ROSÉ

2021 Bodegas Breca Rosé

From the winemaker: “An elegant rosé characterized by delicate floral aromatics.”

From James Suckling, who scored it a 91: “A textured rose with subtle raspberries, strawberries and stones. Crisp and bright with fresh acidity and pretty red berries on the palate.”

From me: We have Bodegas Breca’s owner, Jorge Ordóñez, to thank for introducing Spanish garnacha to the U.S. market at a time when we rarely got anything other than the tempranillos from Rioja. He founded this winery in Calatayud in 2010 and made his wines with the garnacha de Aragon, said to be the original and most genetically untouched grenache clone in the world. The vineyards, at 2,600 to 3,500 feet in elevation, routinely experience temperature fluctuations of 45 degrees over a 24-hour period. In other words, the terroir couldn’t be more perfect.

$14.99 at wine.com

WHITE

2020 La Chablisienne Le Finage Chablis

From the winemaker: “Pale gold in color, this Chablis is fairly discreet on the nose at first, revealing notes of sweet spices, particularly vanilla. After opening, more fruity aromas appear with slight vegetal and lemon hints. The palate is fresh with well balanced acidity. The whole is simple and rich with great energy.” 

From Natalie MacLean, who scored it a 91: “A crisp, clean and vibrant 100-percenet cardonnay with zesty green apple, laser lemon acidity.”

From me: The La Chablisienne cooperative has been around since 1923 and sources fruit from some 300 growers, who have 17,000 acres in 20 villages on both sides of the River Serein under vine. The sheer volume explains the very friendly price point.

$26.99 at wine.com

2021 La Crema Chardonnay Sonoma Coast

From the winemaker: “Aromas of Meyer lemon, pear and white flowers are supported on the nose by subtle hints of oak. Followed by flavors of crisp apple, tangerine, and pineapple. On the palate, the wine is concentrated and juicy with a lingering finish.”

From the Wine Enthusiast, which scored it a 92: “Hints of almonds and savory herbs in the aroma accompany Bosc pears and vanilla on the palate as this handsome, toasty wine balances fruitiness and an oak-aged spiciness for a complex and complete expression.”

From me: La Crema has been one of my go-to chardonnays for a long, long time. It’s well-made, inexpensive and easy to find.

$14.99 at Costco

RED

2018 Hestan Vineyards Grenache Napa Valley

From the winemaker: “The wine exhibits highly expressive notes of allspice, white pepper, and ripe red fruits, with a medium body mouthfeel it expresses a rich red intensity on the palate.”

From me: I loved this wine, made by Thomas Rivers Brown. It’s 100-percent grenache — we don’t see a lot of these from California — that spent 20 months in neutral French oak and it held its own against the grenache-centric French wine that follows, which happens to be one of the world’s best.

$60 at hestanvineyards.com

2019 St. Cosme Gigondas

From the winemaker: “The wine shows intense blackberry and fig fruit with licorice, violets, and charcoal on the finish.”

From the Wine Spectator, which scored it a 95 (as did Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate and the Wine Enthusiast): “Dark and winey, this structured offering packs red and black currant paste flavors together with threads of charcoal, warm stone, bay leaf and savory, ending with a long tug of cast iron through the finish. A blue chip for cellaring.”

From me: The St. Cosme wines never disappoint, and I’ve tasted every vintage since 1996. The cellar dates from Roman times and the Barruol family has owned the property since 1570. Louis Barruol has been the winemaker since 1992. Nobody in the Southern Rhone does it better.

$61.74 at Spec’s

2018 The Paring Red California

From the winemaker: “This Cabernet-inspired blend displays classic notes of cassis, tobacco and chocolate. Focused fruit and shapely tannins shine as hallmarks of what we’ve come to expect from the sandy soils and slightly cooler climate of the winery’s outstanding vineyard sites.”

From Jeb Dunnuck, who scored it a 90: “It’s a medium to full-bodied, ripe, rounded, nicely concentrated blend with lots of ripe currant and blackberry fruits as well as an herbal kick in its tobacco, earth, and ripe herb aromas and flavors.”

From me: This Bordeaux-style blend — 60 percent cab, 20 percent cab franc, 18 percent merlot and a pinch of petit verdot — checks every box at an outstanding price. It’s from the vineyard and winemaking team behind Jonata & The Hilt Estate with most of the fruit coming from Ballard Canyon and the Santa Rita Hills.  

$25.99 at wine.com