Inexpensive wines that more than earn their keep

Last week, we looked at some splendid wines, many of which, however, had the disadvantage of firing off fiduciary Scuds at our pocketbooks. A good way to begin the year, I said, speaking of these great wines. But perhaps today I should offer relief in the way of tasty and largely accessible products that won't belabor your bank accounts.

Leaping right in with white wines, try the Santa Julia Viognier 2002, from the Mendoza region of Argentina, a dry, crisp, pretty wine; its lemon-lime scents and flavors offer a winsome haze of honeysuckle and a texture that leans toward moderate lushness and a slightly bracing finish. About $8, a Remarkable Price.

Redwood Creek is the second label of Frei Brothers, itself a property of E. & J. Gallo. The Redwood Creek Sauvignon Blanc 2001, California, bears the snap of celery, the lift of dusty tarragon and leafy-curranty fruit, mid-lemon-lime and limestone in a lovely, dense texture. A Super Bargain, about $8. Made in the inimitable New Zealander fashion, the authoritatively crisp Dyed-in-the-Wool "Unchangeable" Sauvignon Blanc 2001, Marlborough, bursts with huckleberry and gooseberry, pear and melon, dill and tarragon and dried thyme supported by a powerful mineral element. Very good+. About $11.

Tasting a group of inexpensive chardonnays, I realized that this price range is where your chardonnays should come from. All the undrinkable California chardonnays I complain about are fairly high-priced, meaning that winemakers have the time and capital to submit such wines to intense oak manipulation. Not so these cheaper versions, which, I'm happy to say, are eminently palatable and more than decently balanced.

The first example, as a matter of fact, is a knockout. The Forest Ville Chardonnay 2000, California, has plenty of oak for structure but is round and resonant. The price? About $6, a Bargain of the Very Young Century. Fresh and clean and spicy in a slightly flamboyant Aussie manner, the Kissing Bridge Chardonnay 2001, South Eastern Australia, teems with pineapple-grapefruit flavors wrapped in mango and some other rather exotic fruit. Very good. About $8.

I found the last vintage of the ubiquitous Lindemans Bin 65 Chardonnay not up to the product's reputation, but 2002 marks a return to form of the wine from Southeastern Australia. Full-bodied and vibrant yet elegantly restrained, this appealing chardonnay is pure, balanced, classic in form and flavor and delicious. About $8, another Great Bargain.

Rich pineapple-grapefruit flavors in harmony with smoke, spice and minerals characterize the Gallo of Sonoma Chardonnay 2001, Sonoma County. Very good. About $11. Beautiful definition, dimension and detail mark the Hess Select Chardonnay 2001, California, a wine that's rich without being obvious. Very good+ and a Great Bargain at about $11. The Geyser Peak Chardonnay 2001, Sonoma County, features enticing shape and structure. Excellent, and an Unbeatable Bargain at about $12.

Finally, the St. Francis Chardonnay 2001, Sonoma County, is subtle and supple and blessed with loads of character. A Terrific Performance. About $12.

And here are two "not-chardonnays" from Alsace, where France rubs against Germany. The Domaines Schlumberger "Les Princes Abbes" Pinot Blanc 2001 understates its power for the sake of delicate lemon-lime scents and flavors touched with limestone, lanolin and tiny white summer flowers. This would be perfect with skate or trout in brown butter with capers. Very Good+. About (an irresistible) $12. The Domaines Schlumberger "Fleur" Gewurztraminer 2000 lives up to its nickname. A heady bouquet of roses and lychee and pear, jasmine and the characteristic rubber eraser translate smoothly to the mouth, where the wine is crisp and lively and dry enough that its background austerity comes forward from the finish. It needs grilled sausages or charcuterie. Excellent. About $15.

We'll start the reds with one of my favorite inexpensive Spanish wines, El Coto Crianza Rioja, which for 1999 offers lots of character and weight for the price. A Bargain at about $12.

I would give a pass to the Kissing Bridge Shiraz 2000, the companion to the chardonnay mentioned above, as being too rustic and not much better than generic. About $8.

Redwood Creek scores again with its Cabernet Sauvignon 2000, California, a simple but tasty cab with particularly gratifying layers of fruit and spice. A Great Bargain at about $8. Simple and direct but attractive for the price is the Napa Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon 2000, Lodi _ you're right, Napa and Lodi are far apart _ which displays ripe currant and plum flavors. About $10. The Gallo of Sonoma "Reserve" Cabernet Sauvignon 2000, Sonoma County, is rustic and rangy, brambly and barky. A grilled ribeye steak might subdue it. About $13.

The best of these cabernet sauvignon wines is the Hess Select Cabernet Sauvignon 2000, California. Though every molecule is permeated with dry underbrush elements, the ripe and intense plum-black currant-black raspberry fruit and a dense, lustrous texture win the day. Very good+. About $15, but often on sale.