Immortal Zin Old Vine Zinfandel, Lodi, 2008
Cost: $12-14
What: This wonderfully soft, smooth and fresh fruit wine is delightful on many levels. It’s full of rich, ripe fruit that we love with Zinfandel, but it’s not a high-alcohol fruit bomb that overpowers food.
It’s a well-balanced wine with layer after layer of flavor. It starts with [...]

When you’re headed out for a picnic, or even a backyard cookout, and you want to drink wine, you don’t want to lug around heavy, breakable bottles and fool around with corkscrews. So what do you do?
Don’t be a wine snob. Don’t laugh. Bring along a box of wine. The wine industry has come a [...]

One of the truths of winemaking is that the best wines come from vines that struggle. I think the same is true of winemakers.
A perfect example of that is Hidden Ridge Vineyard, owned by Casidy Ward and Lynn Hofacket. They produce a fantastic Cabernet Sauvignon on property that looks far better suited for mountain goats [...]

Xplorador Sauvignon Blanc 2009, Chile
Xplorador Cahrdonnay 2009, Chile
Cost: $7-9
What: These refreshing wines are terrific values, offering crisp, clean flavors at less than $10 a bottle. They are perfect for this time of year, when we suffer through the oppressive summer heat. The Xplorador label comes from the respected Concha y Toro family [...]

Clos du Bois Merlot North Coast, 2007
Cost: $14-16
What: This is a classic Merlot that stays at a consistently high quality level year after year. When you pour it in the glass, the aroma starts spreading immediately, releasing plum, blackberry and fresh flower notes. It is a beautiful deep ruby color.
The taste [...]

Treana Red 2007, California
Cost: $50
What: This blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah is a rich, full-bodied wine perfect for special occasions. The deep ruby color in the glass leads to concentrated aromas of cherry and plum. The taste picks up the dark stone fruit flavors seasoned by some spice and cocoa. [...]

Wine drinkers in the Augusta area have many choices when they decide they want some wine. Not only are we blessed with a handful of outstanding wine shops, but many restaurants in the area offer good selections by the glass and by the bottle.
The first thing I tell people who want to learn about wine [...]

Kim Crawford Chardonnay 2007, New Zealand
Cost: $16-18
What: When you mention New Zealand white wines, most people immediately think of Sauvignon Blanc. That’s dominant grape, especially for New Zealand wines sold in the United States.
But this Chardonnay should not be overlooked. It’s a great example of the exciting things going on in [...]

Blackstone Sonoma Reserve Merlot 2007, California
Cost: $19-21
What: This is a well-made example of California Merlot. I compared it to the regular Blackstone California Merlot which sells for $12-13, and while both are nice wines, it’s worth the extra money for the reserve.
Both wines have pleasant, fruity aromas, with a touch of oak. They are soft [...]