Spain is producing some amazing values right now.  In an age when quality U.S. reds are considered values when they come in below $20, these Spanish wines under $10 are absolute steals.  How often have you drunk a $6 bottle and said “I can find absolutely no fault in this wine”?  I can count those experiences on one hand.

The 2009 Garnacha de Fuego does have one fault.  The label is absolutely awful.  It looks like a teenager’s Photoshop project.  Otherwise this wine is faultless.  That’s not to say that every aspect blew me away, but rather that everything is in its proper place- a real accomplishment for a $6 wine.

This Garnacha comes from 60-80 year old vines resulting in a concentrated wine that manages to retain an especially juicy, bright taste.  As vines age, they produce less and less fruit, but the fruit they do produce gets more and more concentrated.  All vines benefit from age (to a certain point) but Garnacha in Spain, Syrah/Shiraz in France/Australia and Zinfandel in the U.S. seem to get better with 50 and even 100 years of age.  The problem is that it becomes cost prohibitive as the vines produce less fruit.  So a $6 wine sourced from 80 year old vines is impressive!

I can’t think of many $6 wines that I would even consider drinking, let alone one that I would actually seek out.  Seek this one out  at L.A. Wine Co.  They have it for around $1 less than everyone else.

Buy Here: 2009 Garnacha de Fuego $5.99

Wine Advocate 87 points

“The 2009 Garnacha de Fuego was sourced from 60- to 80-year-old vines at 3000 feet of elevation, insane for an $8 wine. Aside from the price, the other piece of good news is that there are 6500 cases for the USA market. Purple-colored with spicy black cherry aromas that jump from the glass, this is a forward, friendly, ripe effort with no hard edges. Drink this crowd-pleaser over the next 2-3 years.

Bodegas Ateca is a collaboration between the Gil family of Jumilla and importer Jorge Ordonez.”

With the hyped 2007 vintage still on the shelves, the 2008 Rhone vintage is starting to hit the market and, in a less hyped vintage, there are often some serious values to be had.  The latest vintage of Domaine Paul Autard Cotes-du-Rhone Rogue might just prove to be the best value of the vintage. There’s just a special pleasure about drinking a great tasting wine for under $10.  In some respects it can be more fun than drinking a $100 bottle because it’s all pleasure with no pain.  That is unless someone else is paying for that $100 bottle of course.

The 2008 Domaine Paul Autard is juicy, smooth and delicious.  The 70% Grenache, 15% Syrah, 15% Counoise blend has a nose of rock candy followed up by the signature Rhone pepper.  It tastes juicy with nice cherry flavors and a surprisingly lengthy, focused finish.  This wine is aged in vats rather than barrels, so there is no oak to distract from the pure fruit.

Vintner Jean-Paul Autard (how’s that for a French name?) makes an $85 Chateauneuf-du-Pape and, while this might not be of that pedigree, the winemaking skill shows through.  Until further notice, this will be my house Rhone- guilt free!

Buy Here: Domaine Paul Autard Cotes-du-Rhone Rogue $9.95

Wine Spectator- 88 points

“This has good ripeness for the vintage, with juicy plum and blackberry fruit laced with mesquite and graphite notes. Fine length. Drink now. 4,000 cases made.” (WS)

This is another one of those under-the-radar bargains that you can only find by tasting hundreds of wines a month like LA Wine Company does.  We’ve talked a lot about large labels that make perennial values but because of those labels’ popularity, they are rarely outright steals.  Well, the 2007 Muirwood Syrah is.

What is it with Monterey producing these proprietor grown deals (remember the San Simeon Chardonnay)?  Syrah really excels in cool climate appellations like Monterey, Santa Barbara County and Sonoma.  This particular Syrah has a forward ripe nose followed by a great cocoa on the palate and a touch of spiciness on the finish.  The grapes come predominately from a single vineyard and it shows a definite complexity that wines coming from many vineyards in numerous appellations just can’t.

It’s officially summer barbecue season and I guarantee a case of this wouldn’t go to waste.  The best part is, when your friends (and your friends’ friends) come over and drink all of your wine, you don’t have to feel bad because this is only $7.99 a bottle!

Update: Now that this has been open for a few hours it’s opened up really nicely and really moved up a notch.  It’s super chocolaty and delicious!

Buy it Here: 2007 Muirwood Syrah Monterey- $7.99

In the United States, Rosé’s thorn has been White Zinfandel.  Unfortunately, Sutter Home ruined the Rosé style of wine by introducing white Zinfandel (which curiously isn’t white) to the U. S. market, in the 1970’s.  According to the Wine Business Insider, white Zinfandel still accounts for a shocking 10% of wine sales in the U.S.  Well, erase white Zin from your mind because that is the last time it will be mentioned on this blog.

Most true Rosé is dry and if tasted blind, would more likely be confused with a red wine than a sweet white.  It’s the perfect start to any summer picnic or barbecue and a great alternative to a Sauvignon Blanc.  Rosé is made by leaving the skins in contact with the grapes (in the case Grenache and Syrah for a few days so they impart the beautiful pink color and light tannin.  It’s literally half way between a white and red wine.  Wildly popular in France, Rosé is beginning to grow in popularity in the U.S.  Whether you are a long time Rosé drinker or this is your first experience, Chateau Mas Guiot is a great place to start.

Chateau Mas Guiot Rosé from the Rhone Valley, is a dry, fresh wine with a beautiful deep pink/ruby color with a hint of orange.  It’s rich and full bodied with a crisp, lingering finish.

At $7.99, this Rhone Rosé is an incredible value.  Buy it for your next barbecue and show your friends what real pink wine is all about!

Buy Here: Chateau Mas Guiot Rosé ‘09- $7.99

Mendoza Malbec has been really hyped in recent years because it’s a somewhat familiar wine to Napa Cabernet or Bordeaux fans and often comes at a much lower price.  As values for domestic Cabernet get harder and harder to find, Argentine Malbec is a great alternative, and the 2007 Pannunzio Malbec is absolutely incredible for the price.

This wine pours an exceptionally deep purple and has fantastic aromas that jump out of the glass.  It tastes thick and rich, in typical Malbec style, but avoids the syrupy sweet taste that some Malbec displays. The texture is really the highlight of this wine.  I can’t believe they can make wine like this for under $10.   I recently drank one of Paul Hobbs’ single vineyard Malbecs and was blown away, but this is 90% as good for 15% of the price!

There are no ratings on this wine so you’ll have to trust me when I say that this could be the best red wine I’ve ever had under the $10 mark.  It’s my understanding that the 2007 vintage is almost sold out, so buy this one while you can!  As far as I can tell, LA Wine Co. is the only retailer in the U.S. carrying it.

Buy Here: 2007 Pannunzio Malbec- $8.99

Have you ever thought a full bottle of wine is just too much and you’d rather just have a half bottle?  Neither have I!

All joking aside, a half bottle of wine comes in handy more often than you might think.   Take tonight for example: We had a third of a bottle of the Vina Robles Huerhuero Vineyard Cabernet left over from earlier in the week.  Clearly a third of a bottle isn’t enough for both of us, but when you add a half bottle, it’s perfect!  We enjoyed it with an awesome homemade heirloom cherry tomato margarita pizza!

The Qupe Cellars 2007 Syrah is a perfect daily drinker.  If I had tasted this blind I would have said it was Grenache, of which it’s only 2%.  That’s not to say it’s weak or light, just that it’s not as inky or thick as typical California Syrah.  Very reminiscent of nice Rhone wine.  This is a medium bodied wine with great mineral and floral scents on the nose.  The taste is very juicy with a nice acidity and a little signature Syrah pepper on the finish.  This wine outperforms its price point by at least 2x and has absolutely no rough edges.  Usually a wine in this price range has something a little off, but it’s easily forgiven or overlooked because of the price.  That cannot be said about the Qupe Cellars 2007 Syrah.  Quite the opposite actually.  It’s just really good and thoroughly enjoyable!

Maybe the reason it’s so good is because the grapes were selected from 17 separate vineyards (seems a little extreme doesn’t it?)! Impressively they actually list every one of them in the winery notes.  Click Here to read the full details.

Buy this by the (miniature) case and you definitely won’t be sorry.  The Connoisseurs’ Guide review (also available at the above link) lists this at $17, presumably for the full bottle.  Considering that half bottles usually cost more by volume, $4.99 is unbelievable.

2007 Qupe Cellars Syrah 375ML- $4.99

International Wine Cellar- 87 points

“($17) Deep red. Red and dark berry aromas are brightened by cracked pepper and black tea. Light-bodied red raspberry and cherry flavors are pleasantly bitter, with good back-end snap. I’m not sure that I’d guess this to be syrah (there’s a pinot-like delicacy to it) but it’s pleasantly clean and brisk.”

If you’re looking for a crisp daily drinker Chardonnay, to enjoy all summer, you can’t go wrong with the 2007 Liberty School.  Unlike some of the more buttery California Chardonnay this example doesn’t undergo malolactic fermentation so it retains a fresh, clean flavor.

Time for a science lesson: Malolactic fermentation is the process of converting malic acid into lactic acid.  Malic acid is what gives many wines their tart, crisp fruit flavors.  By contrast lactic acid gives Chardonnays their rich, buttery flavor (lactic like lactose- get it?).  Forgoing malolactic fermentation is becoming increasingly popular in Chardonnay because winemakers believe it preserves the varietal’s natual flavor and texture.

I like both styles but for those looking for crisp Chardonnay with more apple and citrus influences, Liberty School is a great bet.  The grapes come from the Central Coast and the juice sits in 10% new oak barrels which adds a nice complexity.  Enjoy!

Wine Spectator- 87 points

“Clean, refreshing and vibrant green apple and green pear flavors give this nice focus, complexity and depth. Drink now. 40,000 cases made.” (WS)

2007 Liberty School Chardonnay- $9.95

We hosted a BBQ this weekend and I knew I had the perfect wine.  Petite Sirah is big and bold enough to hold up to spicy pulled pork and, come to think of it, they actually have a lot in common.  Both are smokey, slightly sweet , a little spicy and really tasty.  Furthermore, neither are expensive, but both are amazingly fulfilling.  Is there anything better than a beautiful spring evening, time spent with good friends, pulled pork BBQ and a great bottle of wine?  I think not.

This is another winner from Hahn Family Wines, the makers of one of my favorites, Hahn Estates Meritage.  I don’t think you will find a better California red at this price point.  Grapes are sourced from throughout California’s best growing regions, and perhaps because of this blending,  the Huntington Petite Sirah is really without fault.  It’s relatively high in alcohol, but the alcohol is well integrated with ripe, smokey fruit.  It’s smooth with a nice full mouthfeel and a lingering, spicy finish.  What a great value!

LA Wine Company beats the lowest price on Google Shopping by $3!  At only $6.99, you really can’t go wrong.  Enjoy a bottle of Huntington Sirah at your next summer BBQ.

Huntington Petite Sirah 2009- $6.99

Nothing starts off a spring or summer evening better than a cool, crisp Sauvignon Blanc.   I think the best Sauvignon Blancs, especially for the value-focused consumer, are coming out of New Zealand’s Marlborough region.  In a way, Sauvignon Blanc is a pure expression of wine, uninfluenced by oak, with all the focus on the grape.  This makes it the perfect wine to open an evening.

Barker’s Marque’s version is particularly rich, compared to many Sauvignon Blancs from New Zealand, but it’s a perfect expression of the varietal.  This wine is produced from a single vineyard and it really shows.  It starts with the signature bright, citrus notes that jump out of the glass.  The rich mouthfeel and tart acid would make this wine a perfect pairing to a rich, fatty fish like salmon, Chilean seabass or trout.   That said, the wine really stands on its own and doesn’t need food to be enjoyed.

New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc is still relatively inexpensive, with great values to be had for well under $15.  At $11.95, this is one of the best Sauvignon Blancs I’ve had.  It’s a perfect way to kick off the spring with some fish on the grill, or maybe just sitting outside enjoying the weather!

Barker’s Marque 3 Brooms Sauvignon Blanc 2009- $11.95

If you drink a bottle of this wine a week for the next year, that’s 52 bottles or 4.3 cases.  So you have no excuse for buying any less than that.  The 2008 Glen Ellen Chardonnay is by far the best Chardonnay I’ve ever tasted under $5 and one of the top 5 under $10!

Tonight I made a twist on Trader Joe’s Chimichurri Rice, the recipe for which you can find at the bottom of this post, and this wine was a perfect accompaniment!  The Glen Ellen Chardonnay starts with a fresh pear scent and a touch of cedar.  The flavor is crisp, with a great acidity and a clean finish.  If you had served this to me blind as a $15 Chardonnay, I would not have asked any questions nor would I have been disappointed.

I’m often skeptical of wines labeled “California” because it means that their grapes can be purchased from anywhere in the state.  Maybe I need to try more “California” wines, because this is an outright steal.  I literally don’t understand how the winery can purchase the grapes, barrels (I can actually taste oak on this wine), bottles, make the wine, and get it to the retail market for $3.99.  Wow.

Glen Ellen Chardonnay 2008- $3.99

A twist on Trader Joe’s Chimichurri Rice

This recipe is VERY simple:

1. Buy Trader Joe’s Chimichurri Rice (in the frozen section at around $3)

2. Put it in a pan according to the instructions.

3. Add 2-3 tomatoes chopped into 1/2 inch pieces

4. Marinate chicken breasts in a mixture of soy, lime juice, garlic and pepper

5. Grill the chicken, slice and lay on top of the cooked rice and tomato mixture.  For added effect and flavor, add chopped fresh cilantro.

It’s that simple and it’s very tasty.  Including the wine the meal costs under $10.  Now that’s a deal!