Alsace has tons of bargains up and down the price scale. Those in the know understand how good this region is and how far your dollar can go; why buy overpriced white Burgundy? Try the vin ordinaire Riesling from Barmès-Buecher, for instance. $10. Off dry, amazing for the price. The Crémant might make you think of fine non-vintage Champagne, but for $12.  Want to go higher? Try Albert Mann "Steingrubler" Gewurz. Grand Cru for around $21. The $16 Schleret is varietally true and intense.  The Vielles Vignes Pinot Gris from Albrech is a perennial steal. Pierre Sparr's entire lineup is often a best buy. Few producers in the region continually deliver so much for so little.  The pinot noir from Blanck is great, cheap pinot--It's hard to find from anywhere.

These wines offer a lot of quality in this range. Prices seem to rise every ten minutes these days, but these were available relatively cheaply last time I checked. There are still, opinions to the contrary notwithstanding, numerous values in Bordeaux.   Prices change constantly, and in late 1999, things like Haut Marbuzet were often in the mid-thirties. But you could also find 1996 Lafon Rochet under $30 or 1999 Lynch Bages available in 2002 for $29.   So, there's a lot of fine Bordeaux to be had at reasonable prices, although prices change in an eye blink.  The quality level with things like Plagnac and Fourcas Loubaney (around $20 these days...) can be amazing considering the prices. I saw Plagnac selling in California last year [1997] for around $7.50. Ok. It's pretty light compared to things like the Lanessan or Cambon--but still...$7.50. I've even had some Bordeaux Superior that I thought was rather nice. The Villa Bel Air is a Jean-Michel Cazes property in Graves.  The Fontenil is from the Fronsac region, and it is a good idea to look for satellite appellations. Bordeaux is an easy region to find deals in, current price inflation notwithstanding. Consistency is a hallmark, and it is safe to experiment until you find what you like.  As for the Loupiac, this is basically a light Sauternes.  About $12 for a 500 ml.  A refreshing Sauternes-imitator. 

There are many well priced Bordeaux outside of the BB price range. Look in modest vintages like '99---where things like Montrose could be had in 2003 for $25. But from year to year, things like Lanessan, Villa Bel Air, Bernadotte, Fontenil, etc., make nice wines, and at somewhat pricier levels,  you can get Batailley, Montlisse,  Haut Bages Averous, and many others that produce solid wines that drink well at reasonable prices.

It's SO hard to find inexpensive pinot noir that has flavor. Rion makes an easy, distinctive, generic Bourgogne. In some vintages, it's a real deal--IF properly stored, a point that applies to all pinot based wines in particular.  Generic Bourgogne can work out well from good producers. Similarly, the great lieu-dit 1995 Clos du Chapeau from Arlot is loaded with juicy fruit.  The  Santenay  "Saint Jean" is a great value, but stretching our price barrier. For a couple of dollars more, try a Panther Creek Reserve or Chelahem 3 Vineyards from Oregon. Not quite in the BEST BUY page price range, but a lot of value and quality for roughly $20 [1998]. In that regard, I listed the Jessiaume Santenay which has been escalating in price, and is probably a little outside of the Best Buy range, but is a tremendously concentrated Santenay that often busts through its classification. For a couple of bucks more, you can get a lot. In France, this is a $13 wine. Here, you don't do much better in this price range.  Check out the "PINOT" section under the California Bargains part of Best Buys, too. My apologies if current vintages escalate in price; Burgundy in particular is an area where the short supplies mean volatile and widely variant pricing. For early drinking, the Goubard does it as well as anything on this page.  This list is thin---and you may find it hard to replicate at any given point.  Probably the best value in Burgundy...Givry from Joblot. Around $30. That's not Best Buy range, but Burgundy is not a "high QPR" region.

As for the whites, there are actually a bunch of decent inexpensive chards if you look around. This is easier than with the pinots. The Sept/Oct, 1996 Tasting Notes have several other recommendations as well.

1997 Muscadet Sur Lie "Cuvée Buster" (Domaine La Pepière--Marc Ollivier) Reviewed, June, 2001

Try the Soucherie. What depth for $14. Good ol' Loire chenin, right?  Speaking of Loires, here's another region that provides lots of bargains in both reds and whites....the Anjou Rouge was about $12 at the time reviewed, and you won't find a more charming, easy drinking, flavorful wine.  The Bourgueil Ouches was a little rough around the edges on release but a couple of years cellaring made it seductive and gorgeous. The Olga Raffault may be the best red of the lot for inexpensive, delicious wine, immensely charming, sweet, gentle, but not hollow at all--and $14. The Loire is a great source for good value wines.  A $10-ish Muscadet from Ollivier and $12 to $14 Vouvray from Pinon depending on pricing and discounts. Lots of quality in the Loire for not much dough!

The Dragon is fruity and  forward, the Monardière tastes a little pulpy, as if it used carbonic maceration process vinification, but delivers a lot of value for $8 and needs a couple of years of cellaring, too. I like the Aujoux better, actually, and the Aujoux is cheaper, too.   The Chateauneuf is a great value, but I've never seen it in the USA. IF you have, let me know. The D'Aigueville is under $8 and a wonderful value. Not as intense as the big boys, but flavorful and a steal. As between it and the Gramenon, relatively speaking, the Gramenon tends to be sweeter and more flamboyant, the D'Aigueville more balanced and intense.

D'Aupilac makes two cuvees, one mostly syrah, the other "Le Carignan." Both are around $14 and provide great finesse and flavor for the bucks, but I liked the syrah a lot better. For $6.50, Jaboulet's Cotes du Rhone delivers amazing value. And the Faugères from the Southwest is the regular bottling from Alquier, and almost always a Best Buy (but avoid the 1993 regular bottling). The futs en chene bottling is even better.

The $11 Cotes du Luberon from Chateau Fontenille (as of April 2001)  is very Chateauneuf/ Rhone-like, needs a lot of airing out to show off its stuff. Amazing wine for $11. The Mas de la Dame is more restrained, but still a fine value. The Chateau La Roque is just a beautiful little wine of great intensity and always needs cellaring to fully open.  

The Prat-Majou and the Cuvee des Galets are both under $8 and typical Southern Rhones. The former is mostly big, intense syrah, the latter, fruit bomb carignan/grenache blend.  Both are dirt cheap, and tasty. I also list next to it a bunch of other interesting Southern French wines from the same importer (Hand Picked Selections) like Les Combes Hautes Minervois and the Pomaredes Cabernet and Merlot. Amongst these wines, I would emphasize that the Pomarades and the Galets really need prompt drinking. Don't go buying the 98 Merlot in 2002. Drink on release.  The same importer scores again with the Chateau Lancyre Vielles Vignes from Pic St. Loup. Southern Rhone blend, with Cote Rotie silk....The Clavel Cotes du Rhones Blanc provides surprising depth and makes a great, cheap dinner wine.