Dr Vino's wine blog

Rosé
Chateau Mourgues de Gres, Les galets roses 2002, $9.99.
Rosés aren’t just for summer any more. But since summer weather is now upon us, we have all the more reason. Dry rosés are versatile food wines that have gotten a bad rap. Once dismissed as mere “summer wines” or tainted by the sweetness of such travesties as white Zinfandel, rosés are coming into their own. And there are few better bargains than this Morgues de Gres, which is excellent despite the region being submerged by floods at the time of the harvest. Les Galets rosés has a heft and complexity that makes it more like a red than most rosés (which come from red grape varietals). Great with an African spice rub or salade nicoise. US importer: Weygandt-Metzler.

Whites
Chateau Campuget, blanc, AOC Costieres de Nimes, 2002. $7.
Bargain hunters should run-not walk!-to find this wine. Given the difficult conditions of the 2002 vintage (flooding) this reliable, value producer stands out for a fine white blend of Roussane and Grenache blanc. More than simply a “summer wine” it has greater depth with notes of melon and minerality that make it a great match for seafood and salads. Robert Kacher, importer.

Huber, “Hugo” Gruner Veltiner, (Austria) 2003, $8.79.
While “extreme-value” in the US has brought wines at $2 a bottle, this $9 wine is about as extreme as the value will get from Austria. Although the mountainous vineyards are producing excellent whites, the prices are generally too high to make the Dr. Vino grade. It is hard to get fresher than the wine – or the winemaker, Markus Huber, who at a mere 23 years old (!!) has already won the acclaim of his peers with the Winemaker of the Year title in 2002! This is a bright, clean example of the local grape, Gruner Veltliner (aka “Gru V”). Though not as complex as more expensive Gruners, the minerality, acidity and faint spice make it a refreshing complement to dinner on the deck. Importer: Boutique Wine Collection.

Indaba, Sauvignon Blanc, 2003. $6.50
South African wines have come a long way in the past 10 years of democracy. One noticeable change has been the planting of more “international” grape varietals as opposed to the traditional ones (e.g. pinotage) that had predominated before the world market opened up for South African wines. Mzokhana Mveme, winemaker at Indaba, offers this fresh, crisp Sauvignon Blanc, perfect for sipping on the deck. Imported by Cape Classics. www.capeclassics.com

Montes, Sauvignon Blanc, reserve, 2004, Chile. $8
Fresher than a Beaujolais nouveau, this sauvignon blanc was just harvested at the end of the Chilean summer in March and is now on retailers’ shelves. Montes has a line of “reserve” wines that offer excellent value for around $10. Thanks to steel tank fermentation and aging, this pale yellow SB has crisp aromas of clean fruit and a smooth finish. Not likely to be long-lived, but perfect for drinking this summer-or during next summer down under. This SB is no BS.

Reds
REDS, 2001 Laurel Glen Vineyards, $9.
What better way to celebrate the Fourth of July than with a bottle of REDS? (The white and the blue are up to you.) This wine hails from Lodi, gold country in the days of the Gold Rush, and given that it is harder to find a good, domestic bottle under $10 now than it was to find gold back then, this is indeed a useful nugget. Made from a blend of Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, and Carignane, this concentrated wine comes from some vines that date from before 1900. The dark red colors of the wine in the glass come from the low yields of the old vines (only half as many cases were produced with this vintage-and, admirably, the price as not taken off) and the enticing flavors of red berry make it a great match for the best of the barbeque.

Patricia Green, Pinot Noir, Oregon 2002. $17
The 2002 vintage from Oregon has produced excellent-and excellent value-pinot noirs. Pinot noir has proven fickle and difficult to grow successfully outside of the cool climes of Burgundy, the region that made it famous. So it is small wonder that the prices of Pinots tend to be higher than other, more hearty, varietals. Oregon is a clear leader in American pinot noir production. Patricia Green produces a large line of fine pinots at reasonable price points, many from single vineyards or even single corners of vineyards known as “blocks.” But why have a single vineyard when you could have the whole state? This generic “Oregon” designation not only gives this these more limited production wines a run for their money, but costs a lot less of it too. Wonderful aromas of wild strawberry and hints of earthiness and tobacco yield to smooth and supple tannins with a long finish. Astute readers will note that this wine is in fact not under the usual $10 threshold, but it is such a good value, consider splurging on it as a “wine of the weekend.”

Ravenswood, Shiraz, Vintner’s Blend, southeastern Australia, 2002, $7.99.
The recent trend toward globalization is epitomized in a glass of this Ravenswood Shiraz. Ravenswood, based in Sonoma, was sold (for $148 million) in 2001 to Constellation Brands (formerly Canandaigua). Constellation subsequently bought BRL Hardy in Australia to become the world’s largest publicly traded wine producer. The Ravenswood winery that had a cult following thus became a mere brand in a large portfolio of wines. But Joel Patterson stayed on with Ravenswood and this Shiraz is a product of the new, global company. The “no wimpy wines” motto still applies to this big red from down under fruit. Hints of mint and eucalyptus in the sweet tannins make it have pleasant complexity, a perfect companion for grilled meats. I would take this wine with kangaroos on the label over another (ahem), more famous one.

Chateau Montroche, Costieres de Nimes, 2001. $7
Bobby Kacher should become the honorary president of the Costieres de Nimes appellation. The American importer has unearthed so many great bargains from the region that he definitely makes the Dr. Vino importer Hall of Fame at the very least. This Chateau Montroche is yet another excellent syrah-grenache. Although it is light in color, the flavors and aromas of dark fruit and tar are pleasantly potent. Rather than opening a Montrachet, this Montroche will sufficiently impress the neighbors on a weeknight.

Villa Maria, private bin, Hawke’s Bay, Cabernet/Merlot, 2002, $9.99
When you think of New Zealand wines, which grapes leap to mind? Certainly not cabernet and merlot. Nonetheless, Villa Maria blends the two popular red grapes into this wine, ruby red in color, rounded and smooth with notes of plum and spice and a pleasant finish. If you don’t finish the bottle in one sitting, just screw the screw cap back on. Vineyard Brands, US importer.