Even before the economic implosion, every wine consumer I know loved to talk about their greatest bargain finds. Billionaire Gordon Getty, owner of two high-end Napa Valley wineries, was recently quoted as saying, "There's enough of a cheapskate in me to relish a bottle that's a great bargain."

We all love the extra zing that scoring a great value brings. Thanks to the global glut of wine grapes, warehouses are overstocked, wine prices are dropping and more and more good values are coming on the wine market.

The cover story of the latest edition of The Wine Spectator (Oct. 15) features "500 Values $20 or Less." The list is broken into four quality-to-price categories. I have searched our state stores to find which of the best of these are available in Pennsylvania. This list is for wines of only 89 points or higher with the exception of those under $10, where I included 88 points. Although I normally do not include SLO wines in my recommendations, I have done so here for wines that merit the extra effort. SLO stands for "special liquor order" and requires ordering and prepaying a minimum number of bottles and waiting some days for the order to arrive. Prices in Pennsylvania vary from those listed in the article, sometimes slightly higher and other times considerably lower.

In the $16 to $20, 90 points or higher category, the highest scoring bottle is an Australian shiraz with 92 points for $20. Unfortunately, it is not available here, nor are most of the 91 point wines at this price, but we do have two 91-point bargain reds from Chile. They are:

Vina Santa Rita Cabernet Sauvignon Maipo Valley Medalla Real 2006

PLCB # 22512, $16.99

Vina Santa Rita Carmenere Colchagua Valley Medalla Real 2007

PLCB # 22513, $16.99

From the Frankland River region of Australia with 90 points is Rocky Gully Shiraz Viognier 2007. Our stores do not have the '07 vintage but there is:

Rocky Gully Shiraz Viognier 2006

PLCB # 65132, $16.59 SLO six bottle minimum

Another interesting value from this category is a South African blend of the classic Bordeaux red grapes:

Glen Carlou, Paarl, 2005

PLCB #55202 $13.99, SLO six bottle minimum

For whites in this category, look for two 91 pointers. From New Zealand:

Coopers Creek Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough, 2008

PLCB # 67638, $14.99 SLO 12 bottle minimum

Mt. Eden Chardonnay Edna Valley, California 2007

PLCB # 54397, $25.89 SLO 12 bottle minimum

For wines priced from $13-$18, 85 points and higher there are two 90 pointers:

Ave, Mendoza Premium Malbec, 2007

PLCB # 41015 $13.49 SLO six bottle minimum

Bodegas Bilbainas Tempranillo Rioja 2006

PLCB # 72288 $16.69 SLO six bottle minimum

The following two wines scored 89 points:

Nugan Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Vision 2007, Australia

PLCB # 27506, $9.99

The Lackey Shiraz, South Australia, 2006

PLCB # 27897. $14.99

It was interesting to note Bodega Colome Amalaya, 2007 in this group with a score of 91 and costing $15. The 2006 vintage of this Argentine red blend was a Chairman's Selection selling for $9.99 earlier this year when I recommended it in this column. The entire stock was quickly gobbled up and there are only three bottles left in the entire state (none are in Allegheny County but if you want a bottle, ask your store to have PLCB #28600 transferred to you). Another Chairman's Selection that made this list with 90 points is Cupcake Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, 2008, which sold in Pennsylvania for $7.99. It also is entirely sold out.

In the $10 to $12 category of wines 83 points and higher there are nine reds scoring 89 or 90 points. None are available here. There is one white with 89 points:

Leasingham Riesling Clare Valley Magnus 2008

PLCB # 53910, $13.69 SLO 12 bottle minimum

In the under-$10 category there is an amazing bargain of a pinot noir scoring 88 points for $4. The wine is available in Pennsylvania but for some reason the price is almost triple the quote in the magazine:

Redtree Pinot Noir, California, 2008

PLCB # 55065, $10.99 SLO no minimum

In white, with 87 points there is:

Fetzer Valley Oak Chardonnay, 2008, California

PLCB # 06123, $9.99

This wine is also available in 1.5 liter bottles (#07409, $16.99) and at the outlet store in Washington, Pa., as two shrink-wrapped 750 ml bottles (# 8772 for $12.99).