Over the years my concept of "value" wine has changed with the rise and fall of my own personal fortunes. There was a time, for example, when a jug of inoffensive California cabernet measured up. I also remember the pure joy I shared with a long-ago girlfriend when we discovered we could buy a bottle of Chilean merlot for $4 (I believe it was Los Vascos) and drink it without gagging.

I don't dabble so much any more in the cheapest wines I can find that won't poison me, but I am constantly aware of "value."

What I am looking for when I am considering value is a wine that delivers more than I could reasonably expect given the price. The Hess Allomi Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon is a recent example. It's a single-vineyard cabernet from the Napa Valley and retails for $25. You hear the words single vineyard and Napa Valley in the same sentence and the cha-ching of the cash register usually starts at about $50.

Same deal with the Veramonte Primus, a Bordeaux-style blend from Chile recently recommended here. At $21, it's one of the best buys among wines of this type that I have seen lately. Ditto on the Five Rivers Cabernet Sauvignon from Paso Robles, Calif., which sells for around $10.

Most $10 wines from California are made from bulk wine sourced from across the state. Five Rivers cab is made from pure Paso Robles grapes, and the difference shows up in the intensity of body and flavor.
This week, I've singled out an Oregon pinot noir from my tasting notes and given it the special designation of Best Buy. Though it is not cheap, at $25 it is at the low end of the price range for pinot noir from a sexy producer, in this case Ponzi Vineyards. But my selection is hardly based on price alone.

The Ponzi 2006 "Tavola" Pinot Noir shows exceptional verve and personality, along with aroma and flavor complexities that I believe go far beyond the typical $25 pinot noir. I gave the wine 90 points and would suggest buying up as much as possible as soon as possible, because I don't see it languishing on the shelf at such an attractive price.

This column will continue to recommend a "Best Buy" wine over the coming weeks and months. I am reluctant to impose a range of prices, however, for I just as often find value in a $20 wine as I do a $10 wine. The promise will be that no matter the price, the wine will deliver more than you expect given the price!

BEST BUY

Ponzi Vineyards 2006 "Tavola" Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley ($25) - Quite an expressive pinot, showing violet and damp forest floor on the nose, a hint of cola, and mixed red and dark fruits. The structure is firm and full, with a slight bite on the back end no doubt due to the addition of stems during fermentation in the classic Burgundian tradition. Yet the bite is far from bitter and will resolve with time as the tannins melt away and the lush raspberry and strawberry fruit comes to the fore. This is a high class American (Oregon) pinot that will deliver enormous pleasure over the next five to eight years. An absolute steal at the price. Rating: 90.

RECOMMENDED WINES

Shafer 2005 "One Point Five" Cabernet Sauvignon, Stags Leap District ($70) - Yum. Yum. Yum! You get the idea, I love it. While not as huge and layered as Shafer's big boy cabernet, the indomitable Hillside Select, that is hardly a criticism. This cab rocks - with rich, juicy, mouth-filling black fruits, silky tannins, hints of violet, chocolate and spice, and remarkable length. Supple and drinkable now, it still has the structure and depth to age beautifully. I am loathe to call a wine pretty. So I won't say it's pretty. Nope, it's gorgeous! Rating: 93.

Ponzi Vineyards 2006 Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley ($35) - More subdued and less upfront than Ponzi's entry-level "Tavola" Pinot, the '06 Ponzi displays impressive depth and complex aromas of fresh cherries and strawberries, a floral note on the back end that is strangely absent on the nose, and a lovely integration of oak spice and tannin. Beautifully balanced, but more focused on primary fruit, with less of the attractive earthiness of the less expensive "Tavola." Still, an exceptional value. Rating: 91.

Snows Lake 2005 Two, Red Hills ($45) - The firmness of structure and freshness of fruit are the tip-off that this Cabernet Sauvignon-Cabernet Franc blend from elevated vineyards (more than 2,000 feet) in the Red Hills district of Lake County (due north of the Napa Valley) is destined for a long, glorious life. The wine is beautifully balanced (despite the 14.6 percent alcohol there is nary a hint of jamminess) and possesses a core of bright, layered red and black fruit aromas, a gentle hint of oak vanillin as a back note, and a lingering finish. While it makes for good drinking now, this beauty will turn into a stunner with another three to five years on the cork. Rating: 91.

Jade Mountain 2005 "Snows Lake Vineyard" Syrah, Red Hills ($14) - OK, so this isn't the greatest syrah I've ever tasted. But it is one of the finest around for $14. This rich, textured syrah from Lake County is a real crowd pleaser, with mouth-filling fruit, hints of spice and attractive gamey notes. My only knock is slightly green tannins that are only partially masked by the sweetness of the fruit. Rating: 87.

  Robert Whitley may be reached at whitonwine@aol.com.
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