daily wine picks

Less than $15

Jul. 14, 2000: CLAUDE BRANGER Muscadet de Sèvre et Maine Sur Lie Domaine La Haute Févrie 1995 (85 points, $9)

Lovely and crisp Loire white. Evoking aromas of lemon, herb and apple, this light-bodied wine is dry and cleansing on the palate. Perfect with oysters or fresh shellfish, and it won't break the bank. Drink now. 15,000 cases made. —Kim Marcus

Jul. 11, 2000: COLUMBIA CREST Sémillon-Chardonnay Columbia Valley 1998 (86 points, $8)

Soft and generous with its pear and fig flavors, and picking up nice hay and honey notes on the finish, this blend of two grapes from Washington is a pleasant sipper at an appealing price. Drink now. 50,000 cases made. —Harvey Steiman

Jul. 08, 2000: BUCKELEY'S Chardonnay South Australia 1999 (85 points, $10)

How about this smooth and generous Chardonnay at a grab-me price? It shows appealing flavors of spicy melon and pear, with a nice stroke of oak emerging strongly on the lingering finish. Drink now. 15,000 cases made. —Harvey Steiman

Jul. 05, 2000: HOGUE Cabernet-Merlot Columbia Valley 1998 (86 points, $10)

On the light side, with a crisp texture up front that turns polished around the pretty strawberry, raspberry and vanilla flavors as they echo on the finish. A Washington offering, nicely done and affordably priced. Drink now through 2004. 51,448 cases mad —Harvey Steiman

Jul. 03, 2000: NOBILO Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough Fall Harvest 1999 (87 points, $10)

This steely, racy Sauvignon Blanc scores points for New Zealand for both quality and price, emphasizing sleek mineral and apple flavors on a zingy frame, echoing fruit on the finish. Drink now. 40,000 cases made. —Harvey Steiman