In these budget-conscious times, it pays to be a wine nerd. When you sense a hot trend, run in the other direction. Dare to be contrary. The world's greatest wine bargains come from places and grape varieties that are temporarily out of fashion or simply overlooked.

Think of a bottle of wine as a small vacation -- it transports you to another place. Some people always travel back to the same locale: two weeks at the identical beach rental, hanging out on the same patch of sand, year after year. But most of us want some adventure; we yearn for the rush of discovery. If we travel at off-peak times or to undiscovered locations, it will be less expensive and at least as satisfying. A certain sense of privileged intimacy occurs when a spot seems waiting to be found just by you.

There is similar gratification in buying an unfamiliar, good-value wine that is not flavor of the month. Yet it's not enough for a wine to be merely affordable. An innocuous, mediocre wine is no bargain at any price. Even on a regular weeknight at home, popping the cork should turn an ordinary meal into a special occasion. The wine should be up to the task; it should be distinctive and memorable. A good wine can intensify the richness of the moment and make it linger on your tongue.

On the first warm days of 2002, we've been thinking of wines made from the Sauvignon Blanc grape. The name Sauvignon comes from the French word "sauvage," meaning wild. This white grape variety has a wild, racy edge to it, with pungent aromas that evoke wet, just-cut grass, a patch of herbs, brine and savory musk (wine writers muster up words such as asparagus, cat's pee and green onion in efforts to describe it). On the palate, there's a feisty, succulent tang to Sauvignon Blanc, like biting into a wedge of lime.

The Upper Loire Valley in France is classic Sauvignon Blanc territory. Stately stone chateaux and rolling, chalky-soil vineyards are scattered along the wide Loire River that winds through the region. This northern terrain has the unpredictable, cool weather that makes for a long, slow ripening process and creates wines with marked acidity. The British wine writer Jancis Robinson has called the Loire "France's most varied and neglected wine region." It is predominantly an area of small wine estates, and a resurgence of quality-conscious winemaking has taken place there in recent years.

For the most part, Loire wines remain undervalued and warrant greater consumer exploration. Two appellations, Sancerre and Pouilly-Fume, have set the historical benchmark for great Sauvignon Blanc. Their wines are coveted and prices around the world tend to reflect this. We were heartened recently, however, to find a fine, zesty Sancerre at a great price. It comes from the relatively young, but respected Loire estate of Pascal Jolivet, founded in 1985.

The refreshing, citrusy character of Sauignon Blanc makes it an excellent white wine option for a sunny afternoon. The 2000 Domaine du Nozay Sancerre (1,450 yen at National Azabu; [03] 3442-3181) is pure Sauvignon Blanc. It wafts the scents of spring: grass, hay, melon and honey. Vibrant, peppery acidity gives a lift to its assertive flavors of pear, green apple and lime, with a flinty mineral finish. This bottle has all you could wish for in a spring wine: It's crisp and refreshing enough for a picnic, but elegant enough to serve at a spring dinner party.