For those that are tired of wimpy, light and downright weak “daily drinkers”, Line 39′s Petite Sirah just might be your new go-to wine.  Line 39 is one of the country’s premier value brands and their Petite Sirah is my favorite of their lineup.  The “petite” nature of this grape actually produces wines that are anything but small in taste.  In fact, because of the small grape size and thus high skin to juice ratio, it produces some of the most dense, ageworthy wines in the world.

I wouldn’t lay this one back for too many years, but at $7, why would you?  Still, Wine Spectator’s 87 point rating says it will drink great for the next five years, and their drinking windows are notoriously conservative.  Juicy, sweet blackberry preserves are complemented and offset by a persistent acidity that give this wine a nice balance, typical of the Petite Sirah grape.  This wine is particularly polished at any price point and at $7, it’s really impressive.

I was looking at the Line 39 website while writing this post and discovered why I like their wines so much.  Bob Broman, who makes a fantastic Napa Cabernet and Syrah under the Broman Cellars label, is the winemaker.  With this Petite Sirah, Broman and Line 39 have produced one of the best values of the year.

Buy Here: Line 39 Petite Sirah 2009 $6.99

Wine Spectator 87 points

“Like a freshly baked blackberry pie, with plenty of ripe, jammy fruit flavors that are wrapped in warm, vanilla-scented spice notes. Generous, full-bodied and very focused. Drink now through 2016.”

2009 is being touted as the next great vintage in France’s Rhone Valley.  After the brilliant 2007 vintage, that’s saying a lot and the general consensus is ’09 isn’t quite as great as ’07.  A Porsche isn’t quite as good as a Ferrari either.

This is the first ’09 Rhone I’ve had with the Cotes-du-Rhones (think Central Coast) starting to be released and the pricier Chateauneuf-du-Pape (think Napa Valley) mostly yet to be released.  Fill a case with this wine and Monday’s 90 point Tempranillo, and honestly I can’t think of a better value for 12 bottles.

A nose of crisp stone and raspberry leads into a beautiful juicy core of ripe red fruit in the mouth.  Really nice balance and freshness.  But the standout trait of this wine is the second wind it gets on the finish.  Just when you think it’s done, it wallops you with another surge of flavor.

Let’s face it, it’s really difficult to find decent red wine under $10.  I went through a streak where I flat out lost interest in the category because everything I tasted was a look-alike at best or a total bore at worst.  That’s why I get so excited about this, a very serious wine for a price that suddenly makes me consider Tuesday wine night as a wine night.

The traditional Rhone crest on the bottle is a nice touch too.

Buy Here: Delas Freres Cotes-du-Rhone St Esprit $9.95

Robert Parker 90 points

“Delas Freres has produced two other outstanding sleepers of the vintage, and both wines dramatically over-deliver for their appellations. The brilliant 2009 Cotes du Rhone St.-Esprit is the best Cotes du Rhone I have ever tasted from Delas. Seventy percent Syrah, twenty percent Grenache and the rest Carignan and Mourvedre, this wine comes primarily form the Cotes du Rhone village of Cairanne. The wine has great fruit and a sweet raspberry and black cherry nose with some herbs, licorice, and pepper. Aged all in tank, the wine is medium to full-bodied and possesses sweet tannin as well as a long finish.

The brilliant Jacques Granges remains in control of all winemaking at Delas Freres, and he has produced some of his greatest wines in 2009 for the northern cuvees. Moreover, this is a firm that has surged ahead in quality over the last 15 years, and their southern Rhone selections are increasingly impressive, including some excellent bargains.”

Each month around this time, I’m going to be giving our readers an early look at the top deals of the month.  Many of these wines will appear in individual features throughout the month and some have already appeared on the blog, but if you are like me, you know what you like and you want to get to the deals before they’re gone.  For this month I’m not doing a gimmicky top 10 list, though I reserve the right to use gimmicks in the future.  This month, I’m just telling you about the wines that I’m excited to buy.

1. Mas Doix Salanques 2007, Priorat RP93 – $23.95

This is one of my favorite all time wines.  It usually sells around $40, so this is an absolute steal.  I’ve been buying it since the 2004 vintage when I paid big full price to split a case with my dad.  That wine is just coming into its own now and is oh so good!  This price is CRAZY low.

2. Grayson Cellars Chardonnay 2009, California WA87 – $7.99

Robert Parker calls this wine “almost too good to be true”.  That’s a heck of an endorsement from a guy that knows his wine.  Grayson’s wines are almost all spectacular values and for the quality, this wine should be selling for double the price.

3.  Chateau La Vielle Cure 2005, Bordeaux RP93 – $35.95

How this wine is still available is completely beyond me.  I’ve had it several times and it’s incredible.  It’s drinking great now but will improve for 5 years and hold for an additional 10.  Buy up because the next Bordeaux vintage that compares with ’05 is ’09.  The prospect of waiting an additional 5 years to open a bottle is tough for me to handle!

4. Ridge Lytton Springs 2008, Dry Creek Valley RP93 – $29.95

I wrote this wine up already, and it too is still available.  Ridge makes Zinfandel with finesse and I’ve been craving this one since I last had it.  Powerful and balanced, this is one to watch for every year.

5. Gloria Ferrer Brut Royal Cuvee 2001, Carneros WS93 – $15.95

This is by far the best sparkling wine deal I have ever seen.  Ever.  I bought a bunch at $21.95, then at $18.95 and now it’s an additional $3 cheaper.  This is Gloria Ferrer’s vintage reserve wine and with 10 years of age, it tastes better than ever.  I’ll never understand how those bubbles stay in the bottle, but I’m glad they do.

6. Hahn GSM Red Blend 2009, Central Coast WE87 – $8.99

Hahn makes some of the best values going.  This wine, their Meritage, Chardonnay and Cabernet are all notable for their QPR.  I like Hahn because I know I’m getting a great wine at a more than fair price.  What more can you really ask for?

7. Beringer Private Reserve Cabernet 2005, Napa ST94 – $59.95

This is easily the lowest price I’ve ever seen on this Napa icon and my personal favorite.  Beringer PR is made from a blend of Beringer’s extensive vineyard holdings.  They pick the best every year and it really shows.  This wine was released at $90+ but the ’07 scored a couple of points higher so the ’05 is discounted while the ’07 sells out at list price.  That’s what I call an opportunity.

8. Doyenne AIX Proprietary Blend 2007, Columbia Valley WA92 – $23.95

BUY THIS WINE. It’s so good and it’s under $25.  I’ve already bought the 2008 because I am such a believer in this label.  I can’t say enough good things about this one.

Many of our readers had great things to say about the 2008 Titan Hills “Fiasco” by Tobin James.   But I heard some tried to place orders and the giant stack of cases I saw when I bought it was already gone.

Well it’s back at the same price.  You can read the full post here, but the summary is “The Prisoner for one fifth the price”.  This wine is one heck of a value.  For those that missed it, have at it!  For those that already tried it, I’m sure you will be back.

Buy Here: Tobin James 2008 Titan Hills “Fiasco” Red Blend $6.99

Is there anything better than a warm day on the back porch and a cool glass of Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc?  Okay the warm day and two glasses might qualify.  Otherwise, warm weather and New Zealand’s  signature wine are a match made in heaven.

Sauvignon Blanc is the wine in it’s rawest form.  It’s unadulterated by oak and it’s a true expression of the soil in which it’s grown.  Best of all, New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc is remarkably consistent and available in high quantities.  Sarborough made 108,000 cases of this wine!  That’s well over 1 million bottles!  And those million bottles are really good.  For $9 it’s spectacular.

This wine pours a bright yellow/green and has aromas of grapefruit and tangerine.  The same flavors carry over the palate where a bright acidity is balanced light honey notes.  This is textbook Sauvignon Blanc.

There isn’t much more to say about this wine.  It’s awesome and it’s $9.  What else do you need?

Buy Here: 2009 Starborough Sauvignon Blanc $8.95

Wine Spectator 90 points

“Smooth and juicy, with fragrant lemongrass, thyme and fresh grass notes that mingle nicely with bright lemon-lime and tart green apple flavors. Theres a nice balance of power and elegance. Drink now. 108,000 cases made.”

I love finding a house Chardonnay that drinks totally guilt free because it’s cheap and tastes great. The problem is, the more great Chardonnay you taste, the harder it becomes to find a daily drinker! I’m discovering that this is a problem with all kinds of wines. Drinking great wine resets your standard for what you consider a good wine. Luckily, despite this not-so-tragic phenomenon, I’m still finding great values in the under $10 value range all the time.

We enjoyed the Lander-Jenkins 2009 Chardonnay in the back yard on a warm Friday evening. This wine is perfect for such a setting. One thing the French have been doing for hundreds of years (besides retreating), is blending grapes for added complexity. Complexity is not something usually found in an $8 domestic Chardonnay, but Lander-Jenkins blends in 5% Muscat for a little sweetness and flavor variation. It’s a really nice touch in this rich, oaky Chardonnay which also has flavors of almond and honey.

This wine is made by Rutherford Wine Company, who are best known for the Rutherford Ranch Cabernet, which is also a fantastic value. If you’re looking for a new daily drinker Chardonnay, look no further. This is a case-worthy $8 value!

Buy Here: 2009 Lander-Jenkins Chardonnay $7.99

This week I posted a question about Ridge Zinfandels on Facebook and got great responses.  This got me thinking about Zinfandel today when I stopped into LA Wine Co.  Luckily there was an enormous stack of this INSANE deal right in the back to feed our loyal fans’ Zinfandel fever.  This is $6 cheaper than the lowest price I can find in the country.  I haven’t had a chance to taste it yet but with over 100 cases already sold I wanted to alert our readers before it’s no longer available.  The 88 point Wine Spectator score and the reputation should speak for itself.

Buy Here: 2005 Renwood Old Vine Zinfandel $6.99

Wine Spectator 88 points

“Dense and concentrated, yet offers a rich core of pure wild raspberry fruit, with accents of white pepper, dried cherry, fresh sage and loamy mineral. Drink now through 2011. 24,226 cases made.”

Tobin James is known for their Zinfandel, Syrah and their “country party” themed tasting room in the heart of the Central Coast’s Paso Robles wine region.  If you’re ever in the area, it’s worth checking out their tasting saloon and picking up one of their signature star patches for the memory book.  Their wines are well reviewed, popular and range in price from $12 to $150.

Producers like Tobin James are often contracted to make wines for “private label” applications at grocery stores or restaurants.  Rumor has it, Tobin James created the Titan Hills label for one of those private label projects, but somehow the deal fell through, so we the consumer are left with an incredible value they call “Fiasco”.  Maybe the name hints at how this wine made it to the market?

This weekend, I drank a bottle of Orin Swift’s $35 “The Prisoner” – a wine I really enjoy – and would call Titan Hills “Fiasco” very comparable.  That’s high praise for a wine 1/5 the price.  It’s not listed anywhere, but my understanding (and taste) suggests that this is a Zin, Syrah, Petite Sirah blend.  This wine has a sweet, alluring nose and bright, juicy, full bodied taste with a spicy finish.   It’s without fault, and a perfect daily drinking complement to Trader Joe’s turkey bolognese, as I discovered tonight.

In a world with so many sucky $10 wines, it’s great to find a case worthy value that beats that magic $10 mark handily.  Titan Hills might be a generic name, but what’s inside the bottle is anything but.

Buy Here: Tobin James 2008 Titan Hills “Fiasco” Red Blend $6.99

Sean Minor is making some exceptional wine at prices so low I literally don’t know how he does it.  I say “he” because, yes, Sean Minor is actually a real person.  His Cabernet took the under $15 Value of the Year award on this blog and deserves every bit of a 90 point rating (it received a still very impressive 87 from Wine Spectator).

Mr. Minor has impressed me again with his value priced Chardonnay- an absolute steal at $8.99.  That’s steal not steel, as this Chardonnay shows the trademark buttery texture and toasty flavors of malolactic fermentation and oak aging.  That said, it’s not over the top, and strikes me as very balanced in both acidity and texture.  Sort of like an apple dipped in honey.

Sean and his staff at Four Bears Winery have produced an impressive product that effectively articulates everything this blog is about: high quality wine at value prices.  More importantly Sean is doing a great job marketing and promoting his wines from the ground up by posting a thank you on this blog after our review of his Cabernet, and personally responding to every message on the company’s Facebook wall.  Some other larger (and likely less profitable) wineries should take note.  Well done Sean!

Buy Here: 2009 Sean Minor Four Bears Chardonnay $8.99

Wasn’t I just saying there is no real old vine wine in the U.S. except Zinfandel?  Now is your opportunity to taste some of the finest wine from vineyards that are 115 years old!  The location of these vineyards might be a surprise to many.

The Cucamonga Valley in Southern California’s Riverside County is the location of some of the oldest vineyards in the United States.  In its heyday, before Prohibition, it was home to more vineyards than Napa and Somoma counties combined.  But alas, many of those vineyards were let go during prohibition and later overtaken by urban sprawl as Los Angeles grew to encompass multiple counties.

The few vineyards that are left make some of the country’s best Zinfandel and Norman’s “Old Vines” certainly doesn’t disappoint.  If you’ve had Opolo’s Zins and enjoy the ripe, jammy, style, you are going to love this wine.  It’s not shy at 16.2% alcohol but the nose has more blackberry than alcohol and the taste is sweet with notes of caramelized sugar.  The concentration from the old vines is apparent in the blockbuster Zin, but the 7 years of age have calmed the tannins down and made this a perfect drinker now.

Hard times call for desperate measures and at $4.99 per half bottle (!), there is no way the winery is making money here.  Of Norman Vineyards wines, Robert Parker has said:

“Some of the finest Zinfandels ever tasted. These are jammy, full-bodied, thick offerings meant to be consumed for their boisterous, exuberant gustiness over the next 3-5 years.”

If you like Zinfandel, and I know many of our readers do, get a case of these half bottles.  Over half of the enormous stack of cases was sold yesterday after the LA Wine Co. email went out.  I wish I had taken a picture because I happened to be there buying a few bottles when they were unloading them and I was shocked at how many cases there were.  The other half will probably sell after this post goes out so order online for in store pickup or nationwide shipping.  Enjoy!

Buy Here: 2004 Norman Zinfandel Old Vines 375ml $4.99