Saracina Vineyards 'Atrea' 2007 Mendocino County The Choir

76% Roussanne 24% Viognier. *

Pale golden color.

Rich smell, peach, apricot, melon, fresh-mowed grass. Reminiscent of a particularly fruity Sauv Blanc.

Fruity dry peach and apricot, long finish.

Excellent medium-to-full bodied bottle for $17.10, a stunner from this upscale brand of the former owner of Fetzer, declasse defined.

Fonseca non-vintage 20-year-old aged Tawny Porto

Medium-dark reddish brown color, like iced tea.

Sweet alcohol dominates the smell, home-made iced tea.

Warm sweet plum flavor, the barest hint of cherry cough syrup, gentle tannins at the finish.

Very good full-bodied bottle of dessert wine for $57.99, a glass a time, lasts for many days/weeks.

Bodegas Silvano Garcia 2007 Jumilla Monastrel Vina Honda

Very dark purple-red but not opaque.

Exuberant red cherry smell with plums.

Plum and cherry flavors, restrained use of oak, long finish.

Very good full-bodied bottle for $14.99.

Palazzone 2008 Orvieto Classico Superiore Terre Vineate

Pale golden color. Much petillance is visible upon opening but it quickly blows off and is never very noticeable on the tongue.

Apple smell with walnuts and melon, peach at the end.

Rich dry apple and melon, pleasantly bitter walnut at the end.

Very good surprisingly full-bodied bottle for $13.99.

Familia Mayol 2007 Vista Flores Bonarda Pircas Vineyard

Bonarda is grown in California as Charbono.

Opaque purple, red at the rim.

Smell of plum, prune, raisins, cherry.

Dry taste of prune, raisin, and fig. Tannins in the finish.

Very good full-bodied bottle for a bargain $14.99.

Terres Dorees Jean-Paul Brun 2009 l'Ancien Beaujolais

Part of the 2007 vintage was not permitted to be sold as Beaujolais. Apparently that scuffle is over.

Medium-dark red/purple color.

Ripe blackberry smell, blueberry growing in dense bushes

Blackberry, raspberry, and red cherry flavors, long food-friendly acid ending.

Good medium-bodied bottle for $19.99.

Domaine Collin non-vintage Cremant de Limoux

Cremant de Limoux is an AOC defined in 1990 as a more Champagne-like alternative to Blanquette de Limoux and is made with Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, and Mauzac. Sometimes, as in this bottle, Pinot Noir is added.

Extremely pale color, many tiny vigorous bubbles.

Smell of pear juice with a trace of peach.

Dry pear and apple flavors, fruity, lemony finish.

Very good light-to-medium-bodied bottle for $16.99.