From the supermarket many, a few wines could be chosen

MOST INDIVIDUAL wine shops avoid stocking what might be called "supermarket brands" — generally high-production, low-cost, corporate-owned wine labels. It's not that these wines can't be good; but rather that the owners of wine shops tend to be passionate and opinionated. They want to put their personal stamp on the wines they sell. They see the corporate stuff as less interesting, less exclusive, and — let's face it — less romantic.

Though many supermarkets have extensive wine selections and sometimes wine specialists on staff, they have a different customer base. They are well aware that many people do their wine purchasing along with the groceries. So they carry lineups of wines with a number of common characteristics.

These supermarket brands tend to focus on the most popular varietals: chardonnay, pinot gris/grigio, pinot noir, merlot, cabernet sauvignon and syrah/shiraz. They usually have colorful, themed graphics — critters, vehicles, characters, lifestyle references — to attract the eye. They are often line-priced (all priced the same) and are designed to take the uncertainty out of wine purchasing.

California churns out scores of these brands, some good, most indifferent. In looking for the best of them, I've found that they are never equally good across the entire lineup; one or two usually stand out. Often, the best wines are not from the generic California appellation but have sourced fruit from somewhere more specific, matching the varietal to a location where it thrives.

Four producers that have been among the best over the years are Blackstone, Cycles Gladiator, Hahn Estates and Hess. In a comparison tasting of current releases, I found strengths in all of them.

Blackstone brought in a new winemaker (Gary Sitton) in 2007. Sitton had spent the previous eight years with Ravenswood, and one of his first decisions was to consolidate the reserve bottlings. The winery Web site is hopelessly out of date, but I believe that there are now five reserves: a chardonnay, a merlot, a pinot noir, a cabernet sauvignon and a red blend named Rubric, priced between $15 and $22. Granted, these are not budget bottles, but at the high end of supermarket wines, they are worth noting for their focus on Sonoma grapes. Best by far is the 2007 Blackstone Sonoma Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon ($20), a dark, muscular, Bordeaux blend with small amounts of cab franc, petit verdot and malbec (thankfully, no merlot).

Cycles Gladiator wines carry a suggested retail of $10. Overall, this is a strong lineup, though I would not recommend the merlot or the cabernet. But the pinot grigio, chardonnay and syrah — all Central Coast appellation — are sound and fruity. The pinot noir is the Pick of the Week.

Hahn Estates wines fall in the middle of the pack, priced from $12 to $16. They use Central Coast and Monterey grapes. The 2008 Hahn Estates Monterey Chardonnay ($12) is best. Two-thirds of this wine was aged in new French oak, and it shows, with plenty of toast and caramel, wrapped around soft, tropical-fruit flavors. The syrah is a tad yellow-tailish, but dark and flavorful, with vanilla and coffee liqueur highlights.

Hess Select wines aim to source grapes from specific regions that do them best. The standout here is the 2008 Hess Select Sauvignon Blanc ($12). From Lake County, it is a round, ripe wine, loaded with citrus and light tropical-fruit flavors. Added details of spice, pepper and herb make for a much better-than-average bottle at this price.

Paul Gregutt is the author of "Washington Wines & Wineries." Find him at www.paulgregutt.com or write to paulgwine@me.com.