Last week the wine-buying team for the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board invited me to taste 30 Chairman's Selection wines that are arriving in specialty stores this fall. The Chairman's program is a successful and appreciated one devised by the PLCB to take advantage of the large purchases the state makes.

I see it as a sort of Filene's Basement for wines. Just as Barney's boutique in New York would not want to display deeply discounted end-of-season stocks inside their own store and would send them instead to Filene's, wineries with surplus stock are willing to sell at deep discounts but not in a way that will compromise their normal marketing. By selling to the PLCB, a winery can sell large quantities while confining the discounts to buyers in a single state and leaving most of their market unaware that they have reduced prices. It is a lucky break for wine consumers in Pennsylvania and one that consistently produces some great values.

Below is a list of my picks for wines under $15. These are the wines that will sell out quickly. I suggest that you pre-order any you might want now, even if they have not yet arrived in your specialty store. Remember, if you save your receipt, you always can return unopened bottles to the store for credit. So you should order in quantity and if you don't like the wine after tasting the first bottle, you can return the remainder.

There is something for every palate on this list and all are at exceptionally attractive prices.

Colombelle 2008 Cotes de Gascogne, France

PLCB #22631, $6.99

This crisp white wine is a blend of colombard and ugni blanc white grape varieties, the same grapes that make Armagnac, that region's most famous product. This wine is tart, with lots of citrus, green apple and pear aromas and hints of pineapple. Wine Spectator has awarded Colombelle a "Best Value" for four consecutive years. I plan to make it our house white for the holidays. Don't delay: at this price it will disappear quickly.

Pillar Box White 2007 South Australia

PLCB #20869, $6.99

A blend of chardonnay, sauvignon blanc and verdelho from cool-climate coastal vineyards, this is a light-bodied white with a whole fruit basket of aromas from citrus to melon to gooseberry. Wine Enthusiast magazine awarded it 89 points and a "Best Buy" at the release price of $12. You won't find anything at this price to beat these two whites. Try them both!

Tariquet Sauvignon- Semillon 2008 Cotes de Gascogne, France

PLCB #18312, $9.99

Although is comes from a famous Armagnac house in Gascogny, this wine could easily pass for a white graves from neighboring Bordeaux (that, incidentally, is made from the same two grape varieties). Crisp and racy, it's a perfect marriage for oysters on the half shell or any shellfish and great with goat cheeses. Not many wines with this much class can be found in the under-$10 category.

Pieropan Soave Classico 2007 Veneto, Italy

PLCB #20858, $12.99

Made from the native garganega and trebbiano grapes of the Veneto region. Soave was once Italy's most famous white wine until it's popularity encouraged some producers to make a watery imitation, damaging the original's reputation. The Pieropan family has maintained impeccable standards since 1890, producing soave with excellent depth and overall balance. This classico has aromas of ripe peaches, honey and grapefruit and a lengthy finish. Robert Parker gave it 88 points in the Wine Advocate.

Layer Cake Malbec 2007 Mendoza, Argentina

PLCB # 29030, $8.99

Layer Cake owns vineyards in Napa, Italy, Australia and now, Argentina. This is its first vintage of Malbec from Mendoza. Its goal is to raise the bar for wines priced under $20. These malbec grapes were late harvested for greater flavor and depth and richness. It is dense purple with a robust nose of black fruit, dark chocolate and black pepper, with hints of violets and roses. It is a lot of wine for the price and well worth stocking up on as it should hold up for several years. I suggest opening it at least an hour before drinking or decanting.

2UP Shiraz 2007 South Australia

PLCB # 20671, $8.99

This wine made the Wine Advocate list of value wines under $20 (88 points). One sip and you will understand why it is definitely one to buy in quantity. It's complex and layered, with a nose of stewed plums and hints of spice and cherries and chocolate in the mouth. It aged 12 months in French and American oak barrels. It will benefit from some aeration or decanting before consuming and will improve from more cellaring (three to five years).

Gallo Sonoma Reserve Pinot Noir 2006 Sonoma, Calif.

PLCB # 20859, $8.99

This is not the old-style jug wine we remember from Gallo but a fairly priced entry into the premium realm. Pinot noir is my first choice for pairing with turkey so this is a timely arrival for Thanksgiving dinner. This wine frequently gets a "best buy" designation in industry publications at its normal price of $15.

Terlato & Chapoutier Shiraz-Viognier 2007 Western Victoria, Australia

PLCB #20870, $12.99

This classic grape blend from France's Cote Rotie appellation combines 95 percent shiraz with 5 percent viognier and ferments them together in the same tank. Winemaker Michel Chapoutier has a long history of making award-winning wines in the Rhone Valley of France, the spiritual home of this wine. The color is intense ruby, the aromas of cassis, plums, smoke and spice. It's a wine with a rich and complex profile giving it an exceptional quality/price ratio. It can easily be cellared for four to five years or more.

Chateau Coufran Haut Medoc 2003 Bordeaux, France

PLCB # 20871, $13.99

Those of you who love Bordeaux will want to grab this classy example of a pomerol-style blend. Made from grapes grown on 40-year-old vines and aged in French oak barrels for 12 months, this blend of 85 percent merlot and 15 percent cabernet sauvignon is fruit-forward, silky smooth, and well balanced with great length. The five years of bottle age have mellowed and melded the very ripe flavors of one of the hottest growing seasons in recent French history. Aromas of cherries and plums mingle with cedar, tobacco, chocolate and mint to create a lush and chewy wine. This is a wine to enjoy now rather than one to cellar. At this price, it will not be around for long.

Nor, again, will any of the other wines on this list.

Elizabeth Downer can be reached at edowner@post-gazette.com.

Looking for more from the Post-Gazette? Join PG+, our members-only web site. You'll get exclusive sports content, opinion, financial information, discounts from retailers and restaurants, and more. Our introduction to PG+ gives you all the details.