My previous post on this topic mentions wines that are no longer available in the BevMo nickel sale, so here’s an update for those of you looking for bargains. D’Aun and I tasted all of these over the last several days. Hopefully you’ll read it before the sale ends!

A real find is the 2009 Honorable Chardonnay (Washington State). At $8.50 on sale, it’s a crisp wine without any oaky flavor. I love this kind of Chardonnay, but it’s not the classic Napa vanilla/oak flavors. Try it, I think you’ll enjoy it. Oh, and though I haven’t tasted it yet, a friend loved the Riesling from the same winery.

If you like Chardonnay that is more typically oaky, try the 2008 Shiloh Road (California). At just $8.50 it’s definitely worth drinking, and it will remind you of the classic California style chardonnays. Not my favorite, but mostly because I’m bored with that taste. It’s still very good.

Along the same lines but pricier is the 2009 Bannus Chardonnay. This will set you back $12.50 a bottle but it’s worth it if you like the classic chardonnay style.

Another favorite is the 2009 Frog Haven Sauvignon Blanc (New Zealand). I’m a fan of Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand because it doesn’t have the sweet syrupy taste of a lot their California counterparts. Crisper, more citrus, and flavors that aren’t masked by sugar. At $7.50 a bottle it’s something you can drink everyday.

Do you like dry Rose’? Spring is coming, and I love a freezing cold dry Rose on a hot day. The 2009 Bonterra Rose’ won two gold medals at the SF Chronicle wine competition, and it’s only $7 a bottle. Just be sure to serve it really cold!

Jumping up in price is the 2008 Kenwood Reserve Zinfandel (Sonoma). Normally $30 a bottle, it’s just $15 during the nickel sale. This is a good Zin that is more fruit forward, as they like to say. That means you really will taste the fruit — which is a good thing, because California Zinfandel is delicious.

Another pricey wine is the 2008 Santa Ema Amplus Cabernet Sauvignon (Chile). At $12.50 a bottle during the nickel sale, this is an expensive Chilean wine. Robert Parker liked it enough to give it a score of 90, but I’d say that’s optimistic. This wine reminds me of French red wine from 20-years ago: complex, dry, but overly praised. Still, it’s worth trying if you want something new.

The 2009 Challis Lane Cabernet Sauvignon (California) is on sale during the nickel sale for just $4.50. I call this a great “party wine” because you can serve it to a large crowd without hesitation. It appeals to most everybody, but it’s not a “great” wine because it lacks nuance. But at $4.50 a bottle, who needs complexity? I have not tried the Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc by Challis (both in the nickel sale) but I’m sure they are much like the Cabernet in their broad appeal.

The 2008 Elena Zinfandel (Sonoma) is not part of the nickel sale, but you can get it for an amazing price of just $11 (normally $16). I like this wine with beef, heavy pastas, or anything you might normally serve red wine with. Elena is consistently putting out good well rounded wines.

I had the 2009 Hahn Estates Syrah (Central Coast) before it went on sale and it’s a good solid wine. Hahn Estates is a bit like Elena … they mass produce their wines but keep a consistent good quality. At $7.50 a bottle during the nickel sale, this Syrah is a bargain.

I’m a big lover of Italian bubbly, so try the Dolce Vita Prosecco (Italy). It’s only $7.50 and has all kinds of fun fruity flavors in the bubbles. It’s not great, but I’d drink and serve it without hesitation.

On the disappointing side, the Cinzano Prosecco (Italy) isn’t worth the $8. It’s too much like champagne and lacks the flavors of a good Prosecco. I love Prosecco, but this tastes too much like French bubbly to please me.

Avoid the 2006 Haywood Zinfandel (Sonoma). At $15 it just isn’t good enough to purchase. Frankly, I wouldn’t buy it at $10 a bottle. Or $5.

The 2008 Unruly Red (California) is a mishmash of all kinds of wine, and it tastes like a mess. Avoid it.

I had hopes for the Citra Montepulciano (Italy) at just $3.50 a bottle, but this is a wine that makes the Italians look bad. Too bad, because there is some great Italian wine out there. This isn’t one of them even at the incredibly low price.

Also avoid the 2008 Rancho Sisquoc Chardonnay (California). At $13 a bottle it’s just not good enough to justify that price with all the other bargains available.

Finally, avoid the overpriced 2010 Triplebank Sauvignon Blanc (New Zealand). It’s good wine, but at $12 a bottle there are better options that I’ve mentioned above.