Wines to Buy and Try

I mostly drink California red wines. If, based on what you read here, you have some advice for me, I'd love to hear it: emcquarrie@mailer.scu.edu.

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Good Choices under $10

JLohr Paso Robles Cabernet (about $8 at Safeway etc.) Very smooth, nice chocolaty taste. Good finish. Easy to like.

Geerlings and Wade Personal Wine Buying Service (800 782-9463). They offer several Napa Cabernets "selected from barrel tastings of unreleased lots by our wine consultant"--whatever. These are typically priced about $8/bottle, and G&W charges only nominal shipping and handling fees of $3.95/case (which blows most other wine-by-mail arrangements out of the water). I find them pretty young and raw when first released, but a year in the basement does wonders. I've had good luck with the Seacliff, Devina, St. Carolyne, and Amsbury cabernets. "Meaty and real" come to mind as adjectives. These are not great wines, but they are, above all, not insipid wines. A nice choice with midweek meals.

Good Choices $10 to $15

I visited the Wine Club in Santa Clara (Coleman Avenue, near the Costco) and was truly impressed with their selection of Cabernet and Meritage wines priced between $10 and $20.

Estancia Meritage. A wonderful wine-it just tastes great. Not being a wine critic with an educated palate, I have to fall back on words like "delicious." About $14-but Brentanos had the 1991 on sale for $10.88 during late 1995. Try it!

Good Choices over $15

Cinnabar Cabernet. A local winery located uphill of Saratoga. Rich and assertive-a quality wine. As obvious as good breeding. The 1989 was available at Cosentinos San Jose for $15.99 as of January 1996; I Giatti, a small restaurant on Main Street in Los Gatos, offers it by the glass. I guarantee you will be impressed.

Ridge Winery Zinfandel. Try especially the Pagani Ranch-just a class act by any measure.