(1) 3/5-star rated wines

• 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: smooth
• Look for at: wine.com

Even though the Nabers have adopted the Aussie spelling for their wine, the 2006 Shiraz is not quite as bold or over the top as the name might suggest. The 2006 from Flat Creek is a blend of 75% Shiraz and 25% Tempranillo, and the Tempranillo contributes aromas and flavors of plums and leather to the cherry notes brought by the Shiraz. The wine also displays toasted barrel aromas, such as mocha and coffee, on top of this medium-full bodied wine. ($22)

• 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: bold
• Look for at: wine.com

Located in the Sta. Rita Hills AVA in Santa Barbara County, California, Sea Smoke Vineyards specializes in making monster Pinot Noirs. By using ripe grapes, cold water soaks, extended maceration — the whole nine yards so to speak — they typically succeed. I have enjoyed Sea Smoke Southing in the past, and the 2006 is not bad wine… it is just not great. With a nose of spicy ripe fruit (not over ripe) and sage, the wine promises a little more than it delivers. In the mouth, the wine shows red and black berries and dusty tannins, but it lacks some of the body necessary to carry its 14+% alcohol. I still keep an eye out for Sea Smoke wines, but their price to value ratio is getting rather large. ($60)

• 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: sparkling
• Look for at: wine.com

I grabbed this Prosecco because it is made from an unusual Italian grape, the Raboso. I am trying to taste at least 100 different grape varietals to become a member of De Long’s Century Wine Club. This salmon colored sparkler provided another grape for my list and was a good drink to boot. In the glass, this medium-light bodied wine showed red fruit and berries, and in the mouth, the wine was all cherries and bubbles with enough acid to keep it interesting. I like Proseccos, and this is a good one, even if it costs slightly more than $20. ($21)

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

Les Charmes from Cav de Lugny is the best selling white Burgundy in the US. Produce from a single vineyard of old vines, this Macon is a little richer and rounded in the mouth than most. Showing green apple, a little mineral, and a touch of parmesan cheese, this is a great wine for a simple meal or for simply drinking. ($10)

• 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)