There's something for everybody in this WYSBDRN edition. As we head into Memorial Day weekend, the following recommendations ought to keep you good company while manning the grill and pretending to laugh at your neighbors' jokes.
| 2010 Lapostolle Casa Sauvignon Blanc $10 Outstanding. Seriously, I'm pretty giddy about this wine. Not for its complexity or strength, but for its appealing honesty and sheer drinking pleasure. This is an easy go-to Sauvignon Blanc for the summer months ahead. Buy by the case, but try not to drink it that way. Full review here. Available everywhere. From Chile.  |  |
| 2008 Mercer Estates Cab and Merlot $20 Full reviews of their whole portfolio will be coming in an in-depth look at this promising new(er) Columbia Valley wine brand. In the meantime, check out the Cab review here. Suffice it to say that these wines are priced very reasonably given their superior quality. Ageworthy, elegant, and crying out for a rich steak. From Washington. |  |
| NV Trapiche Extra Brut Mendoza $15 A best value, full bodied sparkling from the recent Champagne week. Champagne: it's not just for breakfast anymore. Full review here. Apply liberally to affected areas while tending to the grill. From Argentina. |  |
| 2008 Senda 66 Tempranillo $9 An encore appearance for this wine because I've gone through a lot of this lately. And for nine bones, why not? Chewy, dense, and deep, its dusty texture makes for fun, hearty drinking. Australian style with a Spanish heart and Napa soul. Too good not love for yourself and inexpensive enough to serve to your unappreciative neighbors. From the region of La Mancha southeast of Madrid, where the warmer temps yield a jammier wine than the Tempranillo from Rioja. |  |
| 2008 Three Saints Pinot Noir $22 There's Pinot and then there's real Pinot. The line between the two is a wide grey swath, but this is the least expensive Pinot I've had in a while that's squarely in the latter category. A real treat. Just be sure to decant it for a couple of hours in a cool spot before hoarding it over grilled sockeye. God did invent salmon and pinot noir on the same day, you know. From Santa Barbara County. |  |
| 08 Santa Ema Merlot Reserve $13 If you're still complaining about Merlot, this one will help you stop. Smooth, refined, and budget friendly. Very well done and broadly appealing. Proof that this variety can be just as real as any other in the right dirt and hands. No way will it remain at this price point for too long. From Chile. |  |
| 2009 Project Paso Cabernet $10 Everyone loves riding a moped - as long as no one sees them. This wine is one of those irresistible cheap thrills - hot, fast, and showy. Good luck not getting on. A new brand by the wizards at Don & Sons. Full portfolio review forthcoming. From Paso Robles.  |  |