Readers have probably noticed that less Napa Cabernet appears on this blog than it once did.  Why is that?  Two reasons: 1) I’ve gotten more picky about what I write up and 2) the marginal lift in the economy has made bargain Napa Cabernet harder to come by.  Sure, there are more cheap cabs in the market than ever but cheap does not equal value.  The problem with most of these value priced Napa Cabs is they all taste the same and that taste is… unnatural.

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

2009 (along with 2005 and 2010) is being touted as the Bordeaux vintage of the decade.  And as silly as that might sound, it’s really pretty awesome.  We all get to drink a bunch of great Bordeaux and we have three vintages to pick from!  The 2005 vintage is pretty much gone (though LA Wine Co has a few left) and with a four year gap between ’05 and ’09, Bordeaux lovers have been a little short on great values (though you can always buy expensive wine from any vintage).

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

Readers looking for true value reds in California should look past Cabernet and Pinot, and toward Syrah.  I love Cabernet as much as anyone.  You’ll see plenty of it on these pages – probably before the end of the week.  But it’s getting increasingly difficult to find exceptional Cabernet at a reasonable price.  And when one comes out, it sells out almost immediately and next year, you can bet the price will go up.

The fact is, California Syrah has been good for quite a while.  But in the last 20 years, we had Cabernet, Merlot and more recently Pinot Noir fever.  One of the symptoms of this fever is the inability to recognize Rhone varietals as the best values in the country.  Well I’ve got the prescription and it’s actually not more cowbell.  It’s Jaffurs’ 2009 Santa Barbara County Syrah.

Jaffurs is known as a Rhone specialist. Every year they have numerous wines that score in the mid to high 90s.  Consequently, these wines are sold to their mailing list and don’t make it to retail shops.  But every year Jaffurs makes a Santa Barbara county blend of all the Syrah vineyards they work with and that wine is priced under $25.  At that, it’s an exceptional value.  In fact, Robert Parker calls it:

“…easily one of the best values readers will find in California Syrah.”

Richly floral on the nose, the 2009 Jaffurs Syrah gains strength on the palate where it shows the trademark minerality of Santa Barbara county.  Ripe concentrated flavors coat the mouth with black fruit flavors that linger into the long finish.

Whether you’re a long time Syrah fan or you’re just getting into it, this wine will satisfy and surprise you.  Hopefully it helps to increase the popularity of Central Coast Syrah too.  We’ll keep the prices just where they are too, thank you very much.

Buy Here: 2009 Jaffurs Vineyards Syrah $23.95

Wine Advocate 92 points

“The 2009 Syrah is a gorgeous entry-level wine loaded with blackberries, blueberries, licorice and herbs. It shows lovely depth and roundness to match some of its more powerful tendencies. A few barrels of Petite Sirah add layers of muscle, yet this remains an exceptionally polished wine at its level, not to mention a fabulous value. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2020.

This is a very strong showing from Rhone specialist Craig Jaffurs. The Syrahs in particular are outstanding. In 2009 the Syrahs were picked between October 5 and November 4 illustrating just how long the harvest can stretch in Santa Barbara. The straight Santa Barbara County is an excellent starting point, and easily one of the best values readers will find in California Syrah.”

From now on, the following note goes at the top of every Spanish wine post.  Disclaimer: Spain has, by far, the best wine values in the world.

Now that we have that out of the way, let’s talk about the latest value.  Any Rioja under $10 is likely a good deal, since Rioja is arguably the most prestigious region in Spain.  So when I came across this 88 pointer for $9.95, I had to try it.  What’s the worst that could happen?  I’m out $10?  Well, for me, not quite actually.  You see every wine I drink has an opportunity cost.  What’s the opportunity?  A better wine of course.  I can only drink so much wine and could never hope to taste every wine in the world, so a crappy bottle isn’t just a waste of money, it’s a waste of the experience of drinking another, better wine. (Cue wife’s rolling of the eyes).

Luckily tonight it was both money and opportunity well spent with the 2010 Luberri Joven Orlegi – a wine clearly not named for the US market.  This is an unoaked wine so it relies completely on the quality of its fruit for its flavor.  Those flavors are bright, fruity and polished with beautiful Tempranillo aromas.  It’s not sweet, a common flaw with low priced wines that don’t have the tannic structure to support the sugar.  Rather this wine is balanced with nice mineral flavors, if slightly on the lighter side.

Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate calls the 2010 Orlegi an outstanding value and I couldn’t agree more.  The only opportunity cost with this wine is the cost of missing the opportunity to buy it.

Buy Here: 2010 Luberri Rioja Joven Orlegi $9.95

Wine Advocate 88 Points

“The 2010 Orlegy is an unoaked cuvee fermented with native yeasts. It is a very perfumed effort with plenty of spice and black fruit characteristics. Savory, ripe, and easygoing, this tasty effort will provide enjoyment for another 4-5 years.

Luberri is located in El Ciego in the heart of Rioja Alavesa. The estate consists of 35 hectares of old vines. All three wines presented (100% Tempranillo) are excellent to outstanding values.”

Loyal readers probably remember the incredible San Simeon Chardonnay.   It was one of the first wines I wrote up and LA Wine Co. sold literally thousands of bottles of it.  Maddalena has produced a Chardonnay in a similar style at an equally amazing value.

If you are looking for Chardonnay values, look outside of Napa and Sonoma and toward the south.  Monterey’s cool climate is perfect for growing Chardonnay grapes and with less name prestige than its neighbor to the north (Napa, not Canada), the prices are considerably lower.

The 2009 Maddalena Chardonnay pours a golden straw color and has a beautiful nose of smoke and honey.  The honey texture continues on the palate with a smooth, caramely, melt-in-your-mouth warmth accented by smoky oak and balanced acid.  It’s the perfect wine for a crisp Fall night – or any night for that matter.

In researching this wine, I discovered why it’s so much like San Simeon: It’s made by the same company.  They certainly have the Chardonnay formula down.  Maddalena takes Chardonnay value of the year so far and LA Wine Co’s lowest price in the country according to Google Shopping makes it that much tastier!

Buy Here: 2009 Maddalena Chardonnay $9.95

Lately, I’ve found myself shying away from Asian food because it doesn’t pair well with wine.  Seriously.  Now that I put it in writing, it actually sounds kind of pathetic.  Well last night’s fried rice doused in Sriracha called for something white, crisp and cool, so I grabbed a bottle of MSH Yountville Sauvignon Blanc from the cooler.  I already wrote about the insanely good Rutherford Merlot from MSH and the Sauvignon Blanc also delivers in a big way.

This wine has crisp acid but also maintains a round mouthfeel that lets you know it’s from Napa vs. Marlborough.  Yountville is one of Napa Valley’s cooler appellations due to its proximity to San Palo Bay, so it’s a great place to grow Sauvignon Blanc.  But any grape from Yountville usually gets a premium price.  Somehow MSH has found a way to create fantastic appellation designated wines at very low prices.  This is one of the very best Sauvignon Blancs I have had from the U.S.

Looking for a perfect daily drinker case?  6 of the Merlot and 6 of the Sauvignon Blanc for $96 might just be the deal of the year.

Buy Here: 2009 MSH Sauvignon Blanc $7.99

Rutherford is arguably Napa Valley’s most prestigious wine growing appellation.  Ever heard of Scarecrow?  It’s $1500 per bottle and is grown and produced in Rutherford.  How about Quintessa, B.V. Georges de Latour, Caymus, Staglin or Rubicon Estate?  Tired of me asking you questions?  Trick.  That was another question.  Okay, here’s a statement: Those wines all hail from Rutherford and their price tag shows.  Of the wines I listed, Caymus is the cheapest at $60.  Needless to say, when a Rutherford Merlot came along at $7.99, I had to try it.

MSH is a value-focused project of Tom Gamble, owner of some of Napa’s best vineyards.  He teamed up with other high-end wine growers and took surplus grapes from top-notch vineyards to create incredible tasting wines for Yellow Tail prices.

The MSH Merlot is an incredible expression of Napa’s take on this noble grape.  Deep purple bubbles lead to cocoa on the nose and rich chocolate on the palate.  This wine is exceptionally polished for it’s price and will impress any fan of Napa Valley Merlot.  A friend recently shared a bottle of 2002 Rubicon Estate Merlot with me and I would be proud to serve him this wine.  In fact, next time he’s over, I just might!

Buy Here: MSH 2009 Rutherford Merlot $7.99

This guy is THE MAN.  I’ve written extensively on these pages about the incredible values Spain puts out year after year, and recently I’ve come to realize that this guy, Jorge Ordonez, might be singlehandedly responsible.  Jorge is a Spanish importer who specializes in epic values between $6 and $60.  Recently, I started to notice this logo on many of my Spanish wines and quickly realized that all of my favorites had something in common: they were imported by Jorge Ordonez.

Volver?  That’s Jorge.  Alto Moncayo Veraton?  Check.  Tres Picos?  Check-a-roo.  Juan Gil?  Protocolo? Okay you get the picture.  The list goes on and covers some of my very favorite high-end wines as well as the value priced steals.

Tonight I’m drinking a Spanish white – a grape I’ve never had called Albarino – with cherry heirloom tomato pasta.  The wine is absolutely incredible with citric notes, a buttery texture and a crisp finish.  With apologies to Albarino purists, it has the best traits of Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay, combined into one convenient 750ml package.  Guess whose little logo appears on the back of the bottle?

Jorge Ordonez does two things very well.  He sources incredible Spanish wine values for the U.S. market and he slaps on cool labels that happen to appeal to Americans.  If the labels expose these wines to more Americans, then it’s just fine with me.

Find Jorge’s wines here, including La Cana, the Albarino mentioned in this post.

First, let me clear something up.  In this case,  C.M.S. does not stand for the Centers for Medicare Services as some might have thought. It actually stands for the grapes that make up this Washington red blend – Cabernet, Merlot and Syrah.  And what a fantastic blend it is!

Washington wines are finally hitting many enthusiasts’ radars and for good reason.  The quality is outstanding and the values are abundant.  Furthermore, a perfect wine growing climate means incredible consistency – even more than the very consistent north coast of California.

This wine should really be called M.C.S. this year, because it’s dominated, both in taste and volume by 45% Merlot.  39% Cabernet and 16% Syrah round out a nice blend that stresses round fruit over tannin and oak.  The finish is nice and long and the mouthfeel round and broad, likely thanks to the Merlot.

Hedges Family Estate has been making this wine since 1987.   It’s a well established value that usually sells at around $12.  At LA Wine Company’s $7.99 it’s an outright bargain.

Buy Here: Hedges Family Estate C.M.S. Red Blend $7.99

IT’S ALIVE!!!  Some wine-hating freak hacked Nickel and Dime Wine this weekend, but after a few hours on the phone with India, we’re back online and ready for a whole new set of deals.  I’m still dealing with some issues, like the fact that I can’t get a picture on this post, but I’m guessing you don’t read this blog for the pictures anyway.

It has been awhile since I have written up a low cost super value.  I think it’s time I revisit this category, because after all, when you drink cheaper wine on weekdays, you can spend more on the weekends.  Right?

This $5.99, 2009, 100% Tempranillo is an absolute budget blockbuster.  I have two things to say.  First, if your palate has priced you out of the under $10 market, stop yourself.   Second, after you stop yourself, run out and buy some of this.  It isn’t that difficult to find reasonably priced, very drinkable Tempranillo.  But $5.99 for this, really?  Really?  A typical bright Tempranillo nose is followed by a reasonably long finish full of cherry and berries.  This is a great wine to share with a few friends as a precursor to a big cab or full Syrah.  Pop a few bottles at a party and your wine-loving friends will appreciate the value (86 points from Wine Advocate), and your non-wine loving friends – are they really friends anyway?

We drank ours’ over two days and like so many offerings this one opened up and was even better on day two.  Somehow though, my opened bottles rarely see a day two…

Buy Here: Dominio de Eguren Protocolo Red $5.99

Wine Advocate 86 points

“The 2009 Protocolo Tinto is 100% Tempranillo aged for 3 months in seasoned American oak. Purple-colored, it displays a nose reminiscent of Beaujolais. Fruity and fresh on the palate, the finish has no hard edges. Drink it over the next 2 years. “