(6) Wines that cost $10-20

• Our rating:
• Wine 101 style: earthy and smooth
• Look for at: wine.com

I got this wine to go with the spaghetti I made tonight, and I was reminded how much I love a Ripasso. This one was good, not great, and with my tomato dish, the strong acid and dense red fruit was a nice companion. The earthy nose was better than the sharp mouth, but more complex tannins and a slightly softer taste would have pushed this wine a few notches higher for me. But for $13, it wasn’t a bad buy, and I’d get it again – unless there was another Ripasso for the same price I hadn’t yet tried. ($13)

• Our rating:
• Wine 101 style: crisp
• Look for at: wine.com

At $11 a liter — yes, yes, yes! This Riesling is a great value wine during these hard times, and it is a good table wine. At 12% alcohol, this is an acidic, not sweet, Riesling that would pair well with seafood, shellfish, or light meats. With citrus notes that are not too overpowering, I’m drinking it with turkey burgers tonight, but I would also enjoy it without food on the front porch. ($11)

• Our rating:
• Wine 101 style: crisp
• Look for at: wine.com

Made from the Muscat Blanc grape, the 2007 Muscato Blanco is an outstanding offering of this varietal. With an overpowering nose of flowers, peaches, and apricots, I could sniff this wine all day. In the mouth, this is a lively wine with fruit and flowers competing for your attention in this light bodied, delightful summer wine. ($16)

• Our rating:
• Wine 101 style: smooth
• Look for at: wine.com

With a name developed as a play on the copyrighted Italian wine moniker, Super Tuscan, Flat Creek Estate’s own Super Texan is a Sangiovese based blend that offers real varietal character. Opening with cherry, smoke, leather, and a little black olive, this wine is all Sangiovese. In the mouth the wine sticks to its Sangiovese backbone with dark, dried fruit, leather, and very fine grained tannin. This wine is definitely food friendly and would be welcome accompaniment for grilled meat or tomato based pasta dishes. ($20)

• Our rating:
• Wine 101 style: sleek
• Look for at: wine.com

Having recently tried the Joe Blow 2005 California Red wine, I can say that I like Joe Blow Wine Cellars — they make nice blends. The Joe Blow 2005 White is comprised of Chardonnay, Viognier, Chenin Blanc, and Sauvignon Blanc. The Chardonnay and Viognier provide a nice medium to medium-full body and hold the touch of oak well, while the Chenin Blanc and Sauvignon Blanc provide some nice acid and bring it back into a sleek wine style. With a bit of an exotic floral nose, the acid in the mouth make this wine enjoyable with or without food. ($12)

• Our rating:
• Wine 101 style: soft
• Look for at: wine.com

This rosé from Valencia came home with me for two reasons. First, the wine is made from Bobal, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon, and Bobal is yet another grape in my quest for membership in De Long’s Wine Century Club. Second, the wine was recommended by my good friend Michael (not the Michael of this website) at Central Market. I can now add a third reason, it is a good rosé. With a pleasant nose of watermelon and plums and a mouth full of light red fruit and watermelon, this is a summer wine. It paired well with grilled quail. ($11)

• Our rating:
• Wine 101 style: crisp
• Look for at: wine.com

This is the first wine that I have tasted that was made from the Huxelrebe grape, but the Koster-Wolf family has been at it since 1684 and the 11th generation is currently in charge. The 2007 Huxelrebe Kabinett opens with a nose of spice and herbs with some green apple (the nose reminds me of Gewurztraminer). This is a light bodied wine with only 9.5% alcohol, but it still packs plenty of spice, green apple, and acid in every swallow. This wine would go well with pork cooked with Calvados. ($15)

• Our rating:
• Wine 101 style: smooth
• Look for at: wine.com

I found this California blend of Syrah, Merlot, Petite Syrah, Zinfandel, and Cabernet Sauvignon at the HEB grocery store tonight for $8. I was super-excited to find such a great wine for the money until my girlfriend reminded me that it normally costs around $14. Oh well. The Joe Blow 2005 Red has a bit of pepper (from the Syrah), blackberry, tobacco, and chocolate on the nose, and rich fruit (from the Zin) in the mouth. With a medium-full body, mild tannins, and a touch of acid, this is a versatile house wine. The Joe Blow 2005 California White wine is very nice as well. ($12-14)

• Our rating:
• Wine 101 style: sleek
• Look for at: wine.com

This rosé from the south of France is one of my favorite wines of the summer. Sabine is a blend of Syrah, Grenache, and Cinsault that shows watermelon, raspberry, dried flowers, and a smooth dry finish. The 13.5% alcohol may show through if you are sensitive to that sort of thing. ($11.75)

• Our rating:
• Wine 101 style: soft
• Look for at: wine.com

The more I drank this 2006 Chardonnay from Edna Valley Vineyard, the more I liked it. Only lightly oaked, the oaky and spicy aromas are well-balanced by aromas of peach and pineapple. Medium-full bodied and coming in at 13.9% alcohol, it still has enough acid and light enough oak to go well with the traditional pairings of seafood, chicken, or pork. And at $11, it’s a pretty good price for a Chardonnay from California. ($11)