Ok.. I know most of you don't have a cellar, but that's fine. These are 3 red wines that should be on your radar... when eating out, when buying wine, or when you're looking to try something new.  I chose this theme because the world of red wines is so diverse, but we often gravitate toward the red wines that we're most familiar with or that are most accessible. However, these reds are "under the radar" and therefore typically undervalued and underpriced.  Did I mention they're delicious?!?!   For $20 - $28, I'm recommending some fabulous wines that are made by very talented winemakers and could/should cost more, but don't because there isn't a big enough market/demand for it. 

1. Blaufränkisch (pronounced "blaw-fraunk-ish") is the second most planted red grape in Austria, after Zweigelt.  Blaufränkisch can differ in body and in profile depending on the location and wine making techniques (how much oak is used or not), but generally speaking Blaufränkisch is an approachable, light body, fresh, high-acidity wine, typical from the cool climate.  Paul Ach is an expert of Blaufränkisch and returned to his family winery after spending time in California, learning to produce high-quality wines.  He brings this approach to producing wine characterized with elegance & finesse.  The Heidenboden is his entry level Blaufränkisch, so if you like it at all, you'll be sure to enjoy his other wines!

2. Chances are you've probably never heard of Mencía (pronounced "men-see-ah" or "men-thee-ah" depending on the accent), or Bierzo.  I hadn't either until I moved to Madrid and discovered the beautiful grape and its corresponding region in the cool & wet area of Northwestern Spain.  If you're a Pinot Noir lover, I think you'll enjoy this.  The wine is somewhere between a Pinot Noir and a Syrah... lighter tannins like a pinot but beautiful fruits, smoke, earth, and herbs like a Syrah.  I chose this bottle especially because it's my favorite Mencía at the moment.  Raúl Peréz is a prodigy winemaking wizard and has been named "Best Winemaker of the Year" and "World's Best Winemaker" by European publications.  He produced his first wine at age 22 (in 1994) and is still going strong.  His family has been making wine in Bierzo for over 300 years.

3. For most people, Douro Valley is synonymous with Port wine.  However, dry table wine has been growing in the Douro Valley for as long as history records show, but only recently has this wine been taken seriously and (most importantly for non-Portuguese) exported.  The majority of the grapes grown in the Douro are still used for Port, but an increasing number are used for making dry reds (and some whites).  The star grape here is Touriga Nacional, a full body, high tannin, bold red that has aging potential like Cabernet Sauvignon and expressive flavors like great Syrah. Like the Quinta do Crasto, most Douro reds are blended with other grapes to make a more balanced, approachable, and elegant wine.  Enjoy with red meat.