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

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.”

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It seems like great California Cabernet under $15 is few and far between lately.  Sometimes  you need to look outside the Napa/Sonoma corridor to find something special and in this case we’re looking 240 miles south of Napa, halfway between Los Angeles and San Francisco, to Paso Robles.  As I’ve mentioned before, the Central Coast is producing some fantastic wine with Paso Robles standing out for their Cabernet, Rhone blends and Zinfandel.

Single vineyard wines have grown in popularity because they really reveal a sense of place in the wine.  And that’s what I love about the Vina Robles Huerhuero Vineyard Cabernet- you can almost taste the soil in which it was grown.  This truly unique wine pours an opaque purple/red and has a rich oaky nose right out of the bottle.  The taste isn’t shy either, with firm tannins and deep black fruit coming together for a long, lingering finish.  Paso Robles vintners have also found a sweet spot with a blending grape, Petit Verdot (see our L’Aventure Optimus post), which makes up 14% of this wine and adds a unique rich texture.  For those who have enjoyed the last few vintages of the Hahn Estates Meritage, this reminds me a lot of that wine.  Of note- this wine was aged in mostly new French oak, making this an even better deal.

Value seekers will love the Vina Robles Huerhuero Vineyard Cabernet and at $13.95 ($22 on their website!!!) it’s really hard to beat!

Vina Robles Cabernet Sauvignon Huerhuero Vineyard- $13.95

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