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Salice Salentino is a small town in the “heel of the boot” in Italy’s Apulia region. Having been lucky enough to travel to the area, I can see how the extremely dry climate there serves to create this wine that is deep ruby in color, rich and heady with warm, complex aromas and flavors of dried cherry, raspberry, orange peel, coffee bean, vanilla, licorice and a hint of clove. The ample fruit and smooth structure means this wine is built for summer barbecues of chicken or ribs with a sweet and spicy sauce.

Having been there, I know Yecla is a very cool place. And actually, it is a fairly warm and arid place with little rainfall, which is the perfect place to grow the finicky Monastrell grape. Barahonda has an excellent winemaker (Araceli Gonzalez Martinez) and she is able to tame this grape and make a wine that is rich and full of blueberry pie, mocha and espresso flavors.

100% Godello (yes that’s a grape) with a complex nose of stones, citrus zest and pine sap. Medium-bodied richness with supporting acidity that carries flavors of orange peel, citrus, wild herbs and anise across the palate. The finish is long and almost oily where the flavors seem to persist. Fans of white Burgundies should take note of this delicious, out-of-the-ordinary wine.

Extremely light gold in color with flavors and scents of ripe grapefruit, yellow apple and quince. Finishes crisply with citrus zest and an herbal note. At 14.5% alcohol there’s some power behind those flavors, but the wine finishes clean with nary a trace of heat.

Sparkling Falanghina. I know at lot of people are probably waiting for the punch line, but that’s what it says on the bottle, which looks an awful lot like one that’s used to house many Proseccos. Made by the leading producer in Campania, Cantina del Taburno, the label says “Vino Spumante Extra Dry.” Remember, spumante in Italian literally means “foaming,” but not necessarily sweet. And this definitely isn’t sweet. The extra dry designation in this instance shows up more as a richness or fullness on the palate as compared to a typical brut sparkler. The wine is golden in color with very attractive and extremely tiny bubbles, which carry flavors of honey-glazed apples and pears, and a bit of toasted citrus meringue. I enjoy sparkling wines with food, so this made an excellent companion to a honey-brined turkey breast that was oven roasted.

From just beyond the medieval gates of the city of Montefalco in Umbria, just north of Rome, the Pardi family produces this wine composed mainly of Sangiovese with a little Cabernet and Merlot and a nice helping of Sagrantino. The important and unique part of the blend is the Sagrantino, an indigenous grape varietal of unclear origins that is rarely seen in the U.S. It adds just the right amount of character and structure to what would otherwise be a typical Tuscan red. The wine is deep garnet in color and chock full of red and black fruits with a backbone of soft, round tannins and pleasant acidity.

This is the entry-level wine from the estate of Clos del Rey. Like its siblings, it’s composed of Grenache and Carignan, with the latter really making its presence felt. Medium-vivid red with a ripe nose of fresh raspberry, a little earth, with very spicy berry flavors and a teeth-coating finish. Nice stuff with a ton of flavor, color, and personality. Very enjoyable, indeed.

The Cazes family has been making wine in the Roussillon since 1895 and today is one of the leaders of organic and biodynamic viticulture in France. Their Le Canon du Marechal White is composed mainly of Muscat (two different varieties), with the balance Viognier. Dry and intensely perfumed, with hints of jasmine and orange blossom, this fleshy, medium-bodied white is a fruit cocktail of apricot, melon, pears, and oily citrus flavors. This wine would pair well with robustly flavored seafood or poultry dishes, or salads with mixed greens and fruit. The Cazes suggest an asparagus puff pastry dish as an ideal pairing.

Bright cherry red/purple in color, this plump, juicy red blend of Grenache, Tempranillo, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah is made with organically-grown grapes from Terra Alta. The grapes play very well together, and while the wine is full and complex, there are no hard edges that would make it difficult to pair with just about any type of food.

A Prestige Wines exclusive! Our GM Jeff Vignaux couldn’t pass on this gem when he tasted it. Wines from Côtes de Castillon are often sleepers in great vintages, and as you may know 2005 is one of those vintages! The wine is deep red in the glass and has scents of black cherries and anise. Red fruits coat the palate and are shaded with sandalwood and toasty vanilla accents. The tannins are ripe and chewy which makes me believe this will continue to positively age over the next few years. However, I think the youthful personality makes it worth drinking now.

A bargain in Sauternes, with essences of fresh honey, lemon curd, a hint of vanilla and the perfect amount of acidity to keep it lively. A quintessential match with foie gras, bleu cheeses, and many desserts.

This could be the last we’ll see of the magical 2005 vintage in Bordeaux, and luckily we’ve found another gem. Hailing from Duras, just east of Bordeaux, this is a very aromatic wine with scents of warm, spicy blackberry and wintergreen. Smoothly tannic, this wine is very adaptable to a variety of foods — not just steak. Lamb chops on the grill with just a dash of salt and pepper would do nicely! And there’s no need to wait, as this one is ready to drink.

Now that winter has passed and spring has a firm hold, we can all concentrate on important matters at hand, namely getting the barbeque grill ready for another season. And the secret for hassle-free entertaining is to have a great “house wine” on standby. The 2009 Château Lafôret is immediately appealing for its soft velvety texture and likable, fresh red fruit flavors. This is a perfect example to illustrate what even “petit” Bordeaux can achieve in a great vintage like 2009. This wine is ready to drink and already delicious. Just add a couple of medium-rare steaks and pour. All of this is available in an attractive package that will leave your guests thinking you paid a lot more.

Michael Dashe makes bold, mountain-like wines, which in this case is very appropriate since the grapes for this Cabernet were grown in the steep vineyard sites of the Todd Brothers Ranch in Geyserville. The wine has full-throttle black and purple fruits (enhanced by a bit of added Petit Verdot, Merlot, and Malbec) and a brawny, yet sophisticated structure.

Sourced from 25 to 30 year-old Chenin Blanc vines, the 2007 Domaine de la Poultière Vouvray Demi-Sec is just about half as sweet as a typical Kabinett Riesling from the Mosel. The sweetness is not at all cloying but the wine has just enough of it to add interest to the vibrant green pear, apple, quince and citrus flavors. The finish is stony, with fine acidity and hints of peach pit and slate. This young wine is still tightly wound owing to its recent vintage and will offer at the least several years of positive maturation. In fact, it should be just starting to really sing in time for the holidays.

This is a wine you could just sit and smell all day; scents of crushed blackberries, brown sugar and intriguing hints of smoke. The complex flavors of blueberry pastry and meaty fig sauce are long lasting. A “teeth-stainer,” but actually really open and inviting right now. A wonderfully-made expression of Syrah that you can really sink your teeth into.

From one of the few Austrian producers I can think of that are dedicated to making only red wines, the 2008 Iby Zweigelt is an interesting interpretation of the grape. Zweigelt is usually light and rather Pinot Noir-like; however, this example is much more full bodied, brawny and well oaked. Flavors of Black Forest cake, baked cherry and woodsy forest floor aromas are predominant. Serve at cellar temperature with something appropriately rustic. I’m thinking artisanal sausages.

A light and racy Loire Valley Sauvignon Blanc that that features exotic aromas and flavors of fresh pineapple, with hints of chive and cut grass on the minerally finish. I love the cool-climate style here; no fat, it’s all about the purity of the fruit.

If you have purchased red wines from southern France, from Priorat or Montsant in Spain, or perhaps a Zinfandel field blend from California, you might already be familiar with the Carignane grape and not even know it. The 2007 Mas Lavail Vieilles Vignes Carignane is made from 80-plus year-old vines from the town of Maury. Located between the mountains of the Pyrenées and Corbières, the vines thrive in the dry, sunny climate. The sun can be tasted in the bright red and purple fruit that coats the palate like crushed velvet. While the mid-palate is plush and rather creamy, the black schist soil found in this region makes itself known with a distinct impression of stony minerals and exotic spices behind all that fruit. Spicy, fruit-forward and without any hard edges, this wine is a must-try for Zinfandel and Côtes du Rhône lovers.

In May, 2008, I traveled to the small town of Roa in Spain to meet winemaker Miguel Hornillos. MiBal is a small production “garagiste” winery; the winemaking facility is literally in a converted garage, with an apartment upstairs to boot. Their vineyards are in the cooler eastern part of Ribera del Duero in high-altitude, relatively flat sites. Why is that important? Long days and very cool nights, where there can be an almost fifty degree swing in temperature, create structured, darker colored and more aromatic wines than those produced further to the west. The 2006 MiBal Tinto is no exception. Made of 100% tank fermented Tempranillo, it has very pure and rich flavors of black raspberry, blueberry and crème de cassis, notes of milk chocolate, and a definite chewy character to the tannins. Stock up on this limited production wine to pair with grilled lamb chops, which are a popular item in Spain.

Made from Irsai Oliver, a Hungarian relative of what we call Muscat; that relationship is easily understood by the first sniff of this wine’s flowery nose. Flavors of clementine oranges, tangerines, citrus peel and lychee fruit fill the glass and are buoyed by firm acidity. Unlike many Muscat wines that have become increasingly popular as of late, this wine is completely dry. I’d pair this with honey-glazed ham, Asian cuisine, or just about any poultry that has a sweet or spicy element. A star in the making, wines like this show the promise of Hungarian wines’ future, and help to shed the memory of the poorly made wines of the past.

The 2003 vintage of Sa’etta (“Thunderbolt”) continues to make a name for itself as a great example of a premium Tuscan red. 100% Sangiovese from 30+ year-old vines and aged up to 24 months in oak provides lush black cherry and plum fruit within a stylish frame of fine tannins with vanilla and mineral nuances.

Light and racy, this Aussie Pinot manages to be varietally correct in a day and age where many Pinots seem to taste more like Shiraz. Medium-garnet in color; flavors and scents of dark cherry, pomegranate and some musky, woodland forest action (a good thing) make this Pinot very intriguing at this price.

Pierre Amadieu’s 2009 Côtes du Rhône Roulepierre has wonderful scents of smoked cherries and crushed fruit. It’s fairly full-bodied with intense black and red fruit flavors, and a powerfully long finish with a lot of fine, youthful tannins. This is quite concentrated for a Côtes du Rhône and tastes like a junior Châteauneuf. Made from 75% Grenache and the rest Syrah, it should have several years of positive development in the bottle and is a real value.

Historically grown in southwestern France, this grape has been adopted by the wine industry in Uruguay, much like Argentina has done with Malbec. This unoaked example is a perfect introduction to the grape. Deep purple in color with a hint of magenta at the rim the nose displays lots of blueberries and a definite whiff of lead pencil. More blueberries and black currants coat the palate as the fine tannins and good acidity carry smoke and stone hints through the flavorful finish. Without a trace of oak and at only 12.5% alcohol the wine is still full-bodied, complex and delicious. I wish there were more wines made like this.

This 100% Cabernet Franc rosé is a light and refreshing wine with racy raspberry and watermelon flavors. A hint of herb on the finish keeps the wine appropriately dry. The 2009 vintage of this wine was a surprise hit and the 2010 picks up right where the last one left off.

In 2005 I was lucky to have traveled to the rather remote area of Apulia in Italy. The small town of Andria is overlooked by a 13th century castle called Castel del Monte, which lends its name to the appellation this wine is produced in. Made from an indigenous grape called Uva di Troia (also called Nero di Troia) this chewy red captures in essence the rocky, sun-baked landscape of Apulia. Forward flavors of smoked cherries, raspberries and espresso; the wine finishes with some pretty serious tannic grip. This one should appeal to Zin lovers.

St. Laurent is not an obscure town in Quebec, but rather a grape thought to be a family member of Pinot Noir. It does have pinot-like sensibilities, but in this case a little more body and liqueur-like body and color. A finely made wine and a rare treat, indeed.

Extremely light in color, in fact, almost colorless. The wine has very expressive nose of stone fruits with uncommon flavors of green banana, mango, and grapefruit. A crisp style of Chardonnay that has decent weight and a long, stony finish. Intensely flavored and fairly assertive for an unoaked wine at this price point.

Not your typical juicy, fruit-bomb Merlot, this Napa Valley effort has excellent structure, complexity, and balance. A nose of dark cherry, plum, cedar, violets, and savory herbs leads to a palate with persistence and finesse. Recommended for lovers of Bordeaux, or Merlot drinkers looking for a bit more refinement than usual. Try with any grilled or roasted beef or pork.

The nose on this Pinot Gris has an almost late-harvest-like quality to it; very fruity. Flavors of creamed peaches and ripe banana follow and are intertwined with fresh acidity. A rich example with a slightly oily and almost off-dry character. I’d serve this with dishes that incorporate fresh fruit and/or cream.