I had chance to try the 2006 Sea Smoke Pinot Noir Botella and was very impressed with this balanced wine. There are hints of black currant and cloves on the nose with a palate of minerals, spice, and dark fruit. Sea Smoke has a history of making some great Pinots and this one does not not disappoint. While not a value wine it is certainly a quality one and garners a Wine Aficionado rating of 90.
I seem to be drinking a bunch of Sauvignon Blancs these days but here is another good find – the Veramonte from Casablanca Valley, Chile. It is crisp and fresh with strong acidity and floral aromas. It is also a another good value coming in at a little below $10.
This is another great value wine. For less than $10 this wine is quite nice – crisp and dry with hints of citrus and fruit. It was my first time trying a Joel Gott wine and I am intrigued to try out some more. Enjoy!
Penfolds Koonunga Hill Shiraz-Cabernet 2006 is another of those great values from Penfolds. Penfolds has some top notch (and top priced) wines but if you move down the price list a bit you can find some amazing values. The Penfolds Koonunga Hill Shiraz-Cabernet 2006 is one of those values. You should be able to pick it up for around $10 and it has won critical acclaim and is good bold wine with nice tannins and good wine to pair with a meal.
Chateau St. Jean’s 2006 La Petite Etoile is one of the two fume blancs produced by Chateau St. Jean. Both wines are highly regarded and have received critical acclaim. The La Petite Etoile is a nice wine if you a fan of the Savignon Blanc/ Fume Blanc wines. The wine spends 9 months is the barrel and is light, crisp with hints of grapefruit.
The Sonoma County Reserve is a blend of the wineries three other Pinot Noirs, Benoist Ranch, La Petite Etoile Vyd, and Durell Vyd. The result is an excellent Pinot Noir with complexity, a long finish and flavors of berries, cherries, cinnamon. This is the top of what Chateau St. Jean has to offer in this varietal.
The 2006 Robert Young Vyd 2006 is a fruity, slightly dry Pinot Blanc that is best served very cold. Where with other varietals all of the flavor is wiped out by being overly chilled, the Robert Young Pinot Blanc still has great flavors that come through and is perfect for a hot summer day when a cold drink is what you are looking for. This wine is put out in fairly limited production and is only available at the winery but if you make it up to Chateau St. Jean you should pick some up.
If you like your Savignon Blanc light and crisp with a floral hint, I have a great bargain for you. 
“Sunrise” from Chile is a delightful Sauvignon Blanc that is perfect for a warm summer day by the beach. It is also quite inexpensive running about $9 a bottle which makes it a great everyday wine. While not available everywhere, if you find it you should buy it because it is a great value.
Need something to do next weekend? The 10th Annual Wine & Food Affair “Tasting Along the Wine Road” is a great way to sample the Russian River Wine Road. For a $40 fee you can taste at 73 different wineries. I did this event last year and it was a great time and I am headed back again this year
November 1 & 2, 2008 ~ Saturday & Sunday, 11 am to 4 pm
There are 73 Wineries participating this year!
A Wine & Food Affair is the premier event for the Russian River Wine Road!
Its a weekend of wine and food pairing in the Alexander, Dry Creek and Russian River Valleys.
The Fleur du Cap 2007 Chardonnay is a nice “non-oaky” chardonnay with hints of peach, tropical fruit and firm acidity. Equally nice is the price at $9/ bottle. 
I am always looking for the good quality inexpensive wine because it is easy to get a good wine for $40+
a bottle – the trick is finding something good at a fraction of the price and this wine is one of them.
