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Best Buy Wines (June/July 09): imports $25 and under

2008 Primo & Co The Venetian Garganega, Veneto (Italy), A$25/NZ$36
With plenty of experience making Italianesque wines in Australia (the amarone-inspired Moda cabernet merlot; the Biondina colombard and Briccone shiraz sangiovese), for the last couple of years, come northern-hemisphere vintage time, Joe Grilli has also been heading back to his homeland to make wine. This is a crisp dry white that starts out all Aussie, with pure lemon/apple fruit, then goes Italian on the finish, with a mouth-watering twist of bitter almond. MA

2005 Piana del Sole Negroamaro, Brindisi (Italy), A$12
This is a fantastic-value, robust red from the province of Brindisi in Puglia, deep in Italy’s south-east. You wouldn’t believe that the vines were only five years old when this was made, such is the concentration of the wine. It has brambly violet aromas, sweet blackberry flavours that are rich and dense, a lush, seductive, velvety texture and fine-grained, but substantial, tannins that finish soft and sweet. Perfect with a hearty beef stew or a T-bone with caramelised onions and a red-wine gravy. PF

2007 St Saturnin Les Combes du St Saturnin, Coteaux du Languedoc (France), A$20
Who said that the Languedoc had lost its way? If this ‘peasant’ red is any indication, hallelujah – wines of charm and character can still be found. Ancient vines are the key, the varieties: syrah and grenache with a dollop of carignan. It’s only a mid-weight red but brimful with aromas of wild raspberry and exotic spices. These bright fruit flavours are reflected on the palate with overtones of minerally, earthy tannins adding interest and personality. And it’s an absolute bargain, to boot. PB

2007 Château du Bluizard Beaujolais-Villages, Beaujolais (France), A$20
Produced by the charming Jean de Saint-Charles, who for years spent a part of each year in Sydney as a barrel merchant, this is a thoroughly delicious, utterly distinctive Beaujolais. Cherry and meaty, whole-bunchy carbonic macerated gamay aromas, winningly complex and seductive. It’s light-bodied but flavoursome, soft and round in the mouth and crammed with character: a wine you can drink several glasses of and not be bored. A great quaffer and excellent food wine (trout and porcini risotto isn’t a bad choice). HH

2007 Concha y Toro Casillero del Diablo Carménère, Rapel Valley (Chile), A$14/NZ$19
I tasted the full range of wines from this producer and was impressed by the value they offered. Concha y Toro’s Carménère, made from Chile’s signature grape variety, was clearly best. This is a supremely elegant red with raspberry/blueberry fruit flavours supported by spicy oak and fine tannins. It oozes class, in contrast with the other wines in the range that look positively rustic by comparison. A big jump above basic Chilean red at a comparatively budget price. BC

2007 Bodegas Luna Beberide Mencia Bierzo Tinto, Castilla y Léon (Spain), A$25
Mencia is the native red vine from Bierzo in Spain’s northwest. This is a spicy, dark-fruited and brambly young red that reveals the sort of honeyed and stonefruit-like aromas I’m more familiar with in slightly over-dosed blends of viognier with shiraz. It’s a bit jammy and quite peppery, revealing a dark, juicy and vibrant palate underpinned by firmish, but pliant tannins that deliver some astringency. It’s a well-priced wine that would suit an options game! JO