Intriguing wine selections for spring

Sparkling, rosé and more

German Gilabert Brut Nature Rosat Cava ($15, 12% alcohol)

What: Pink bubbles, with gravitas

Why: The Gilabert label relies on mature (20-plus years old) organically farmed vineyards in Penedes. While Cava is typically made of the region's more typical grapes - Xarel-lo, Macabeo, Parellada - and that's true of Gilabert's regular bottle, its rosé uses the obscure red Trepat, plus a bit of Garnacha. That provides a coppery, chewy aspect to its red fruit flavors, and a surprising weight - from the fruit itself, not added dosage. With 16 months aging on lees, it's the sort of fizz that makes you realize how serious even inexpensive sparkling wine can be. (Importer: Vinos & Gourmet)

Scharffenberger Brut Excellence Mendocino County Sparkling ($19, 12%)

What: Arguably California's best bubbles for the dollar

Why: The fortunes of the Scharffenberger label have waxed and waned, but right now - under the control of its Anderson Valley neighbor, Roederer Estate - it is turning out remarkably focused and interesting wine. There's a dry talc-like side to its crisp, ripe fruit - one that signals a level of quality often hard to find in homegrown fizz.

Triennes Vin de Pays du Var Rosé ($14, 13%)

What: Pink proof positive of matching great talent to unheralded sites

Why: Two Burgundy masters, Dujac's Jeremy Seysses and Domaine de la Romanee-Conti's Aubert de Villaine, partnered together on property in the Var area of Provence. Here, they show the beauty of the area's higher-elevation limestone soils - and in rosé form, mostly made from Cinsault, with Grenache, Syrah and Merlot. This is serious but sunny stuff, with freesia and raspberry accents. Made masterfully, as you'd expect given the partners. (Importer: Chambers & Chambers)

Cleto Chiarli Brut de Noir Rosé Italy Spumante ($18, 12%)

What: Great innovation from a key name in Lambrusco

Why: While any bottle of the Chiarli family's Lambrusco is worth trying, this pink offering is just a bit different. It's a light pressing of red grapes - mostly the Modena area's classic Gasparossa, plus a bit of Pinot Noir - and while it's made using a closed vessel rather than the elaborate Champagne-style bottle method, it's got a steely, no-nonsense side to its raspberry and apricot flavors. There's refinement amid these bubbles. (Importer: Dalla Terra)

Perez Barquero Gran Barquero Montilla-Moriles Fino ($18/500 ml, 15%)

What: A perfectly fresh expression of sherry - except, not

Why: The historic house of Barquero turns out some of Andalusia's finest wines, and its fino is bracing and tactile. But it is based in Montilla, not Jerez. Which means that the grape here is the sugary Pedro Ximenez. PX is usually meant for sweet wines, but here it's starkly dry; while this is bright and tangy with iodine and peach flavors, it is aged for eight to 10 years, giving it a richer Amontillado-like character. This makes it a very serious sherry - except that geography and grapes mean it isn't technically sherry. (Importer: Vinos & Gourmet)

White

Tendu California White ($19/liter, 12.8%)

What: California's answer to the Gruner Liter, but better

Why: Those green crown-capped bottles are a way of life in Austria, so why not a homegrown version? That was the inspiration for a partnership from talented Napa viticulturist Steve Matthiasson, maker of one of California's best white wines, and San Francisco wine broker Revel. The idea? Make a California white that fulfills a similar purpose. In this case it's a mix of Vermentino (from Yolo County) plus Cortese and Arneis, for a picnic-perfect Italianate effort - full of ripe tree-fruit flavors, with a savory side - bay laurel, wild mustard - that nods at the Austrian original.

Domaine La Hitaire Les Tours Cotes de Gascogne White ($9, 11.5%)

What: A southwestern French charmer that outperforms its base material

Why: The Gers region of France is Armagnac country, known less for its neutral white wines than stronger stuff. But since the Grassa family bought this property in 1999, they've been trying to make a statement about Gascony's possibilities. Sauvignon Blanc fans know the drill: an herbal side, fresh citrus pith, a bolt of sweetness to balance green flavors. Except here it comes from Ugni Blanc, Colombard and Gros Manseng, the often "meh" white-grape trio of southwest France. And here, they shine. (Importer: Robert Kacher Selections)

Lioco Sonoma County Chardonnay ($20, 13.1%)

What: A no-makeup Chardonnay to please all corners

Why: Lioco's mission to revive the fortunes of California Chardonnay has been well documented, but its complex single-vineyard wines have always had company from its steel-aged Sonoma County blend. With the 2011 vintage, the philosophy - and wine - shifted, as new winemaker John Raytek began using a bit of neutral oak and did more work to enhance texture. That underscores ripe fruit - pear, Mission fig - that balances its pronounced acidity. There's now a bit more substance, all the more to please a wider range of tastes.

Folk Machine Mendocino Tocai Friulano ($13, 11.1%)

What: The winning side of Cal-Ital, with a hat tip to Mendocino

Why: It's evident now that the new Cal-Ital movement is taking place with white wine, not red. If many examples of this grape are spendier, this affordable entry from Hobo Wine Co.'s Kenny Likitprakong shows the immediate, fresh side of one of northern Italy's great grapes. Here, Sonoma-based Likitprakong tapped one of those old Italian-variety plantings on the North Coast for a winning effort that balances its lean, green-flavored side (pear skin, chive) with plenty of up-front fruit.

Mills Reef Reserve Hawkes Bay Sauvignon Blanc ($14, 12%)

What: New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, with a geographic twist

Why: Rather than Marlborough, New Zealand's adopted home for the grape, this hails from one of the most esteemed wineries in a spot slightly afield: Hawkes Bay, on the North Island. The specialty there is Bordeaux minded - Cabernet and Merlot - and while winemakers Tim Preston and Paul Dawick harvested a cooler coastal spot in the Meeanee area, this reflects the area's fractionally warmer climate and gravelly soils. It offers a more austere, more mineral-edged interpretation than the grass and sugar of much Kiwi Sauvignon Blanc. (Importer: San Francisco Wine Exchange)

2012 Palmina Santa Barbara County Pinot Grigio ($18, 12.5%)

What: A great California expression of a grape often written off

Why: Oh, I saw that eye-roll when you read the G word. But Palmina's Steve Clifton is all about Friuli, where Grigio has often had a better fortune than on these shores. His Central Coast example, from several sites throughout Santa Barbara, remains a great benchmark. A lot of intensity here, all apple blossom and Meyer lemon - just as with top Friulian versions.

Tikves Special Selection Macedonia Rkaciteli ($10, 13%)

What: An auspicious, aromatic find from central Europe

Why: Allow me to translate. First, you might recognize the grape better as Rkatsiteli, an ancient variety native to Georgia and, more recently, New York. And Macedonia is hopping on the same curve that boosted wine development in neighboring Croatia. But the other component here is Philippe Cambie, consultant behind some of Chateauneuf du Pape's most ambitious labels (Vieux Donjon, Les Cailloux). Cambie also charmed by Macedonia, and teamed up with local producer Tikves for reds. Here's flying winemaking put to good use: The grape's sharpness is balanced by warm beeswax and fig aspects, offering a Riesling-like complexity along with immediate refreshment. (Importer: Eric Solomon Selections)

Reds

J. Heinrich Burgenland Blaufrankisch ($18, 13.5%)

What: A surprisingly complex red from a rising-star region

Why: Silvia Heinrich has taken over her family's property in the eastern Austrian town of Deutschkreutz, directly on the Hungarian border. Their basic steel-aged Blaufrankisch, all from estate grapes, is a spicy wonder: pine-needle and cumin matched to pretty cherry fruit and a licorice-like richness. A reminder of why Blaufrankisch deserves to be discussed as one of the most serious of wine grapes. (Importer: Blue Danube Wine Co.)

Bonny Doon Vineyard Clos de Gilroy Central Coast Grenache ($18, 13.1%)

What: Exuberant Grenache that's meant for the moment

Why: Randall Grahm's Clos de Gilroy often gets overlooked for his fancier (Cigare Volant) or trendier (Albarino) wines. But it continues to deliver a lot of uncomplicated delicious, especially in the past couple of vintages. Currently it's sourced mostly from the Arroyo Seco area, bottled young and without oak. It can be brooding in moments, with a dark-stone mineral aspect, but there's also a fresh raspberry side that offers energy rather than over-the-top fruit. A surprisingly versatile wine.

Bovio Il Ciotto Barbera d'Alba ($20, 13%)

What: A great reminder of Barbera's straightforward charms

Why: The Bovio family might be better known for their Belvedere restaurant in the famous Langhe town of La Morra, but their wines deserve more attention. And if Barbera is in an odd place nowadays, stylistically, it's still the charming Piedmontese wine it always was. From a clay-streaked parcel, this effort shows the grape's classic twang without overkill: scents of balsam and mustard seed, with a tart but dusky plumminess. (Importer: APS Wines & Spirits)

Les Clos Perdus Prioundo Corbieres Red ($16, 14.5%)

What: A Languedoc red with the depth of good Chateauneuf

Why: This project from an English-Australian duo has brought organic and biodynamic farming to several older, mostly discarded plantings across southern France. In this case we're in the hills of the Corbieres area, near the village of Villeseque, where mostly Grenache and a bit of Cinsault are planted. There's enough Languedoc brawl to satisfy those thirsts, but also a coppery minerality and subtle floral side - chamomile and birch bark. A sunny expression of well-tended fruit. (Importer: K&L Wine Merchants/Premier Wine Co.)

Casal do Paco Padreiro Afros Vinho Verde Tinto Vinhao ($15, 12.5%)

What: Vinho Verde like you've never seen

Why: Founded in 2002, Vasco Croft's Afros (a.k.a. Aphros) project offers a radically different take on the Vinho Verde region, known for its frothy whites. It's not just the biodynamic farming, but also a belief in the area's red wine, made in largely traditional fashion, including the use of open stone lagars. From the indigenous red grape Vinhao, planted in 1998 in granite soils near the Lima river, this is inky and tangy, full of lily and musk. Deep fruit and spicy tobacco-like chew speak fluent barbecue. (Importer: Winewise)

Roots Wine Co. Klee Willamette Valley Pinot Noir ($18, 13.0%)

What: Pinot that speaks with a true Oregon accent

Why: The Berg family not only has its own 20 acres of vineyard planted near Yamhill, a source for serious Willamette expressions, but also offers this remarkable second label in tribute to artist Paul Klee. Heady and fresh, with an orange-peel tang and subtle cherry fruit, this is exactly what Oregon Pinot should be - at a price that usually requires a lot more compromise on quality.

Weingut Niklas Alto Adige Schiava ($20, 12.5%)

What: The perfect light spring red

Why: Alto Adige's Schiava is one of those tricky grapes - barely dark enough to pass rosé and collect $200 - but also one of the friendliest, with its scents of alpine herbs and wild strawberries. Just south of the Austrian border, Dieter Solva has a particular talent for it, offering a ripe and warm wine that never loses its mountain charm. Here's the red for a salad sort of evening. (Importer: Oliver McCrum Wines)

Nicole Chanrion Domaine de la Voute des Crozes Cote-de-Brouilly ($19, 13%)

What: A lesser-known Beaujolais with gravitas

Why: While Beaujolais has nudged as close to hip as it's ever going to be, most attention still goes to pioneers like Lapierre and Foillard). But Chanrion, the rare female winemaker in the region, has worked more quietly since the 1970s. Having run the estate since 1988, down to driving the tractor, she sets a high standard for the Cote-de-Brouilly. From 50-year-old vines comes a thoughtful expression: copper, violets and pretty, soft plum fruit. Even in ripe vintages, there's a quintessential mineral kick that adds complexity after some time in the cellar - although it's ready to go anytime. (Importer: Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant)

Note: Alcohol levels listed are typically for the most recent vintage.

60 MORE GREAT WINES

Here is a compilation of our $20-and-under wine selections from the past two years. Because the recommendations are not vintage-specific, the wine should be available every year. Note: Prices listed are from the original recommendation.

SPARKLING AND OTHER

Avinyo Brut Reserva Cava ($16)

Gruet New Mexico Brut Rose ($15)

Lini 910 Labrusca Emilia Lambrusco Rosé ($19)

Gonzalez Byass Vina AB Amontillado Seco Sherry ($18)

Dibon Brut Reserve Cava ($10)

WHITE

Chateau Ducasse Bordeaux Blanc ($15)

La Sibilla Campei Flegrei Falanghina ($18)

Nigl Freiheit Kremstal Gruner Veltliner ($19)

Yalumba Y Series South Australia Viognier ($11)

Quinta do Feital Auratus Vinho Regional Minho ($16)

Leitz Dragonstone Rheingau QbA Riesling ($16)

Calera Central Coast Chardonnay ($16)

Meyer-Fonné Vielles Vignes Alsace Pinot Blanc ($16)

Tahbilk Ngambie Lakes Marsanne ($14)

Foxglove Central Coast Chardonnay ($14)

Pine Ridge California Chenin Blanc-Viognier ($14)

Alice & Olivier De Moor Bourgogne Aligoté ($18)

Niepoort Projectos Docil Vinho Verde Loureiro ($15)

Banyan Monterey County Gewurztraminer ($12)

Domaine de la Pepiere Les Gras Moutons Cuvee Eden Muscadet ($17)

Gemtree Moonstone McLaren Vale Savignin ($13)

St. Urbans-Hof Ockfener Bockstein Mosel Riesling Kabinett ($20)

Zocker Paragon Vineyard Edna Valley Gruner Veltliner ($19)

Schloss Gobelsburg Gobelsburger Kamptal Riesling ($18)

Geyerhof Rosensteig Kremstal Gruner Veltliner ($20)

Catherine & Pierre Breton La Dilettante Vourvray Sec ($19)

Qupé Santa Ynez Valley Marsanne ($18)

Collestefano Verdicchio di Matelica ($17)

Bokisch Terra Alta Clements Hills-Lodi Albarino ($16)

Cave de Pomerols Coteaux du Languedoc Picpoul de Pinet ($12)

Pra Soave Classico ($15)

Abbazia di Novacella Alto Adige Valle Isarco Kerner ($18)

Tangent Paragon Vineyard Edna Valley Albarino ($18)

Bernhard Ott Am Berg Wagram Gruner Veltliner ($17)

Jean Gardies Mas Las Cabes Vin de Pays des Cotes Catalanes Blanc ($15)

Spy Valley Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc ($16)

Luli Santa Lucia Highlands Chardonnay ($18)

Brokenwood Hunter Valley Semillon ($19)

Chateau Reynon Bordeaux Blanc ($15)

RED

Marietta Cellars Old Vine Red ($11)

Broadside Margarita Vineyard Paso Robles Cabernet ($19)

Chateau Musar Musar Jeune ($17)

Guimaro Ribeira Sacra Tinto ($16)

Evesham Wood Willamette Valley Pinot Noir ($18)

Jean-Paul Brun Domaine des Terres Dorees L'Ancien Beaujolais ($16)

Domaine des Escavailles Les Sablieres Cotes du Rhone Rouge ($14)

Les Vins de Vienne Reméage Red Wine ($14)

Chateau Coupe-Roses La Bastide Minervois ($13.50)

Luna Beberide Bierzo Mencia ($13)

Roagna Dolcetto d'Alba ($17)

Sherman & Hooker's Shebang North Coast Red ($13)

Buil & Giné Giné Priorat Red ($20)

Louis M. Martini Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon ($13)

Domaine de la Terre Rouge Tete-a-Tete Sierra Foothills Red ($18)

Bernabeleva Camino de Navaherreros Vinos de Madrid ($13)

Viano Private Stock Contra Costa County Zinfandel ($7.50)

Saint Cosme Cotes-du-Rhone ($13)

Tablas Creek Patelin de Tablas Paso Robles Red ($20)

Charles Joguet Cuvee Terroir Chinon ($20)

Niepoort Twisted Douro Red ($17)