Tikal’s “Patriota” is a blend of Argentina’s two most widely planted grapes, Malbec (40%) and Bonarda (60%).  Ever heard of the Bonarda grape?  Neither have I.

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.”

Hall has been on a real run lately.  Since the 2006 vintage, they have received solid 90+ scores, but in the 2008 vintage their Napa Cabernet hit the magic 95 point mark (from Robert Parker).  What’s magic about 95 points?  Price.  It’s almost impossible to find a Robert Parker 95 point Napa Cabernet under $100, let alone $40.  Off the top of my head, I can’t think of a single Napa Cab from the 2008 vintage that hit this prestigious value mark.  A couple from 2007 come to mind like Robert Craig Affinity and… okay, no more come to mind.  Affinity sold out in an instant and the same will happen with this Hall bargain.

This wine is made by David Ramey and comes mostly from Sacrashe Vineyard.

Buy Here: 2008 Hall Napa Valley Cabernet $39.95

Robert Parker 95 points

“As for those in bottle, my favorite is the 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa. Most of this comes from the Sacrashe Vineyard as well. A dense, full-bodied wine with lots of creme de cassis, charcoal, licorice and forest floor, the wine is opulent and already delicious and powerful. It should continue to drink well for at least 12-15+ years.

All of these wines are made by winemaking consultant David Ramey. I looked at some 2009 cuvees , the 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa, 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon Diamond Mountain, 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon Ellie’s, 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon Jack’s Masterpiece, and 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon Bergfeld. All of these wines should score between 90 and 95 points as they all have deep colors, beautiful pure fruit, the vintage’s tell-tale front-end loaded sweetness, balance and elegance as well as good freshness and depth. My favorites include the Diamond Mountain, Ellie’s, and Jack’s Masterpiece, with the latter being the most tannic along with the Bergfeld. All of these should be top-notch Cabernet Sauvignons that will last 20-25 years. If you haven’t jumped on the Hall bandwagon, it has been loaded with goodies for the last 3-4 years.”

Regular readers of this blog probably know I don’t drink a lot of Pinot. I find the cheap stuff wimpy and the expensive stuff, well, too expensive. But Steve at LA Wine Co. was raving about this one so I had to try it.

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

I usually completely ignore Wine Enthusiast reviews.  For reasons why, see my “Rating the Raters” post. Well, by some fluke, they got this rating dead on, because this is an absolutely magnificent Napa Cabernet for $17.95.

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

Michael and David Winery is best known for their very popular Seven Deadly Zins bottling.  As gimmicky as that wine is, it’s usually one of the better Zinfandel values in the market and it was a nice surprise to me to discover their fantastic Chardonnay, Seven Heavenly Chards.  With names like this, Michael and David might would fit right in on the Australian wine scene or the horse racing circuit.

The “Heavenly” name delivers, as this wine is one of the better Chardonnay values on the market today.  It’s grown in the Lodi region, 100 miles east of San Francisco.  Lodi produces more wine than Sonoma and Napa counties combined and savvy producers are making great wine from the abundance of available grapes.

A bright, sweet and smokey nose is followed by concentrated buttery flavors that coat the palate.  30% oak aging creates a beautiful round texture that’s a real surprise for an $11 Chardonnay.  This is textbook California Chardonnay at a daily drinking price!

Most retailers are selling this wine for $14-15 but L.A. Wine Co has the lowest price in the country at $10.95.  Heavenly indeed.

Buy Here: Seven Heavenly Chards 2010 $10.95

Robert Parker 87 points

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.”

The wines of Southern Rhone’s Chateauneuf du Pape region are possibly the purest expression of fruit the wine world has to offer.  Mostly uninfluenced by oak, these wines are all about the soil in which they are grown and the vines that produce the grapes.

This wine, by world-renowned Domaine Pierre Usseglio, is defined by the finish, something oak barrels can’t produce.  A blend of 80% Grenache, 10% Syrah, 5% Mourvedre and 5% Cinsault, it’s fantastically long with strong tannins that will likely integrate over the next few years to create a wine of spectacular balance and finesse.  This is a 2009 and, as such, is showing a little of its youth.  But after three hours of air, the wine started to blossom with the initially thin mid-palate filling out nicely and the nose blooming into a superb combination of strawberry and earth aromas. 2009 has been touted as a great year in Southern Rhone, and based on this wine I have no reason to doubt that statement.

The more wine I drink, the more I’m starting to believe that Rhone varietals, especially Grenache, are the best grapes in the world.  Spain, the U.S., Australia and of course France, excel at Rhone style wines and their versatility and value are, in my opinion, unmatched.  Rhone varietal wines can range from light to incredibly dense and work well with or without oak.  Most importantly, these wines are great with food.  My cellar is getting more and more of these wines every day.

Buy Here: 2009 Pierre Usseglio & Fils Chateauneuf-du-Pape $41.95

Robert Parker 90-92 points

“The 2009 Chateauneuf du Pape (80% Grenache, 10% Syrah, 5% Mourvedre and 5% Cinsault) is another top-notch effort. The wine is aged in tank (60%), foudre (30%) and 1- to 4-year-old small barrels (10%). Sweet raspberry, black currant, and cherry fruit intermixed with licorice, lavender and tobacco leaf jump from the glass of this perfumed 2009. With outstanding ripeness, a plush, evolved mouthfeel and sweet tannins, this beauty is already complex and delicious. It should age well for 7-8 years.

One of my favorite stops on my trips to the southern Rhone is at Domaine Pierre Usseglio where brothers Jean-Pierre and Thierry Usseglio have accomplished special things. A new state-of-the-art tasting room has been added, somewhat unusual in Chateauneuf du Pape where little has changed in the three decades I have been tasting there. However, the small, discrete Usseglio tasting room would never be compared with tasting rooms that exist in Bordeaux and California.”

International Wine Cellar 89 points

“Ruby-red. Subdued aromas of blackberry, cherry and licorice accented by white pepper. Sweet and round on entry, displaying dark fruit flavors given definition by firm acidity and complicated by slowly emerging suggestions of bitter cherry and candied anise. The firmly tannic finish features enticing floral lift and echoes the licorice note. Showing a serious side right now.”

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.”