Some prices are still just right

SPECIAL TO THE WASHINGTON TIMES

Wine drinkers are finding bargains hard to come by these days. The falling dollar has inflated prices on imports, and increased demand is keeping prices high for top domestic wines. Yet for many of us, the economic downturn makes finding good values especially important.

So where in today’s competitive global wine marketplace should you look?

While many influences affect the price you pay for a bottle of wine, two factors prove especially important. The first is demand in relation to supply. Burgundies from appellations such as Meursault or Montrachet are expensive because very little wine is made there.

Much the same is true with wines from specific properties or estates — classified-growth Bordeaux, for instance, or vineyard-designated Napa Valley cabernets.

Consumer demand, though, can be fickle, since different wines go in and out of style. Prices for American pinot noir are very high these days because so many people want to buy it, while prices for American merlot are somewhat depressed. Ten years ago, just the reverse was true.

The other important factor in wine pricing is the cost of production. This includes everything from what the winemaker pays for barrels to the amount of the mortgage the winery owner has to pay the bank each month. Like any real estate, the cost of vineyard land depends upon location. An acre in Napa is worth much more than an acre in Fresno, so not surprisingly, a bottle of Napa wine will cost more than a bottle of Central Valley wine.

When searching for value, you need to look for wines from places where costs tend to be low. You also should concentrate on styles or types of wine that are not especially chic or trendy. After all, taste is not a function of fashion.

If you’re looking for wine bargains, here are 10 areas — geographical and stylistic — worth exploring. To paraphrase the old Connie Francis song, they’re where the values are.

ALSATIAN PINOT BLANC

In Alsace in northeastern France, Riesling, Gewurztraminer, and pinot gris reign as the most prestigious grapes and wines. Yet pinot blanc is more widely planted than any of them.

It also happens to yield a wonderfully versatile food wine, an ideal white for drinking with all sorts of fish, poultry and vegetarian fare.

Although the rising prices for other Alsace wines have taken them out of the bargain bin, most pinot blancs remain quite reasonable. Current favorites include Jean-Luc Mader 2006 ($15), J.B. Adam “Reserve” 2006 ($17), and the always reliable Hugel “Cuvee des Amours” 2006 ($14).

ARGENTINE MALBEC

I don’t know of any category offering greater red wine bang for your buck than entry-level malbec from Argentina. Reserve and special cuvee malbecs sometimes show excessive oak or extract, but the more modestly priced wines, when well-made, offer vibrant fruit and full flavor.

In my experience, malbec pairs well with just about anything sporting a char from being grilled. Argentines love their beef, so, not surprisingly, it goes great with steaks and burgers. Because it tends to have fairly pliant tannins, it also pairs well with less forceful foods. Wines to try include El Portillo 2006 ($12), Dolium 2006 ($11), Terrazas de los Andes 2006 ($11), and Los Cardos 2006 ($10).

CHILEAN CABERNET

Not to be outdone by their compatriots across the Andes, Chilean vintners also excel with red Bordeaux grapes. Malbec is a minor player on the western side of the mountains, but merlot, carminere and especially cabernet sauvignon are real stars.

Good Chilean cabernets tends to exhibit faintly herbal, sometimes dusty, and often earthy secondary aromas and flavors that add intrigue and interest to their more primary dark-fruit character. Nowhere else in the world produces so many good wines from this internationally popular grape variety at such attractive prices. Look for Miguel Torres Santa Digna Reserve 2004 ($11), Concha y Toro Casillero del Diablo 2005 ($9), and Santa Rita Reserva 2005 ($11).

COSTIERES DE NIMES

It wasn’t long ago that red Cotes-du-Rhone and Cotes-du-Rhone Villages would have been featured in any list of value-priced wines. Unfortunately, the imbalance between the dollar and the euro has pushed prices up for many of these wines. One Rhone appellation, though, still qualifies as the source of bargains: Costieres de Nimes, at the very western edge of the Rhone valley, is an excellent source of spicy, peppery reds whose prices won’t make you wince.

Grenache, mourvedre and syrah are the principal red grapes in this area of southern France. The wines usually are medium-bodied, thus good for warm-weather drinking. Chateau Mas Neuf “Tradition” 2005 ($13), Mas Carlot “Les Enfants Terrible” 2005 ($14), and Mas de Guiot “Alex” 2006 ($18) are all well worth trying.

CRU BEAUJOLAIS

Lots of Beaujolais admittedly tastes cheap and simple, but the best wines from the best villages or crus can be simply sumptuous. Made from gamay grapes, they seem simultaneously light and substantial — a delectable combination — and outperform most pinot noirs that cost twice as much.

Prices for the top wines have gone up during the past few years, but they still seem reasonable given the quality in the bottle. The 2005 vintage, often still available, was one of the finest in memory. Look for Drouhin Morgon 2005 ($13), Thivin Cote de Brouilly 2005 ($19), and Laurent Martray Brouilly “Vieilles Vignes” 2005 ($19).

MONTEPULCIANO D’ABRUZZO

Many American consumers know this wine only as a cheap jug red. While there are plenty of jugs still out there, more and more vintners in Abruzzo, a fairly isolated province on Italy’s Adriatic side, are making top-notch wines from local Montepulciano grapes. Fame and fashion haven’t yet caught up to them, so prices remain low.

Soft and spicy, with a zesty edge of acidity, these are great wines to pair with any dish featuring tomatoes or tomato-based sauces. (That means they’re great with pizza.) Look for Villa Bizzarri “Girone dei Folli” 2004 ($12), Quattro Mani 2006 ($10), and La Valentina 2005 ($13).

PUGLIA

Also known as Apulia, Puglia sits farther south than Abruzzo, forming the very heel of the Italian boot. The region is home to some excellent red wines, many made with local grape varieties, including primitivo, which is better known here in America as zinfandel.

Because it lies so far south, Puglia produces red wines that, regardless of the grape, tend to be deep, dark and full-bodied. They’re hearty rather than graceful, and you can almost taste the hot Mediterranean sunshine when you try them. Three current favorites are Taurino Salice Salentino 2003 ($11), A-Mano Primitivo 2006 ($10), and Tormaresca “Neprica” 2006 ($13).

SOUTH AFRICAN SAUVIGNON BLANC

As prices climb for zesty, mouth-tingling sauvignon blancs from New Zealand and the Loire Valley in France, bargain hunters do well to look to South Africa. Winemakers there emulate that vivacious style, generally eschewing wooden barrels in order to keep their wines tasting as fresh and lively as possible.

These wines are great partners for light seafood (especially shellfish of all sorts) and salads. Look for Neil Ellis “Sincerely” 2007 ($12), Southern Right 2007 ($13), Man 2007 ($11), and Porcupine Ridge 2007 ($14). As these 2007 vintages suggest, you’ll want to drink these as young and fresh as possible.

SPANISH CAVA

Made with the time-consuming and labor-intensive traditional Champagne method, in which a second fermentation takes place in the bottle itself, cavas from Catalonia in northeastern Spain represent great values in sparkling wine. Native grapes such as macabeo, parellada and xarel-lo give them their crisp apple-like flavor and almost hay-like bouquet. Great as aperitifs, they’re also fine partners for fried foods, the bubbles providing a refreshing counterpoint. Two widely available favorites, both from Segura Viudas, are Segura Viudas Reserva Brut ($9) and Aria Brut ($10).

UNOAKED CHARDONNAY

This style of chardonnay, in which the wine sees no barrel-aging but, instead, is made to taste only of fresh fruit, is becoming increasingly popular, so prices are starting to rise. Still, fine values abound, especially when the wines come from places not necessarily renowned for chardonnay.

These wines manage to taste rich but not heavy. So, as we move into spring and then summer, they’re worth keeping in mind. Yalumba 2007 Y Series from Australia is a good example, as are both Brampton 2007 from South Africa and Domaine de Bernier 2006 from France’s Loire Valley (all three cost about $11).