By Paul Gregutt

Wine Adviser

"Aristocratic wines at democratic prices" is the motto emblazoned across the home page of A to Z Wineworks. It immediately establishes A to Z as a thinking person's budget wine. No critters, trucks or trash talk here.

Happily, putting good wine in a cheery package (screwcapped for convenience) at a fair price still appeals to consumers, who frequently show far more good taste than many wine marketing experts. As a result, A to Z was named the "Hottest Small Brand of 2006" by Wine Business Monthly, and has won such high-profile fans as Ellen DeGeneres, who featured the wines on her show.

A to Z Wineworks in Dundee, Ore., is joint venture between Sam Tannahill, his wife Cheryl Francis, and Debra and Bill Hatcher. Bill Hatcher was general manager of Oregon's high-profile Domaine Drouhin for 12 years before starting this latest venture, while Tannahill and Francis earned their winemaking stripes with lengthy stays at Archery Summit and Chehalem, respectively.

Beginning with just 2,500 cases in 2002, A to Z has grown to 120,000 annually, still retaining the quality for which it was initially famous. Though it remains primarily a négociant (purchasing wines and blending them rather than using estate grapes to make its own), last year the company purchased Rex Hill Vineyards, an industry leader known for its single vineyard pinot noirs. The two brands complement each other beautifully.

It was the drawing of wines from many different producers that first inspired the name A to Z. "We have a bargain with other wineries from whom we source wines that we will not reveal their identities" explains the company's Web site. Since component wines used in the A to Z blends could come from almost any winery in Oregon, a name that suggested such a wide spectrum of suppliers seemed a good fit.

A to Z Wineworks wines carry a simple Oregon appellation, and most are from the 2006 vintage. They may also be ordered from the winery's Web site (www.AtoZwineworks.com). All of their wines are recommended; the pinot gris is my Pick of the Week.

* A to Z 2006 Pinot Noir, $20: Though fruit-driven, forward and accessible, this wine offers more than that. It begins with somewhat sweet flavors of raspberry candy and Bing cherries. As it opens up, along come details of moist earth, minerals, flint and wisps of chocolate.

* A to Z 2004 Night & Day Red Wine, $20: The bottle says simply "a select blend of big red varietals from Southern Oregon" but the wine is actually much better than that would lead you to suspect. The primary suppliers are the Del Rio and Abacela vineyards; the blend mostly merlot, cabernet franc and cabernet sauvignon. It is enhanced with small percentages of syrah, dolcetto, petit verdot, nebbiolo and tempranillo. No simple mutt wine, this has a focused mix of black fruits annotated with streaks of pepper, slate, iron, cocoa and graphite.

* A to Z 2006 Chardonnay, $16: For me the surprise of the lineup is the excellent chardonnay, with its ripe and luscious fruit flavors of pear, apple, quince and kiwi. As the wine broadens out across the palate, streaks of spice, nutmeg, honey and graham cracker appear. It retains plenty of acid through a generous, creamy finish.

* A to Z 2006 Riesling, $13: The first riesling from A to Z is tart and racy, with bracing acids and scents of citrus skins. The flavors mix citrus, white flowers, strawberries and spice, with a finishing lick of minerality.

* A to Z 2006 Pinot Blanc, $13: Oregon pinot blanc occupies a thin niche between chardonnay and pinot gris, without the heft or texture of either grape. But what it lacks in weight, it can sometimes make up for with elegance. This is lightly scented with melon, white peach and nectarines, perfectly balanced and just slightly sweet. It would make a lovely aperitif.

* A to Z 2006 Rosé, $13: Though sangiovese has not enjoyed much success as a red wine in the New World, it does seem to make some fine rosés, as this one, from the Del Rio vineyard in southern Oregon, demonstrates. It's loaded with a fruit salad mix of watermelon, strawberries, raspberries and cherry candy, leading into a moderately sweet finish that suggests cotton candy.

NOTE: For many years I have looked forward with great anticipation to the arrival of each new vintage of single vineyard zinfandels from Ravenswood. These six wines, from old vine sites in Sonoma and Napa, cemented Ravenswood's reputation as one of the very best zinfandel producers in the country.

It grieves me to say that a sharp decline in its quality, most recently in the 2005 lineup, seems to have knocked Ravenswood off that pedestal. All six of the 2005 single vineyard zins -- Barricia, Belloni, Big River, Dickerson, Teldeschi and even the fabled Old Hill -- are thin, chalky wines. They are so astringent, with sharp, unintegrated acids, that after just a sip or two, it is difficult to taste the fruit.

In sharp contrast are the Ancient Vine bottlings from Cline, particularly the 2005 zinfandel and 2005 carignane. Both of these outstanding releases come from genuinely old (80 to 100 years) vineyards in Contra Costa County. They are juicy, bright, packed with fruit and offer natural tasting acids to back it up. Along with the gorgeous single vineyard (Louvau and Todd Brothers Ranch) zins from Dashe Cellars, these are the wines that now, for me, define the essence and greatness of old vine zinfandel.

Pick of the Week

A to Z 2006 Pinot Gris, $13. Good Oregon pinot gris is quite different from the run-of-the-mill pinot grigios, both Italian and Californian, which are commonly seen on supermarket shelves. Here you will find a much more fruit-powered, substantive wine, one that offers a rich mix of ripe citrus and tropical fruits, acacia flowers, honeysuckle and a hint of buttered toffee. It's rich and full-bodied without being tiring or flabby, with excellent length and structure.

* Paul Gregutt is the author of "Washington Wines and Wineries The Essential Guide." He can be reached at wine@seattletimes.com.