Wines for the Obsessive Mind

All my professional life I've been conflicted — a little ashamed, even — about the obsessive tug of wine loving. Let's be honest: Wine loving lends itself to what might be called single-mindedness.

Something about wine excites not only the usual sins of greed, covetousness, and avarice but also an elaborate fantasy life about idealized beauty. Wine, like stereo equipment, lends itself to a kind of perfectionism. If this pinot noir tastes good from vines yielding two tons to the acre, how much better would it be if a grower pruned the vines for a yield half that size? So it goes, spiraling merrily into a delightful madness. You become transfixed by the possibilities and, Ahab-like, press on to pursue one or another winegrower's new take on wine perfection.

I must confess that I, too, feel the tidal pull of wine obsession However, because of my profes sional camouflage when I practically fondle the latest wine newsletter or merchant offering it's research. But when your aver age wine-fantasizing doctor or stockbroker does it, it's borderline obsessive.

Anyway, finding really good wines — especially ones that offer exceptional value — takes pursuit. That's the flat truth of it. You may not have to be obsessive about it but the really great deals do require a bit of legwork. The following wines may not be the stuff of collectors' fantasies, but they are extraordinary red wines for the money, ideal for wowing the crowd at your next get-together around the grill. They're worth playing wine warrior to track them down.

Here's The (Go Get It) Deal

Punto Final Malbec 2006 Bodega Renacer — Argentina has been getting some good press lately for its wines and deservedly so. Indeed, when you taste this marvelous malbec, you'll nod knowingly in agreement.

As is well known, they know from red meat in Argentina and their malbec wines are ideal accompaniments, especially when they are as beautifully made as Punto Final from Bodega Renacer.

The skinny on this wine is that Bodega Renacer is one of Argentina's increasingly numerous modern-minded wine producers taking advantage of their nation's extraordinary heritage of old-vine malbec plantings. Punto Final, for example, comes from vines that are at least 50 years old, delivering yields of just 2.6 tons per acre, according to the producer. When you taste this rich, dense, pristine-tasting wine you can believe it.

Punto Final 2006 is deeply hued and beautifully balanced with a bright acidity energizing the dense, blackberry-scented rich fruit. This is a polished red that, like a concert pianist, might be said to have a passionate intensity. The price is flat-out cheap for the quality: $12.99 a bottle at Union Square Wine & Spirits, among others. Look for a street price as low at $10.

Château Roustaing "Réserve Vieilles Vignes" Bordeaux 2005 — Red Bordeaux is the object of many wine obsessions, almost invariably in the nosebleed realm of the crus classes or classed growths. These are the famous estates whose wines, especially in the celebrated 2005 vintage, fetch hundreds of dollars a bottle on a futures basis, never mind actually having something in hand to really drink for that kind of dough.

"Réserve Vieilles Vignes" 2005 is not among this gold-plated elect. It sports the humble designation of mere "Bordeaux." Never you mind. The beneficent sun of the 2005 vintage shined upon humble vineyards as well as grand ones, bestowing unprecedented flavor in the grapes on their vines. Lesser sites punched above their weight, as they say in boxing circles, Château Roustaing among them.

Château Roustaing is a 99-acre property, of which 37 acres are composed of 25-year-old vines that make up what the estate rather fancifully calls vieilles vignes, or old vines. An ancient estate that dates to the Middle Ages, it's located in the large district called Entre-Deux-Mers, which today has a lusterless reputation. The owners opted instead for "Bordeaux" on the label.

This superb 2005 vintage bottling is composed of cabernet franc (48%), cabernet sauvignon (27%), and merlot (25%). This is an unusually high percentage of cabernet franc for the zone, as cabernet franc is a low-yielding variety and therefore unpopular with the local growers.

Château Roustaing "Réserve Vieilles Vignes" 2005 shows the exceptionally rich goodness of the vintage with a very ripe yet refreshing cherry and blueberry fruitiness, along with a touch of astringency from some ripe tannins courtesy of the two cabernet varieties that dominate the blend. It's a steal from Bordeaux's great 2005 vintage at $11.99 at 67 Wine & Spirits, among others.