The spectator 2023 Wine Value of the Year is the 2021 La Crema Sonoma Pinot Noir. The Wine has a rating of 91 Points, and the review says, in part, "Pinot Noir has met Cabernet at the pinnacle of popularity among Golden State red wines...small-volume, expensive bottles have become prevalent...Bucking those trends, La Crema has been riding Pinot's wave over the past two decades to become a ubiquitous brand on retail shelves, delivering exceptional value at an impressive scale." We have the 2022 vintage in stock. While I didn't find any scores for this vintage, it goes without saying that the quality - and the value - are there. 

Coming in at #4 on the list is a Pinot that has long been a favorite of mine - Four Graces Pinot Noir from the Willamette Valley. The vintage on the list is the 2021, and we have the 2022, but this wine is always a winner. For me, Oregon Pinots are leaners and more nuanced on the palate than Pinots from California, and this one is all that. The winery, located just south of Portland, Oregon, was founded in 2003 by Paula and Steven Black, who named it Four Graces in honor of their daughters. It has been owned by the Foley family since 2014 and the winemaker, Time Jones, harvests grapes from Foley Family vineyards in several locations to make Four Graces Pinot Noir today.

The 2022 Diatom Chardonnay is #7 on the Spectator value list. That's the vintage we have in stock at the store. It has a score of 92 points, and the review is one of the more glowing on the list. It says, "[Winemaker] Greg Brewer's Chardonnays have long been intense, vibrant and expressive. His Diatom Chardonnay is just as precise and refined...he's trying to capture Chardonnay before it becomes 'something else.' That means the grapes are picked at night, pressed, cold-fermented in stainless steel and bottled early. Without the distractions of malolactic conversion, oak treatment or extended aging, this is one of the most primal expressions of Chardonnay from one of the coldest regions in California. It is also one of the most exciting white wines I reviewed last year - a restrained, savory, and tightly wound bundle of mouthwatering energy." If that doesn't win you over, what will? I grabbed a couple of bottles for myself. Hurry while it lasts!

Right behind the Diatom, at #8, is the 2020 Volver Tarima Hill Monastrell, with 91 points. This 100% Monastrell wine is from the Alicante region of southeastern Spain. The vineyards there are not far from the sea but are also at a high elevation, and range in age from 50-75 years old. The result is a wine that is intense, full-bodied, and full of dark berry and plum notes while retaining its acidity. The 2020 scored 91 points. The vintage in stock at Exit 9 is the 2019, rated 92 points by Wine Spectator (higher than the 2020 vintage!)