Bonterra Vineyards 2007 Merlot From Mendocino County, USA

This wine is worth every penny. It's a deep ruby red color and is richly-scented. Five years after its bottling, the wine is still vibrant (it tastes of cherries) and has a long finish that's reminiscent of "old world" wines (something between smoke, earth and leather).

This wines pairs well with hearty soups and meatloaf, or, can be enjoyed without food.

Paid $13.99 at Petzinger's

Meander 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon From Napa Valley, California

This wine is an excellent California cabernet sauvignon, but the only question is whether or not it is worth its hefty price. We paired this wine against a Francis Coppola Diamond Collection 2010 Black Label Claret Cabernet Sauvignon. At first sip, both wines were lovely. The Coppola wine was more "up-front," but was also harsher while the Meander was fruitier and lingered on the palate in a more pleasing way. An hour after opening, the Meander was better than when it was opened, but the Coppola had begun to fade away. I loved the Meander cabernet, but I don't think I can justify the purchase when there are good cabernets in the 20-dollar price range.

Paid $46.95 at Sherry-Lehmann

Dr. Konstantin Frank 2009 Semi-Dry Riesling From the Finger Lakes, USA

This is one of my favorite Rieslings. It's a sweet wine that can stand up to spicy cuisine, specifically, wasabi-heavy sushi and Indian dishes. It also pairs well with other "fusion" fish dishes. This wine is best drunk with food.

Paid $16.99 at Bay Ridge Discount Liquor

Penfolds 2010 Bin 51 Riesling From Eden Valley, Australia

This is quite possibly the worst wine that we've ever had (it has a screwcap, so there is no possibility that is was corked). From first pour, the wine smelled like rubber and around the table, it's taste was described as "gasoline" or "kerosene." Very disappointing.

Paid $19.95 at Sherry-Lehmann

Chateau D’Arche 2005 Cru Bourgeois Superieur From Haut-Medoc, France

This Bordeaux is one of the best red wines that I’ve ever had. At seven years old, the wine is a surprisingly deep red (I was expecting a rustier color) and is pure pleasure on the nose. It’s an extraordinarily well-balanced wine and is delightful from first sip until minutes after. The wine is fruitier than other Bordeaux’s (which are often earthy) and it has moderate but pleasant tannins that linger on the palate for some time after drinking. Pay up to $50 for this bottle.

Paid: $24.95 at Sherry-Lehmann

P.S. The label has a picture of a dove, holding an olive branch flying over an ark.

Remy Pannier 2010 Vouvray From Loire Valley, France

This is a poor wine at any price. At first whiff, the bar for this wine is set low, but the taste is even worse (there's a hint of blue cheese in there). The taste of alcohol stands out as just that – alcohol – and the sweetness of the wine is not what you would expect of the great Chenic Blanc whites that come from the Loire Valley. It’s sweet like a tray of mass produced Italian cookies. Only the aftertaste is somewhat normal. Very disappointing. 

Paid $14.99 at Kings Cellars in Brooklyn

P.S. There are excellent Loire Valley wines at this price point, this is not one of them.

Starborough 2011 Sauvignon Blanc From Marlborough, New Zealand

This wine is a fine example of what to expect from Marlborough sauvignon blancs. Compared to Mondavi Woodbridge sauvignon blanc (from California), the wine is more noticeably aromatic and has a brighter, fruitier and more acidic taste than the Woodbridge wine, which is earthier and has a slight sulfur taste (but still a very good wine for the money). Interestingly, the Starborough was enhanced by a rigatoni in cream sauce – the creamy pasta draws out the finish of the wine and makes each sip a long enjoyment.

Paid $12.99 at Kings Cellars in Brooklyn

P.S. The all green bottle, screw cap and starfish insignia make this a nice bottle to bring to a summer party.

Winsome 2009 Chardonnay From Lodi, California

This is one of the best chardonnays we’ve had in some time. It’s very drinkable without food and is a creamy/buttery chardonnay (no acidity or noticeable fruit flavors). It reminds me of Villa Mt. Eden, but it was not expensive. Don’t drink this with pizza – it does nothing for the wine.

Paid $13.99 at Kings Cellars in Brooklyn

P.S. The label has a very pretty painting of a sunflower on it by Chris Spencer.