92-Point Santa Barbara Red Under $10

Mallea is back with a new vintage, and once again it’s a strong contender for the best-value bottle of wine in our entire inventory. Now, that’s a bold statement, but let me explain.

Mallea is a collaborative project between Eric Mallea of Sanford and Justin Willett of Tyler. Eric is the longtime vineyard manager for Sanford Winery, whose estate holdings include the legendary Sanford & Benedict and La Rinconada Vineyards. For Mallea, Eric hand-selects top-notch fruit from other vineyards he farms throughout the region, giving him control over quality from soil to bottle. For the winemaking, he partnered with longtime friend Justin Willett of Tyler Winery fame. Long regarded as one of the most talented winemakers in Santa Barbara County (if not all of California) Justin brings incredible experience and pedigree to the cellar.

The Mallea wines were designed to seriously over-deliver in the $25–$30 category. At our massively discounted, winery-direct pricing, this wine is absolutely maxing out the QPR however you look at it. And don’t just take my word for it...ask any of our sales staff. At a recent round of staff tastings, this wine made just about everything else in the lineup look silly. It’s simply unbelievably delicious at an unheard-of price for handcrafted, high-quality, small-production wine.

A classic Southern Rhône-inspired blend of Grenache (44%), Syrah (42%), and Mourvèdre (14%), this is made with truly artisanal, small-lot techniques. The fruit is fermented with partial whole clusters and native yeast in open-top wooden vats, then aged in neutral French oak before being bottled unfined and unfiltered.

The wine is medium-plus bodied, with lovely deep red and black fruits. The mid-palate is plush yet fresh and vibrant, with polished tannins and savory hints of warm earth, dried garrigue, and hard-ground spices lingering through the finish. So complete, delicious, and beautifully balanced. It’s hard to believe a wine this tasty can be this inexpensive!

— Ryan Woodhouse, K&L Domestic Wine Buyer