WineBlueBook.com

In the last week I have received promotional emails from Patz & Hall: their weekly Wink program offered their $60 2006 Zio Tony Ranch – Russian River Valley Chardonnay for $45 (Wine Advocate gave it 90 points). Now, according to WineBlueBook’s “Average Price Per Score” chart, the average price for a West Coast Chardonnay is $36, the $45 price tag is still overpriced… but if you like the wine, $45 is better than $60.

Sterling Vineyards is offering their Reserve Merlot for $299/case (reg. $900), Napa Chardonnay for $89/case (reg. $216), Three Palms Merlot for $249/case (reg. $720), Pinot Noir for $99/case (reg. $300)… No points referenced… but the percentage off these wines are worth a look.

The lesson is this… subscribing to winery email lists will allow you to buy their wines at greatly reduced prices as wineries clear out their inventory. Of course, subscribing to WineBlueBook will also make you aware of great values as they are scored by the professional critics… we always recommend that tactic.

Argentine Malbec has garnered much wine critic attention in the recent years to allow WineBlueBook to collect enough statistical data (scores and available wines in the US market) to add Argentine Malbec to our list of 19 wine varietals covered.

We developed the “Average Price per Score” from recent vintages (2004-2008) from wines scored by at least two of the major wine critics and available for sale in the US.

The point spread of the “Average Price per Score” is close, between the $13 average price for an 83 average score to $15 for an 87 point average scored Argentine Malbec. This means that an extra $2 will buy you a wine that scored four more points. And the point spread is also close with only a $2 difference between a 90 point Malbec (at $25) and a 91 point Malbec (at $27).

Overall Malbec is a great value red wine value. For $27, you can purchase a 91 rated Malbec or for roughly the same amount of money, you can buy the following red wines:
- 89 rated Australian Shiraz
- 86 rated Bordeaux
- 84 rated Red Burgundy
- 88 rated Southern Red Rhone
- 87 rated Tuscan Sangiovese
- 85 rated West Coast Cabernet Sauvignon
- 87 rated West Coast Merlot
- 85 rated West Coast Pinot Noir
- 87 rated West Coast Syrah
- 88 rated West Coast Zinfandel

At the high scoring end, the 2006 Renacer, Malbec Mendoza Punto Final Reserva received an average score of 92 points and at $15 is 38% of the average cost of a similar scoring Argentine Malbec, earning it a Great Value moniker. The 2002 Kaiken, Malbec Mendoza received an average score of 90 and at $12 is 48% of the average $25 cost of a similar scoring Argentine Malbec. At the value end, at $9, the 2008 O. Fournier, Malbec Mendoza Urban Uco Valle de Uco received an average score of 89 points and is 45% of the average $20 cost of a similar scoring Argentine Malbec.

A total of 522 Argentine Malbec wines are profiled in this issue.

Future Argentine Malbec scores will be included in WineBlueBook’s regular monthly issues.

This month’s issue covers many White Burgundy, Champagne, West Coast Pinot Noir and Southern Rhône wines that were scored in the last 30 days by the wine critics.

At the high scoring end, the 2007 Roessler, Pinot Noir Sta. Rita Hills Sanford & Benedict received an average score of 95 points and at $51 it is 24% of the average cost of a similar scoring West Coast Pinot Noir earning it an “Outstanding Value” moniker. The 2005 Mount Eden, Chardonnay Santa Cruz Mountains Estate received an average score of 94 and at $43 is 47% of the average $92 cost of a similar scoring West Coast Chardonnay.

At the low price of $13, the 2007 Shoofly, Shiraz South Eastern Australia received an average score of 90 points which is 39% of the average $33 cost of a similar scoring Australian Shiraz earning it a “Great Value” moniker. Another low price point value is the 2006 Château Teyssier, Bordeaux Montagne-St Emilion which received an average score of 87 points and cost $14 which is 47% of the average $30 cost of a similar scoring Bordeaux.

A total of 1,174 wines are profiled in this issue.

Introducing a new “how to” document to help understand how to use WineBlueBook.  The document explains the value index, availability, Outstanding/Great/Value monikers as well as features to get more value out of the wine buying guide.  The .pdf document can be instantly downloaded by clicking here.

Papapietro Perry scores with two Great Value wines in the September issue of WineBlueBook. Their 2007 Pinot Noir Russian River Valley Leras Family Vineyard and their 2007 Pinot Noir Russian River Valley Mukaida Vineyard both averaged 94 points. The Leras Family Vineyard street price of $49 a bottle is 28% of the average $174 price for a 94 scoring West Coast Pinot Noir. Although the Mukaida is $75, it is still 43% of the average $174 price also making it a Great Value.

Just because a wine is cheap, doesn’t make it a value.

According to WineBlueBook’s average price per wine score, the average price for an 83 rated Sauvignon Blanc is $11. Being $11 doesn’t make the wine a value. A value would be 25% of that price ($8.25), a great value would be half that price ($5.50). A value wine is one that is priced lower than its peers. At $94, the 2007 Domaine William Fevre, White Burgundy Chablis Le Clos is an outstanding value because it received an average score of 95 points. The average price for a 95 scoring White Burgundy is $555. So $94 divided by $555 is 17% of the average price. An outstanding value by our standards.

A common question we are asked is “How do I find specific wines that are listed in WineBlueBook”.  Well, wines that are values are harder to find since savvy buyers snatch them up.  So we recommend the following:

• Contact your wine retailer:  Call/email/visit and request the wine you are seeking.  Many times the merchant can order wines from the winery’s distributor for you, especially if you order by the case.  If you point out to the retailer the wine is listed as an “Outstanding”, “Great Value” or “Value” in WineBlueBook, the retailer may be more willing to order a case and sell you a few bottles since they will know the wine will probably sell quickly.  With the rough economic times we are experiencing, retailers are more willing to ensure customer satisfaction and help consumers find value wines.
• Use online wine search sites, such as Wine-Searcher.com or WineZap.com for the wine you are seeking and you will find the wine at various price points by various retailers.  Keep in mind the shipping/handling/tax costs when ordering online.  Note: Wine-Searcher offers consumers a free search version to their database that lists wine retailers who pay Wine-Searcher to be listed or for $29.95 a year, your search results also include wine retailers who do not pay to be listed in Wine-Searcher.
• Wineries frequently have sales or deep discounts on wines to make room for new vintages.  Get on the mailing lists of the wineries you favor and watch your inbox for bargains.

Burgundy producer Domaine William Fevre scores 6 Great Values with their 2007 Chablis White Burgundy’s in the August 2009 issue of WineBlueBook.  Their Vaudésir, Montmains, Les Preuses, Les Clos, Bougros Cote Bouguerots and their Bougros all score high and are priced 50% or lower than other similar scored White Burgundy wines.  August issue is available here.

• 2006 KJ, Cabernet Napa Valley Highland Estates Trace Ridge Estate
• 2006 KJ, Cabernet California Vintner’s Reserve
• 2007 KJ, Chardonnay Santa Barbara Camelot Highlands Estate
• 2007 KJ, Chardonnay Arroyo Seco Highland Estates Seco Highlands
• 2007 KJ, Chardonnay California Grand Reserve
• 2006 KJ, Merlot California Grand Reserve

All great values. 

WineBlueBook defines a “Great Value” as a wine that costs 50% less than similar scoring wines.