Finding true value in a bottle

I’m grateful to know wine collectors who share their latest “trophies” — wines from the latest face on the scene, or a recent wine that’s a media darling. It’s exhilarating to get caught up in the hunt for such treasures, and I’m often tempted to write about them.

But then I get to thinking about how often anyone actually consumes such a bottle, and I realize that discussing wines that don’t tug at the wallet might be of more practical interest. Value, however, can mean different things to different people, so I’d like to discuss what it means to me.

How much does a cork or twist top cost? Perhaps 75 cents? A bottle? Let’s say $1.50. How about the label, foil, box, shipping, taxes, distribution and store mark-up, plus retail tax?

For midrange wines, this translates to roughly $10 to $12 a bottle. That means that if a bottle costs $15, what’s left in the price for growing grapes and making wine is $3 to $5. And that begs the question of what is inside the bottle.

To find high-quality wine at this price point — the best value — I start with growing appellations that are lesser known, where vineyard land is less expensive. Then I seek out sites owned by one family for generations, where land mortgage costs minimally affect bottle costs, if at all.

Here are four examples.

>> 2016 Hybrid Chardonnay (about $13 a bottle): The Schatz family purchased their Lodi, Calif., land and began planting grapes in 1954. They’ve had 64 years to pay down the mortgage. Another plus: Their vineyard is one of the first to be certified by a third party as sustainable.

The 2016 is fresh, crisp and clean — quite apple-like — with a pretty floral nuance from the tiny bit of the viognier grape blended in.

>> 2015 Poppy Pinot Noir “Monterey” (about $15): This is not one of those highly acclaimed, flamboyant, contemporary pinot noirs. This wine instead exemplifies California pinot noir from the old days — lighter in color, pretty and wonderfully light-weight. And it’s priced as in the old days. Here is a wine that’s appropriate, stylistically and in price, for enjoyment with home-cooked meals.

>> 2014 Broadside Merlot “Margarita Ranch” (about $17): Merlot is not in fashion, you might think. Well, I’d much rather have a tasty, satisfying merlot at this price than a mediocre, mass-produced bottle of cabernet.

Margarita Ranch, roughly 1,000 feet in elevation, is in the remote hills of southern Paso Robles, a place where I’ve found many wines of great value. Interesting soils and unique growing conditions personify this estate, run and owned by three families. I’m a fan of Broadside wines specifically because husband-and-wife team Brian (winemaker) and Stephy (vineyard-ist) Terrizzi are ingenious about delivering quality for the dollar.

>> Scherrer Zinfandoodle (about $21): Zinfandoodle, a blend of vintages, has a whimsical name and an intention to match. Yet the wine is a serious contender. After all, we’re talking about an offering from Fred Scherrer, one of today’s top California winemakers.

While he is most lauded for his chardonnays and pinot noirs, it was Scherrer’s inaugural 1991 “Old & Mature” zinfandel that captured my attention. An old-vine zin created by a pinot noir master, it was much more elegant, suave and delicious than its peers.

The Zinfandoodle is Scherrer’s version of a more easygoing, playful zin. It’s a work of whimsy that’s definitely worth trying.

Chuck Furuya is a master sommelier and a partner in the DK Restaurants group. Follow his blog at chuckfuruya.com.