The Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux – an association of top Bordeaux producers, though not the First Growths – held its annual US road show recently, and tempted by the chance to sample the 2007 offerings from what is still the world’s most important wine region, I put aside my dislike of walk-around tastings and sallied forth, sticky notebook in one sticky hand, sticky pen in the other.

My overall impressions confirmed the conventional wisdom about the vintage – namely that a wet summer resulted in an extremely mixed bag of wines, some that will make for pleasant early drinking and some that should be avoided at all costs. There were no great wines but the opportunistic, value-oriented drinker will find some very pleasant bargains.

One such is the Chateau Beaumont 2007 at an astounding $15. This an area where Bordeaux has suffered much in recent years – the inability to produce pleasing wine at a modest price from lesser appellations – but Beaumont has excelled brilliantly.

It is a lovely bright scarlet color with soft, round tannins and brimming with refreshing acidity of red berry summer fruits, I am thinking strawberries and dark cherries here. It’s hardly a typical Bordeaux but that doesn’t matter – it’s the perfect every-day house wine, and restaurants will make a fortune pouring it by the glass.

Next week I will be featuring a more upscale and serious winner from the same tasting.

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To find this wine try www.wine-searcher.com