Five $20 wines good enough for a millionaire

EEIf you’re willing to spend about $20 on a bottle of wine, you can find some beauties. Here are five, including three delicious pinot noirs, from Oregon and Northern California.

Great value: Vega Escal 2014; 3 stars; Priorat, Spain, $21

Priorat is Spain’s Chateauneuf-du-Pape in that it produces big red wines with ample tannin and alcohol. This wine has a bit of an identity crisis, as it’s labeled as a blend of grenache (the French name for what is garnacha in Spain), shiraz (the Australian name for syrah) and carignan (which is sometimes called carinena in Spain). Never mind that: The wine is delicious, and big, with firm tannic structure and a bright core of fruit shining through. Alcohol by volume: 14 percent.

La Follette Pinot Noir North Coast 2015; 2.5 stars; California, $27

Greg La Follette is one of the most personable and engaging winemakers in Northern California, and his wines keep getting better vintage after vintage. He specializes in pinot noir and chardonnay from Sonoma and Mendocino counties. This North Coast blend incorporates wines that didn’t get into his single-vineyard bottlings, and it really makes me want to taste those. It has beautiful structure and balance to gird succulent black fruit. ABV: 13.5 percent. 2.5 stars; Oregon, $21

The label is styled after a postcard from the Pacific Northwest, and the wine tastes like the memory of a wonderful vacation. Flavors of black cherry and berries with hints of sage and thyme invite a lingering discussion over a beautiful meal. ABV: 13.7 percent.

Montinore Estate Red Cap Pinot Noir 2016; 2.5 stars; Willamette Valley, Oregon, $23

I’m a fan of this winery in the northern reaches of Oregon’s Willamette Valley. Montinore practices biodynamic viticulture and produces wines with verve and sophistication. This pinot noir is on the fun, rather than serious, side. ABV: 13.6 percent. Italy, $20

Enjoy this scintillating white — crisp and refreshing with tree fruit flavors — with any seafood dishes. This wine deserves wider distribution. ABV: 13 percent.