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

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

What’s better than sitting outside on a warm evening with a cool glass of Chardonnay?  For me, not a heck of a lot, especially when that cool glass is from La Crema, who makes one of the best values in California Chardonnay hands down.  All of their Chardonnays are really good year after year and this, the lowest priced in their lineup, still shows as a premium wine.

This wine actually reminds me of the 94 point Beringer Private Reserve Chardonnay in a lot of ways.  It’s oaky and buttery, yet balanced with a persistent acidity – a truly impressive expression of California Chardonnay.  The round mouthfeel combined with crisp pineapple flavors tell me that this isn’t a one trick pony like a lot of Chardonnay in this price range.  I’ve found that most Chards in the under $20 category are very one dimensional, either huge oak bombs, or all citrus flavors with no texture.  Not the case here.  This wine goes through 50% malolactic fermentation which gives it the rich oily mouthfeel while retaining the citric acid that keeps everything in balanace.  It all finishes with nice length and purity.

La Crema is worth seeking out.  That’s really saying something for a wine priced at $13.95 – a price that is actually so good there are retailers selling half bottles for more!  I just found my new house Chardonnay.

Buy Here: 2009 La Crema Chardonnay Monterey $13.95

Robert Parker 90 points

“More tropical aromas of pineapples, orange marmalade and honeysuckle jump from the glass of the 2009 Chardonnay Monterey. Fifty percent of this cuvee was put through malolactic fermentation and it came in under 14% alcohol, not unusual in a cool year such as 2009. It exhibits abundant fruit, medium body, good depth and a seductive style. Enjoy it over the next several years.

La Crema is an excellent value winery owned by Jess Jackson with an impressive group of winemakers, including Melissa Stackhouse.”

Kendall-Jackson, a.k.a. KJ, somehow got a reputation for making grocery store wine.  If this is grocery store wine, then I’ll live in the aisles because this is outrageously good – at any price.  There is a tendency to confuse high volume producers like Kendall-Jackson with bulk producers.  Those that take that stance are missing some incredible wines and, more importantly, incredible values.  Most KJ wines are estate grown, meaning they are in charge of every step in the wine producing process from growing to harvesting to bottling.  This is handcrafted wine that can hold its own and BEAT many wines 3 times the price.

From their own vineyards in Monterey and Santa Barbara, this wine is created from the top 3% of their Chardonnay lots!  Suddenly the advantages of being a high volume producer are becoming more apparent.  Much like the reserve programs of Mondavi or Beringer, only the very best vineyards/grapes/barrels from their extensive wine programs go into the reserve wines.  In the words of Charlie Sheen, Kendall-Jackson is winning.

A rich buttery style defines the Grand Reserve Chardonnay, which was aged in 69% French oak, of which 25% was new.  A smokey nose leads into a rich palate of lemonade and mango.  The finish is exceptionally long, with citrus and tropical fruit lingering on for 30 seconds or more.  I can’t say enough good things about this $15 wine.

Parker gave it 90 points.  I think it has an added depth and complexity to warrant 91.  Either way it’s a screaming, case-worthy value.

Buy Here: 2008 Kendall-Jackson Grand Reserve Chardonnay $14.95

Robert Parker 90 points

“The 2008 Chardonnay Grand Reserve, which comes from their vineyards in Monterey and Santa Barbara, is a richer, fuller wine with loads of tropical fruit and honeysuckle. It is crisp, full-bodied, and again, an impressive wine to drink over the next several years.

The lowest level of the Kendall-Jackson empire, the Vintner’s Reserve series, goes from strength to strength. For consumers hoping to maximize their dollar value, these serious wines are consistent choices. Their Chardonnay has always been good, but dramatic increases in quality have taken place in the Pinot Noir, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon programs.”

I’m on a constant search for good California Cabernet under the magical $15 price point.  It’s easy to find Cabernet under $15 but really difficult to find good Cabernet for that price.  I find most of them to be one dimensional, with each tasting like the other.  Smith and Hook certainly breaks that mold.   My other top pick for the year was the 2007 Sean Minor Four Bears Cabernet from Napa.  The Smith & Hook is a tough rival in terms of quality, with a somewhat more restrained style than the sweet, super ripe Sean Minor.

This wine is from the Hahn Family who make fantastic Cabernet, Chardonnay and a Meritage every year.  Smith & Hook is meant to be a reserve blend from their Monterey County vineyards.  It sells for $30 at the winery; still a good value, but nothing close to the $12 LA Wine Co. is asking (the lowest I can find by $1).  Everything a reserve wine should have is present here: ripe flavors, rich oak, surprising complexity and notable length on the finish.  It’s also particularly well textured.

Put this wine up against any of the Chateau St. Jean “Cinq Cepages” (a cool climate Cabernet benchmark) from recent vintages and I think you would have a pretty tough fight on your hands.  That wine sells for over $60, putting this $12 daily drinker in some pretty good company.

Buy Here: 2007 Smith & Hook Cabernet Sauvignon $11.95

Connoisseurs’ Guide 88 points

“There are suggestions of complexity to be found in the midst of the sweet, well-ripened, oak-enriched aromas of this wine, and those same notes of black soils, minerals and root-beer spice are carried through to its fairly rich and slightly succulent flavors. No frontal simpleton despite being easy to taste now, its finish is both rich and lengthy. It may not be one for hiding away for a years to come, but it has the pieces in place to develop quite well for up to a half decade in the bottle.”

What is it with Monterey Chardonnay?  Something about the cool climate produces Chardonnay with complexity and richness but with a cutting acid that keeps everything in balance.  The 2008 Bernardus Chardonnay is one of the best examples I’ve had this year, and at $16.95 it’s a great value from one of Chardonnay’s best regions.  In fact, 2008 seems to have been a better Chardonnay vintage in Monterey than it was in Napa and Sonoma.

That crisp acid and rich oak made this wine a perfect accompaniment to one of my favorite easy dinners, Sicilian pasta.  I attempted to do a video of how to make this pasta.  So the video wasn’t too long, I chopped everything in advance and preheated the oil in the pan.   Unfortunately I got the oil too hot and nearly caught my kitchen on fire.  I’ll attempt the video again, but in the meantime,  here’s how to make this simple, 20 minute dinner:

Sicilian Pasta Recipe

Finely chop three cloves of garlic and a small handful of fresh herbs (I like to use thyme, oregano and basil from my garden).

Cook your pasta (I like to use penne or bow ties) and drain the water.

Open a small tin of anchovies, drain the olive oil into the pasta and stir.  Set aside.

Lightly cover the bottom of a hot pan with olive oil and add the anchovies.  Chop the anchovies up with a rubber spatula until they melt completely into the olive oil leaving only very small pieces.

Add the garlic and 5-6 pinches of chopped fresh herbs to the hot oil and remove from the heat.

Add the pasta into the pan and mix until it’s coated with the oil/anchovy/herb mix.

Dress with red chili flakes, Parmesan cheese and the rest of the herbs to taste.

This pasta is delicious, healthy and perfect with a crisp Chardonnay.  Don’t let the full can of anchovies deter you from trying this.  If you like the amount of anchovy flavor in Caesar dressing, you’ll like this pasta.  And if you like Chardonnay, you’ll like this wine!

Buy Here: 2008 Bernardus Chardonnay $16.95

Wine Spectator 92 points

“Bold, rich and layered, with a medley of smoky fig, toasty oak, hazelnut and roasted marshmallow flavors that are pure, focused, intense and concentrated, with a long, persistent finish. Drink now through 2015. 22,380 cases made.”

Call it daily drinker week on Nickel and Dime Wine.  First it was yesterday’s $9 Malbec and today we have a fantastic Chardonnay for $12.  With hundreds of California Chardonnays in the $10-15 price range, how do you choose a good one?  Well this is a good place to start (duh).  Seriously, if you’re going to a dinner party or just in the store looking for a good bottle of California Chardonnay without spending a ton, here are 3 simple rules that should help you come out with a winner.

1. Look for these appellation designations on the label: Santa Barbara County (Santa Rita Hills, Santa Maria Valley), Sonoma (Russian River Valley), Monterey (Santa Lucia Highlands) and Carneros.  Those are the best places to grow Chardonnay grapes in this great, bankrupt state.  If the label says “estate” it scores even more bonus points because this means the grapes were grown by the winery and never left the site until after the wine was bottled.

2.  Avoid generic bottlings that are only designated with “California” or “North Coast”.  Often times this means that the winery is buying grapes from all over the place with little quality control, and possibly from vineyards where they measure success in pounds rather than quality.  Good values can definitely be found with these non-appellation wines, but you better know what you’re looking for.  “Central Coast” gets a pass on this one because many of the great Chardonnay appellations lie in the Central Coast.

3. Look at the score. If you’ve never tasted a particular wine before, the score is a great place to start.  Just beware of wine shops that try to pass their own scores off as professional.  News flash- they might be a little bias…  Wine Advocate (a.k.a. Robert Parker, RP or WA), International Wine Cellar (a.k.a. Stephen Tanzer, ST or IWC), and Wine Spectator (a.k.a. WS) are the most reliable.

So following these simple rules how does the Talbott Kali Hart Chardonnay come out?  Pretty well of course.  Otherwise I wouldn’t have written the article this way!  1.) It’s from Monterrey with bonus points for being from the sub appellation of Santa Lucia Highlands and the word “estate” on the label.  2.) No generic “California” label and 3.) it scored 87 points from Robert Parker, a good score for such a reasonably priced wine.

Beyond all of those great factors, the wine tastes great with an alluring nose, a nice, sweet ripeness and a round, full mouthfeel.  For $12, I can’t think of a better value.

Buy Here: 2008 Talbott Kali Hart Chardonnay $11.95

Wine Advocate 87 points

“Take, for example, the 2008 Chardonnay Kali Hart. It displays loads of poached pear, pineapple, and honey in an impressively perfumed bouquet. In the mouth, it is soft, fleshy, and medium-bodied, with just enough acidity to give it balance. It is a fruity, consumer-friendly style of Chardonnay to drink over the next year.

This is the most impressive lineup of wines I have seen from Talbott in a number of years. Their less expensive second label is a noteworthy value.”

The Santa Lucia Highlands AVA in Monterey county produces some of the country’s best Chardonnay due to its cool temperatures and long growing season.  Talbott combined those elements in perfect harmony to make their 2008 Chardonnay from a selection of their large Sleepy Hollow Vineyard.  Ironically, the more expensive “Sleepy Hollow Vineyard” designated Chardonnay from Talbott was rated one point lower, making this an even better value for those who like a modern, oaky style of Chardonnay, without being over-the-top.

This wine is creamy on the palate with a band of acid cutting through on the finish.  The 16-35 year old vines, from which this wine was created, make for rich, deeply concentrated flavors as well as a reasonably high 15.1% alcohol level that is seamlessly integrated.  The new oak is also well integrated but present in a complementary way.

Talbott seems to be on a great trajectory, making wines that would cost twice as much if they were produced up the road in Sonoma or Napa.

Here are a couple of other Chardonnay values from Talbott:

2008  Kali Hart Chardonnay $11.95 (WA87)

2008 Sleepy Hollow Vineyard Chardonnay $27.95 (WA91)

If high-end, highly rated Chardonnay is your thing, you can’t go wrong with Talbott’s 2008 Logan.

Buy Here: 2008 Talbott Logan Chardonnay $15.95

Wine Advocate 92 points

“The 2008 Chardonnay Logan (a selection from the Sleepy Hollow Vineyard) is a slightly fruitier, more structured style of Chardonnay from Talbott. Light straw-colored, the wine displays notes of nectarine, kiwi, orange marmalade, honey, and subtle oak. Cutting a broad swath across the palate, it is full-bodied, rich, and impressively endowed. It is the best Talbott Chardonnay in a number of years.

This is the most impressive lineup of wines I have seen from Talbott in a number of years. Their less expensive second label is a noteworthy value.”

Hahn Estates is making some of the best values coming out of California.  I’ve already written about their fantastic Meritage which is now available in the 2008 vintage.  Tonight we’re drinking the 2008 Chardonnay which easily performs 2x its price.  It’s always great to find a label you can trust year after year and, for the last three vintages, Hahn has been one of those labels.

If you’re in to the smokey, oaky style of Chardonnay, you are going to like this wine.  It’s buttery but has a crisp acidity to cut through and create a nice balance.  It’s lacking some of the deep complexity that you might find in a $30 Chardonnay but it’s only $8.99 and, at that price, I can only think of one other wine on this level, which is the San Simeon Chardonnay, also from Monterey.  That wine isn’t available anymore, but this is a strong challenger.

If you’re looking for a house Chardonnay, this would be a perfect fit.  We had it tonight with salmon tacos and it went perfectly.  It’s the perfect excuse to drink wine on a Tuesday night!

Buy Here: Hahn Estates Chardonnay 2008- $8.99

Wine Enthusiast 86 points

“Quite a nice Chardonnay, especially at this price. it’s elegant and crisp, with a mineral undertow to the pineapple, buttered toast and honeysuckly flavors. Easy to like for its balance.”

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