One of the true delights of the wine world is the never-ending ability to tap into our inner James T. Kirk.
Like the "Star Trek" skipper, we have boundless opportunities to explore strange new worlds, in this case wine regions that fly under most consumers' radar. They might be right next door to stars such as Bordeaux, Barolo and the Willamette Valley, or they might be farther afield. But all are worth seeking out.
Our sensors should be set on the following areas:
Cahors: Malbec lovers should be all over this place, where their favorite grape is the hallmark. But perhaps more important, malbec haters need to give Cahors a try, because the Old World renditions are more rustic and complex than most of their Argentine counterparts.
Trying to capture more of the market, at least among non-Francophiles, some producers have broken with tradition (sacre bleu!) and slapped "malbec" on their labels rather than just the region name. I'm a major fan of these vintners' robust iterations of the grape in the $15 to $25 range: Château De Hauterive, Domaine du Peyrié, Château de Haute-Serre and Château Eugénie.
Other under-the-radar regions in France with similar prices: Madiran, a Cahors neighbor producing deep, dark tannats (Château d'Aydie); Menetou-Salon for pristine sauvignon blancs (Domaine Jean Tellier); and two appellations proffering gorgeous, well-priced whites: Savoie (André & Michel Quenard and Domaine Labbé) and Gascogne (Domaine du Tariquet and Domaine de Pouy come in at $12 or less.
Rogue Valley: Willamette soaks up almost all the acclaim in Oregon, but this farther-south locale is becoming a major player, with prices in the $15 to $25 range. Deftly made reds such as Leah Jorgensen's cabernet franc and rosés such as Day Wines' "Babycheeks" are noteworthy, but it's the whites that are paving the way. Fausse Piste makes one of America's best viogniers, and Foris crafts dry, food-friendly gewürztraminer and pinot blanc, each under $20. More Rogue gems are surely on the way.
Another under-the-radar U.S. region: California's Amador County, where $15 to $30 will get you Renwood's zesty zinfandels and any and everything made by Minnesota native Jeff Runquist.