Buehler Vineyards – Two red wines top our bargain wine picks of the week.

This week we pick two outstanding wine bargains from Buehler Vineyards. Year after year this winery delivers quality wines at value prices. Buehler Vineyards was established in 1971 and is located in prime vineyard land at the base of Howell Mountain in the Napa Valley. We love traveling off the beaten path in the Napa Valley to escape the crowds, and Buehler Vineyards certainly qualifies as one of Napa Valley’s hidden gems.

John Buehler, Jr. and his family are committed to producing excellent wines but keeping prices affordable. Because they have been in the Napa Valley so long, the cost of their operations is not as high as most wineries. Kudos to Buehler Vineyards for keeping their wine prices in check. These two wines could easily sell for more.

Buehler Zinfandel 2010 – Costco Redwood City $14.99, K&L Wines $16.99
The wonderful thing about this wine is its balance. If you like big jammy Zins, you will probably be disappointed in this wine. This is a moderate wine with true Zin characteristics. This wine will definitely enhance meals like roasted chicken, red meat dishes, and even a delicious basil pesto pizza. I haven’t seen any ratings as yet on this wine from the big boys, but you can bet once they taste this wine it will be judged highly. I give it 89 Points.

Buehler 2008 Napa Valley Cabernet $19.99 KL Wines, The Wine Stop
We had this wine with a rolled flank steak. What a match! Like the Zinfandel listed above, it is made in an older style, more reserved on the alcohol, making it a better food wine. You get all the true characteristics of a Napa Valley Cabernet without the wine being over the top. Robert Parker rates this wine at 90 points and he indicates that it will age well over the next ten plus years. I like this wine a lot but I still give the nod to the ’08 Robert Mondavi Napa Valley Cabernet that you can buy at Costco for $15 through the end of this month. 89 Points for the Buehler Cab.

If you plan to visit the Napa Valley, you may want to consider a trip up to Buehler. The winery is open by appointment only so call a week ahead to book a spot. They have wonderful views and even a picnic table you can use. Although we have not as yet tried the current release of their Russian River Valley Chardonnay, you can bet it is a good one and will be a perfect picnic wine.