Fifteen California Wines for Under $25

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89 points
2007 Gallo Family Vineyards Pinot Gris Sonoma Reserve

One of the better pinot gris wines I have tasted from California, this exhibits fresh citrus, a hint of apple skin, medium body, light, dry flavors, and surprising intensity for a relatively lighter style of wine. The fruit is pure, and the wine impeccably made. Drink it over the next year. $17

89 points
2006 Kendall-Jackson Vintner's Reserve Chardonnay

There are some terrific values in this portfolio, none better than the 2006 Vintner's Reserve Chardonnay. It is certainly one of the best chardonnays for the money. This wine, which all comes from coastal vineyards owned by Jackson, is 90% barrel-fermented and put through 100% malolactic fermentation—which is remarkable given the quantity of wine made. The wine is also consistent unless it is beaten up in the distribution chain or by retailers with questionable storage. Crisp orange marmalade and lemon oil notes as well as some tropical fruits and zesty acidity in a fresh, lively style always characterize this wine, which seems to show very little evidence of oak. It's a remarkable value. $15

89 points
2007 Wyatt Pinot Noir

It is virtually impossible to find a high-quality pinot noir that actually tastes like pinot noir for under $25, but wholesaler/importer Polaner Selections in New York accessed a blend of fruit mostly from Carneros with the rest from the Sonoma Coast, Russian River, Sonoma County, Mendocino, and even the Central Coast. This wine is a real winner, tasting like a delicious Côte de Beaune. Earthy, ripe currant, strawberry, and spicy notes jump from the glass of this pinot with a fragrant, sensual style. Medium-bodied, with decent acidity, ripe tannin, and a plush mouthfeel, this is a rather remarkable wine value for a pinot noir, which is always a fickle grape as well as expensive to produce. Drink it over the next two to three years and buy it by the case. $18

90 points
2007 Foxglove Chardonnay

Perhaps the great value in chardonnay in the marketplace today, this wine—made by the highly talented folks at Varner Winery in the Santa Cruz Mountains—comes from fruit accessed in Edna Valley. With malolactic fermentation blocked but with lees stirring, this 25,000-case cuvée provides terrific notes of tropical fruit and poached pear in a fleshy, medium-bodied style with obvious minerality and precision. This is a remarkable effort that is fresh, lively, and best drunk over the next one to two years. $16

90 points
2006 Wyatt Cabernet Sauvignon

This super bargain wine from Polaner Selections shows impeccable attention to detail and a thorough knowledge of some admirable fruit sources. The 2006 cabernet sauvignon is a blend of 81% cabernet and 19% merlot. It is a knockout wine, deep ruby with some purple nuances, offering up loads of sweet fruit, medium body, velvety tannins, and a heady finish. This beauty should drink well for five to seven years. $13

91 points
2005 Tablas Creek Côtes de Tablas

Tablas Creek's Côtes du Rhône effort is the exceptional 2005 Côtes de Tablas, a blend of 43% grenache, 24% mourvèdre, 18% syrah, and 15% counoise. There are 3,900 cases of this delicious, deep ruby/purple-hued offering. Aromas of smoke, roasted herbs, meat juices, black currants, and cherries are followed by a medium- to full-bodied wine displaying beautiful purity, fruit, and depth. Drink it over the next five to six years. $22

91 points
2006 Windsor Sonoma Vineyards Chardonnay Russian River

The 2006 Chardonnay from Windsor Sonoma Vineyards is classic Californian in its display of assorted tropical fruits, full-bodied opulence, superb purity, good acidity, and long finish. Drink it over the next one to two years. $20

Robert Parker is the world's most influential wine critic. Visit www.eRobertParker.com to see tens of thousands of tasting notes, buy his books, or subscribe to his newsletter, The Wine Advocate.