This week's wine selections include four tasty wines from California and two bargain wines from O’Briens

It is now 40 years since the Judgement of Paris when a blind tasting of Napa Valley cabernets and chardonnays scored higher than many famous names from Bordeaux and Burgundy.

The tasting was held to mark the 200th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence and what made the French defeat worse was that the judges were almost all French and the creator of the event was a British wine merchant (he owned a shop on Place de la Madeleine).

A fun film was made about the tasting called Bottle-Shock starring the late Alan Rickman.

The taste-off has been rerun many times since with the same wines and California always wins, including in my own wine club 10 years ago (although my marks slightly favoured France on the night).

Anyone watching the US election coverage will have noticed that America is a patriotic place and this also applies in their wine-purchasing decisions.

Hence only a small percentage of California’s fine wine production is exported overseas such is local demand.

Up until recently the Californian wines that did find their way here were frequently rather forgettable branded wines aimed at novice wine-drinkers and heavy on the residual sugar.

At the other end of the scale some excellent top end such as Ridge (imported by James Nicholson Wines) were always available but such quality does not come cheap.

Finding good Californian wines in the middle range was always a problem but one that has lessened in recent years.

Sales of Californian wine in Ireland actually increased by 32% in 2015 over 2014, and at the recent California Wine Fair there were some very enjoyable wines under €35.

Frequently these wines were from smaller, less fashionable regions such as Lodi and the Sierra Nevada Foothills (see below).

Magic words like Napa Valley and Sonoma on a label are almost always going to push the price out of reach but don’t be afraid of the smaller regions.

My selections this week include four tasty wines from California and two bargain wines from O’Briens.

These are not the kind of wines that would beat fine Bordeaux and Burgundy but they would give much of the rest of Europe a run for its money.

BEST VALUE UNDER €15

Montevina Barbera 2010, Sierra Nevada Foothills, California — €14.50-16.50

Stockists: Bradleys, 1601 Kinsale, Donnybrook Fair, Redmonds of Ranelagh, The Corkscrew

There is a significant Italian influence in the wines of California so finding barbera (or Sangiovese) is not too unusual.

Barbera is best known from Asti and Alba in Piedmont and I felt this had something of an Italian character — soft juicy fruits with a bitter cherry twist.

Jaspi Negre 2012, Montsant, Spain — €14.95 (was €17)

Stockist: O’Briens Douglas, Limerick and nationwide

Montsant is best seen as poor man’s Priorat, the famed region it completely surrounds. Montsant grows similar grapes and has some old vine stock but the wines are generally lighter and less perfumed.

A blend of garnacha, samso (carignan), cabernet and syrah with perfumed raspberry and plum aromas, light elegant red fruit with a solid backbone.

Porta 6 Vinho Regional Lisboa, Portugal — €9.95 (was €13)

Stockist: O’Briens Douglas, Limerick and nationwide

Lisboa is a small good-value region to the west and north of Lisbon with mainly local grape varieties similar to what you would find in Alentejo.

This is new to O’Briens (or to me at any rate) and is 50% aragonez (tempranillo) with castelao (40%) and some Touriga Nacional. Soft ripe juicy red fruit - simple pleasures.

BEST VALUE OVER €15

Brazin Zinfandel, Lodi, California — €22.99

Stockists: O’Donovan’s Off Licences; 1601 Kinsale; JJ O’Driscolls

Lodi Zinfandel is nowhere near as fashionable as that from Napa and Sonoma (to the west) but zinfandel has been grown here since the 19th century and the region has many plots of very old vines.

This is fairly typical of the local style — soft and fruit-driven with a smoky finish and a lingering hit of black fruit-gums.

Gnarly Head Authentic Black, Lodi, California — €18.99

Stockists: Number 21 Off-Licences, Matson’s Grange & Bandon

This is a petite sirah blend — during prohibition much of Lodi was used to grow grapes that could be transported easily for home wine production and petite sirah (along with Alicante bouschet) fitted the bill thanks to its thick skins.

Bright, soft and savoury with sweet liquorice touches (red vines) and earthy plums on the finish. Gutsy and tasty.

Parducci Small Lot Blend Pinot Noir 2012, Mendocino, California — €24.99

Stockists: No 21 Off-Licences, Matsons Grange & Bandon, Florries Tramore, Gibneys Malahide

All the grapes of Parducci are farmed sustainably using bio-dynamic and organic methods.

This is a good price for Californian pinot noir and I liked its bright raspberry fruit and lightness of touch.

This is a light style but still manages to offer complexity and some elegance and a touch of spice.