So, it is the post-Christmas blues time, time when the credit card statements start to roll in.  Just when you thought it would be a great idea to spend that $100 gift card on some amazing bottles of wine for the cellar, Visa sends you a belated Christmas present.  Oh well, I guess you will have lower your expectations just a little.  However, that does not mean you have to settle for mediocre wine.

With the continuing world wine glut, there are still tremendous wine bargains available.  Granted, these wines will not stand the test of time like a $50-$100 bottle of wine but they will still provide great enjoyment for yourself and friends.  And is that not what wine is all about, sharing a terrific bottle with family and friends.

Therefore, here is a selection of some great wines that are currently on the market, for  $20 or less.

Sitting right on the cusp but well worth the price, the 2005 Bouchard Aine Pinot Noir AOC ($20) is a classic example of what this variety is capable of when grown properly and handled with kid gloves during production.  The aromas coming out of the glass are pure decadent pleasure with its rich cherry, raspberry, smoke leather, forest floor characteristics and subtle spicy oak.  The texture is pure Burgundian, soft, velvety and rich with a stunningly long, long finish.  Superb with rich meat/game dishes with mushroom-based sauces.

Holy Grapefruit, is this a delicious, great value wine.  The 2011 Viña Ventisquero Yali “Winemakers Selection” Sauvignon Blanc is loaded with fresh grapefruit, pineapple, passion fruit, gooseberry and kiwi, the palate is crisp, attractive and easy drinking with lots of tropical and orchard fruit flavours.  Mouth-watering, zingy, crisp acidity and clean fresh finish round out this bar-goon.  A great accompaniment to seafood or as an aperitif.

From the island of Sicily, the 2010 Montalto Nero d’Avola ($11) is a delicious blend of 70% Nero d’Avola and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon.  This wonderful, value-packed red is jam-packed with buckets of bright red cherry, raspberry, and blackcurrant aroma, a hint of smoke, licorice, dried herbs, chocolate and baked earth.  The palate is medium-bodied but ripe with flavours of cocoa, black, and red candied fruit, spicy black pepper, and a good grip of tannin on the finish.  Allow this wine to breathe for half an hour then enjoy with pizza, pasta with a rich tomato sauce or roasted meats.  Buy a case before it’s gone!!

From Tuscany, the 2009 Frescobaldi I Leccioni ($17) is produced mainly from Sangiovese and is literally bursting with ripe aromas of raspberries, strawberries and black cherries with hints of leather, dried fruit, forest floor, Asian spice, fruitcake, and cigar box.  Aged in large oak barrels, this is a very impressive Italian red; rich and medium bodied and meant to be enjoyed now or cellar for another year or two.  Fantastic value!!

The 2010 d’Arenberg Stump Jump GSM ($16) is the Australian version of Châteauneuf-du-Pape with its huge aroma of blackberry and mulberry fruit, plum, dark cherry fruits, Asian spice and hints of vanillin that carries right through onto the palate.  A blend of Grenache, Shiraz and Mourvèdre, the name relates to the old Stump Jump plough named for its ability to ride over stumps and gnarled Eucalyptus roots and snags, saving valuable time and resources by not stopping the draught horse.  The palate is savoury and bone-dry, balanced with lovely sweet black fruit and subtle tannins and acidity that already make the wine a pleasure to drink now or cellar well for 2-3 years.  Try this with char-grilled meat or paired with pâté, game, venison and grilled sausages.

I have had the hedonistic pleasure of enjoying this wine consistently in every vintage over the past 10+ years and with the exception of the dismal 2002 vintage, this wine has over-performed every time.  A classic Châteauneuf-du-Pape style blend of 55% Grenache, 25% Syrah, and 22% Carignan, the 2009 Domaine de L’Ameillaud Vin des Pays Vaucluse ($16) is in one word, sensational. Sourced from 30-year-old vines, the strong, cherry-jam aroma of Grenache dominates with southern French flavours of cherries and plums, highlighted with cassis, spice and white pepper, it is a medium-full bodied wine that starts with fresh fruit and finishes dry and smoky. Look for soft acidity and firm, not heavy, tannins on the finish. This is a wine that is ready to drink now and goes with grilled/roasted meat, vegetables and pasta.

A one-time-buy for Metro, this is better than excellent value for the money, the 2010 Viña La Quercia Peladi Montepulciano d’Abruzzo is an outstanding buy. Slow to open up, after 30 minutes look for rich, spicy black cherry, aromatic tobacco leaf, spicy smoky, plum, prune, licorice and graphite. Velvety soft acidity, medium tannins, it is absolutely perfect with homemade Chicken Cannelloni.  Buy a case before it’s all gone!

Vancouver Playhouse Winefest tickets now on sale.

Just a reminder that tickets for the 2012 Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival are now on sale.  The 34th annual festival runs February 27th to March 4th, 2012 and features the Wines of Chile as the regional theme and Cabernet(s) as the global focus.

The 34^th Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival will serve up 1700 wines from 181 wineries, representing 15 countries at a record 58 events.  The hub of the festival is the International Festival Tasting room (March 1, 2 and 3,) at the Vancouver Trade & Convention Centre, where almost 800 wines will be poured.  If you attend only one event at the festival, make it this one.

Veterans of the Festival know that the highly coveted events may sell out quickly.  Early bird ticket sales will be very robust so it’s best to purchase early.   A PDF of the festival brochure can be downloaded from www.playhousewinefest.com and brochures are also available at signature BC Liquor Stores and selected private stores.