The opportunities to spend a pile of money on a bottle of wine are plentiful and nowhere is this more evident than in our own backyard where we are seeing the price of a bottle of BC wine reach $60 plus. Nevertheless, with an international wine glut still happening, there is a tremendous opportunity to grab some great valued wines, both here and abroad. However, maneuvering the array of bottles on a wine shop’s shelf can be a tricky business because the bargains stand shoulder to shoulder with the duds.

When shopping for wine, plan to spend a little time looking over the choices and becoming familiar with the labels. Some of the slickest labels hide shabby wines and some of the most unassuming presentations offer surprising delights. One of the best ways to find a good wine is to ask the store staff their favourite wines and see if their choices match your palate.

So, what makes a great valued wine? Everyone has a different concept of this from the easy drinking $10 quaffer to sumptuous and rich $50-$75 wines. However, the common perception is that the wine has to be cheap to be great value. Wine making technology has changed and a $10 wine now delivers a decent wine and the same holds true of the $50 wine. Although the $50 wine may be expensive, it could very well deliver quality normally be found in wines much more expensive, so both categories can be classified as great value.

But basically, you want to find a wine that pleases your palate and your pocketbook and will compliment the food you enjoy.

There are many different varietals from all over the world worth discovering. Do not be afraid to try out an unfamiliar grape.

If you discover a bottle of wine that has a funny taste, do not feel shy about taking it back. It may be corked, its taste affected by a faulty cork. If it has been exposed to air or too warm of storage, it may be “oxidized” or “maderized”, showing a brown tinge and heavy, stale smell. Retailers often find out about a problem with a shipment because a consumer takes the time to return wine. You should get your money back with a smile.

However, a wine is not bad just because you do not like it. In this type of situation, you should just chalk it up to wine education and move on.

When receiving recommendations from friends, wine magazines and even in this column, keep in mind that wine is very subjective. What I like may not be your cup-of-tea and visa-versa.

Here are some of my choices for value wines.

The 2005 Cartwheel Shiraz ($14 PWS) is an elegant Shiraz with a lot of depth and is not overdone like some other Shiraz.  Look for bright garnet colour, ripe black cherry, blueberry, and cranberry, red plum-like fruit with hints of cedar, licorice, vanilla, chocolate and a whiff of eucalyptus.  The texture on the palate has a gorgeous mouthfeel with a silky caress of ripe red and black fruit flavour, a hint of eucalyptus and a touch of earthy minerality for complexity.  Vibrant acidity, medium tannins and medium-long but silky smooth finish round out this spectacular wine.  This is an amazing Australian wine for the price.  Drink now or hold 2-4 years.

A steal of a deal, the 2006 Velletri Centurio ($14 PWS) from Lazio (Latium) is stunning. Produced from the native Cesanese (45%), Montepulciano (25%) and Merlot (30%), this is a fantastic wine chock full of characteristic aromas of sweet black cherries, black raspberries, figs, prunes, licorice, roasted meat, and baked earth with cedar and dried bay leaves. The palate is full and lush with flavours of creamy black cherry, raspberry-jam, chocolate pudding, leather, vanilla and spice. Serve with your favourite Italian meal, hopefully a big piece of something rich and flavourful. An undiscovered treasure, this is one of the best Italian reds on the market.

From the east coast of Italy in Abruzzo, the 2008 Tollo Montepulciano D’Abruzzo ($12 PWS) is a dark ruby red colour with rich, spicy black cherry, raspberry, black plum, chocolate, and tobacco leaf followed by smoke, prune, licorice and graphite. The spicy oak dominates on the palate but blows off to reveal tasty chocolate and raspberry flavours. The palate is velvety with soft acidity and ample but approachable tannins. Great value in a litre size bottle.

A fantastic value from the south of France, the 2007 Three Winds Syrah ($14-$16 PWS & GLS) boasts a rich dark purple, almost black colour with ripe fruit aromas of blackberry, jammy raspberry, blueberry, and cherry with hints of roasted red pepper, smoked bacon, leather, sweet licorice, sage, menthol and tobacco leaf. The palate is full of juicy red and black fruit flavour, with spicy pepperiness, grilled sausage, licorice, great weight and a long spicy finish.  Somewhat tight, the wine reveals all its hidden secrets with 30 minutes of decanting.  Lots of complexity in a wine at this price point, this is excellent to enjoy now with the BBQ or cellar over the next year.

The 2006 Conquista Malbec ($15 PWS) is another great value red from Argentina (Is there such as thing as a bad bargain from Argentina?). Absolutely incredible, the Conquista is intense with aromas of smoked meat (think pastrami), loads of juicy, spicy blackberry, cassis, dried black olives, anise and leather. The palate is soft and velvety with black raspberries, black currant, crushed berries, cocoa and grilled meat, with medium to full-bodied with silky smooth acidity and medium tannin.

One of the best values around is the 2007 Calona ‘Artist Series’ Chardonnay ($12 PWS). This delicious, fruit-forward Chardonnay is full of fresh aromas of green apples, white peach skin, pears, lots of fresh tropical pineapple and grapefruit character and a hint of a buttery/nuttiness. The texture is rich and juicy for a wine at this price with crisp mouth-watering acidity, just enough to balance the tropical and orchard fruit without being aggressive. Excellent to pair with a bucket of steamed prawns.

In Vino Veritas

BTOW (Beer of the Week):

Pyramid Brewery Thunderhead IPA $6.00/.650ml

An excellent IPA from the tiny Pyramid Brewery in Seattle, Thunderhead is a hop lovers dream. Pouring out a beautiful golden orange colour with a beige head, the aroma is distinctively hoppy with loads of citrus, grapefruit, and mandarin orange, with a chewy, biscuity malt backbone. Slightly sweet on the palate, the citrussy hops on the finish add the right amount of balance.