The Best Inexpensive Wines Available Now

Santa Rita (Chile) Medalla Real Cabernet Sauvignon from 1999 (2000 is ok, too). A year ago it was available on Wine.com for about $14/bottle. Have surprised a few wine enthusiast friends who thought it would be in the ~$30 range...

Red diamond Merlot from Oregon Coast...on the best merlots around for $10 per bottle...served at Goodfellas...one of the best restaurants in Minneapolis...a real sleeper...

2001 Yangarra Park Shiraz Appelation Series McLaren from McLaren Valley. Best bang for the buck if you can find it. Highly recommended by Wine Spectator. Under $15 and better than most $30 wine.

I'd don't know if "meritage" refers specifically to Bordeaux style blends from California, or if it can refer also to Aussie ones... but Peter Lehmann makes a very nice Barossa Valley one called "Clancy's." Am drinking it now and it is really a winner. Needs an hour in the decanter to open up.

Whatever good import in your collection (thus available) that you bought before the dollar became worthless and the Californians took advantage of the pent up demand for the 2001s. The term Meritage is now applied randomly to virtually any blend of varietals from countries that previously used straight varietal names instead of apellations. Since it's Summer any Portuguese Vihno Verde (white) is still a bargain. Its low alcohol and sometimes has a light bottled secondary (tertiary technically) fermentation giving it a cremant style fizz. For heavy reds, I stay with hunting for the last of the 2000 Cru Burgeoise and Superier Bordaeux. Since the availability varies by region I can make only a NJ recommendation Ch. Moulin Rouge (no joke its excellent).