Colby Red 2010

This is a blend of Cabernet, Zinfandel, Shiraz, Merlot and Petite Sirah, made by Darrel Groom, with the proceeds going to The American Heart Assoc. and other heart related charities. The wine is full and lush, with rich black fruit, spice, anise and black pepper notes. The wine is better than it's $11 price tag, and makes for a good Monday through Thursday red wine.

Robert Craig 2009 Affinity

I loved the 2009 Affinity, even at 8am this morning, I generally don't like cabernets until at least 10am. The 2009 is a robust, well rounded, fruit packed glass of wine. Flavors of red and black fruits, coffee, sweet oak, chocolate and licorice, are interlaced with hints of spice and minerals. The finish is long and firm, with supple tannins. This one is wonderful now, and will only get better with cellaring. $48

Domaine de la Quilla 2010 Muscadet Sevre et Maine

This fragrant wine shows aromas and flavors of citrus fruits, apricots, floral notes and limes. Medium bodied and dry, with not quite all the acid that comes with sauvignon blancs. Beautiful on a spring day for sipping, and an excellent choice for seafood of all types. A very nice value at $11 a bottle.

Steele 2008 Carneros Pinot Noir

A classic styled pinot from Carneros, for "real" pinot noir drinkers. The strawberry and cherry fruit flavors are married with earth and tobacco notes. There is enough fruit to carry the wine, but it not the over the top style that many wineries are producing. This is one of the better pinots to pair with foods.

Writer's Block 2008 Malbec

Jed Steele brings us this Malbec from Lake County, California. The wine is rich and full bodied, with flavors of black cherries, blackberries, toasty oak, vanilla. The ripe fruit flavors are give way to notes of spice, cannied fruit and caramel, with firm tannins on the finish. Nicely complex for a $15 wine

Domaine Philippe Portier 2010 Quincy

If you like Sancerre, you will like Quincy. 100 % Sauvginon Blanc from the Loire Valley, it is clean, crisp and delicate. Flavors of apples, pears, melons and citrus, with a stony mineral edge. Year in and year out this wine proves to be a great buy at $18 a bottle. Always one of my favorite affordable whites!

Domaine de Fondreche 2009 Cuvee Persia

This Cote de Ventoux is made mostly from Syrah with a small amount of Mourvedre. The wine dense and richly flavored, with notes of black fruits, anise, spice and minerals. While the wine is big and rich on the palate, the tannins are fairly silky. There is more wine here than the $27 price tag might suggest.

Neyers 2006 AME Cabernet Sauvignon

The AME is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, very well structured for long term cellaring, but drinks well young. The wine shows rich black currant and dark fruit tones, with hints of anise, spice, oak and coffee. The finish bold and long, with sweet ripe tannins. The AME is Bruce Neyers best expression of Cabernet each year and always a favorite at my house. Wine Spectator 92 pts. Wine Adovcate 91 pts.

Mas Lavail 2009 Cotes du Roussillon Villages

This is a wonderfully crafted blend of Carignan, Syrah and Grenache. Blackberry, and dried cherry tones are married nicely with hints of spice, earth and cedar. While the offer a big mouth feel, with dense fruit flavors, the tannins are soft and silky. A excellent $15 bottle to go with winters hearty stews and roasts, and summers BBQ.