Wine Advocate 91 points

“The 2009 Artazuri Garnacha is deep purple in color with an inviting nose of spice box, floral notes, and ripe black cherries. Dense, rich, and nicely proportioned on the palate, it has several years of aging potential but can be approached now.”

Such is the case with nearly all of Columbia Crest’s wines and year after year the Cabernet Sauvignon from Horse Heaven Hills, labeled “H3″ is a standout among standouts.  Napa needs to watch its back because a trojan horse (or rabbit), called Washington’s Columbia Valley, is making wines that are every bit as good, though different, and much less expensive.

The 2009 Columbia Crest H3 Cabernet is one of those incredible values and at $9.95 it’s a strong contender for wine value of the year.  A compelling nose of blackberry, French oak (40% new), and earth leads to a beautifully structured wine with a notably silky texture and a palate of balanced fruit and acid.  The lengthy finish completes a wine that is easily worth 3x its single digit price tag.

LA Wine Co. has managed to keep the price below $10 despite the 90 point Wine Spectator score.  At that (or even St. Thomas’) price, it’s a case-worthy value.

Buy Here: Columbia Crest “H3″ Cabernet Sauvignon $9.95

Wine Spectator 90 points

“Focused, refined and appealing for its open-weave texture around a generous core of plum and currant fruit, finishing with hints of coffee and dark chocolate. Drink now through 2014. 69,000 cases made.”

Those are pretty impressive credentials for any wine, let alone one that costs less than $20.  Think of it this way: four glasses of this chianti cost less than four Starbucks carmel macchiatos!  Tastes better too, and I would much rather have a case of this in my cellar than 12 cups of soy latte.

Chianti lovers will not find a better value for under $20.  Plain and simple.  Despite it’s origins in the cooler Rufina region of Tuscany, this Chianti is ripe, though it maintains the telltale Sangiovese acidity and minerality.  Though a little tight on day one, by day two it had opened up into a beautiful rich wine with dense chocolate flavors complemented by bright cherry tones.

Nothing more needs to be said about this incredible value.  It’s a Chianti, so naturally it will last for quite a few years, making a strong arguement for picking up a case.  At least.

Buy Here: 2007 Marchesi de Frescobaldi Chianti Rufina Castello di Nipozzano Riserva $17.95

Wine Enthusiast Top 100 #1 (93 points)

“From Frescobaldi’s gorgeous Nipozzano estate, this Riserva Sangiovese (with small percentages of Malvasia Nera, Cabernet and Merlot for extra density and intensity) opens with impressive generosity and personality. It offers lingering flavors of cherry, chocolate and dark spice. ”

Wine Spectator Top 100 #65 (91 points)

“A burly Rufina, offering dried dark fruits and chewy tannins, with an aftertaste of dark chocolate and mineral. Full and satisfying, with fresh acidity on the back palate. A go-to Chianti. Drink now. 121,000 cases made”

International Wine Cellar 91 points

“($22; 90% sangiovese, the rest colorino, malvasia nera, cabernet sauvignon and merlot) Deep violet-ruby. Fresh, fruity aromas of red cherry, blueberry and blackberry, with hints of underbrush and minerals; much less spicy, tarry and dark than some other recent vintages of this wine. Then bright and fresh in the mouth, with red cherry, plum and mineral flavors. Finishes smoothly tannic, polite and persistent. One of the better young Nipozzano vintages I recall: this really does remind you of the higher-altitude, cooler Rufina zone.” (IWC)

My Short List of High Value/High Volume Producers (sticking to the U.S. here):

• Hahn Estates (All)
• Beringer (Regular, Reserve)
• Mondavi (Regular and Reserve, but not “Private Selection”)
• Columbia Crest (All)
• Talbott (All)

Add to that list, Rutherford Ranch, because this Chardonnay is a proven value as is their Cabernet.  The Chardonnay is textbook for Napa, displaying aromas of tangerine, honey, bread and smoke.  It has a nice texture and a persistence that’s impressive for an $11 wine, likely due to the barrel fermentation that occured for part of this wine.

Rutherford Ranch’s Napa Chardonnay received 88 points from Robert Parker.  It makes a perfect pairing for any grilled fish or chicken or all alone for that matter!  I made pan seared Atlantic salmon cakes with an arugula salad with goat cheese and candied pecans.  Perfect.

Buy Here: Rutherford Ranch Napa Chardonnay $10.95

Wine Advocate 88 points

“Offers up aromas of nectarines, orange blossoms, and peaches”

If you’re wondering what this wine tastes like with the Bonarda grape blended in, I would put it somewhere between a Malbec and a cool climate Syrah, which is to say it has the rich opulence and smooth tannin of a Malbec with the persistent acid and slight tartness of a cool climate Syrah.  It’s a really nice combination.

This and the other Tikal wines have been getting blockbuster scores for a few years now, so I guess it’s time I gave one a try.  It’s getting cold outside and this is the perfect wine for the change of seasons.  It’s spicy, bold and aromatic – many wines can say that.  But Tikal Patriota maintains a complexity and length that brings it from solid to outstanding and the $15.95 price tag takes it one step further.

Argentina is well known for Malbec values and for those that sometimes find the grape slightly one dimensional as I do, this blend is just awesome.  The wine raters agree, scoring it 90 (Tanzer) and 92 (Parker).

Buy Here: Tikal Patriota $15.95

Wine Advocate 92 points

“60% Bonarda, 40% Malbec; Earth/mineral/underbrush; dense and layered, ripe, mouth-filling, impeccable balance, lengthy.”

International Wine Cellar 90 points

“A 60/40 blend of bonarda and malbec): Bright ruby. Aromas of black cherry, mocha, coffee and violet complicated by sexy oak. The flavors of blackberry, spices, violet and bitter chocolate are juicy and nicely delineated. Offers lovely texture and weight, but with good lift from the malbec component. A very good blend. Bonarda, which often produces rather rustic, blue-collar wine, clearly benefited from Mendoza’s very warm 2009 growing season.”

This is a very serious Pinot Noir at an unbelievable price. Hahn is one of the premier value producers in the country and I’m a huge fan of their Meritage, Chardonnay and now this Pinot.  As America’s favorite trendy varietal (hopefully Syrah is next), Pinot Noir prices are obscenely high and show no signs of decline even though the movie Sideways came out in 2004.

Having lived 2 hours from the famed Santa Barbara Pinot Noir appellation, I’ve tasted my fair share of this varietal and I can honestly say this competes with many $50 bottles I’ve tasted.  A bright, earthy nose leads into a bold, slightly tannic palate of cherry cola and raspberry.  A nice acidity cuts through to the lengthy finish making for an all around textbook Pinot.  Unlike most Pinot at this price, Hahn’s wine isn’t a fruit punch candy tasting wine.  There is even a hint of oak (35% new French) that really sets this wine apart for its quality.  This is well made and concentrated to the point that I would bet they sneak in a splash of Syrah to thicken it up!  Hahn can consider that a compliment.  After all, they’re allowed to put in up to 25% other varietals and still call it Pinot Noir.

Pinot drinkers are crazy not to buy a case of this incredible value.  At $8.99 – a full dollar lower than the next lowest price on Google Shopping – I can’t think of a better value.

Buy Here: 2010 Hahn Pinot Noir Monterey County $8.99

This wine reminds me of the 2008 Paul Hobbs Crossbarn at a $12 discount.  It’s an open, oaky, and sweet Cabernet with serious intentions.  When it comes to value-priced Napa cabs, I find this style preferable to the more firm, tannic version, because I don’t have the patience, nor confidence, to sit on an $18 bottle of wine for five years to wait for it to hopefully open up.  This wine will certainly drink well for at least five years, but unlike a bottle of Anderson’s Conn Valley Reserve Cabernet ($60), it doesn’t require it to be at its best.

This wine pours a deep, dark ruby.  A big, sweet nose of stewed cherries and vanilla leads into a mouthful of ripe black and blue berry flavors.  12.5% Syrah gives this wine an appealing complexity, not found in most strictly Bordeaux grape blends.  I’ve been increasingly attracted to these types of blends, and expect to see more in the coming years as winemakers look to give consumers more exciting and interesting wines.

This is a frontrunner for Napa Cab deal of the year and LA Wine Co. destroys other online retailers at $17.95.

Buy Here: Fuse Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 $17.95

Much like Ferris Bueller on his “Day Off”, Buehler Vineyards takes their own approach to high production (15,000 case!!!) Cabernet.  What make wine enjoyable is that no two are the same, and the best are downright unique.  Buehler Vineyard’s Napa Cabernet tastes like a Cabernet, but it is identifiable and unique, and to my palate, highly enjoyable.

The color is dark ruby (not purple) like a traditional, dare I say, old school Cabernet.  The nose stresses red berries over black with cedar undertones.  On the palate it has a medium-full body and a juicy, bright taste.  Tannins build on the finish, suggesting the wine will age well for a decade.

This wine reminded me of something from the moment I pulled the cork and poured it in the decanter, and I finally thought of what it is.  It reminds me of a hypothetical second wine from Anderson’s Conn Valley Vineyards Reserve Cabernet.  It’s not a stretch, as Buehler is located around the corner in Conn Valley – where 30% of this fruit comes from.

If you are a fan of traditional, refined Napa Cabernet, pick up a case of this wine that Robert Parker calls “a real steal and one of the greatest sleepers I have tasted from Napa”.  Parker got his review right, though he got the production wrong.  Buehler deserves acknowledgment for making 15,o00 cases of this wine (vs. the 1,800 that Parker thought), available to the masses.  The only thing not available to the masses is LA Wine Co’s sub $17 price.

Buy Here: Buehler Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley $16.95

Robert Parker 90 points

This wine is 100% Merlot and tastes like a perfect mix of California richness and French finesse.  Winemaker Jeff Carrel crafted it in a modern style that makes it perfectly drinkable today, though it will likely drink great for the next 5-7 years.  This is a serious wine that I would be thrilled with as a daily drinker and any Bordeaux lover could confidently serve as a house wine.  I would put it right up there with the 91 point 2008 Chateau Tirepe la Cote I wrote up in July.

Hopefully this is an indication of the values that are soon to come from the 2009 Bordeaux vintage.  If so, I might just start my Bordeaux collection soon.  I’m guaranteed at least two collectible vintages, right?

Buy Here: 2009 Chateau de Bel Bordeaux $15.95