One of the best vintages in years in Spain's Campo de Borja and Calatayud wine regions was 2007, so you owe it to yourself to pick up a few of these. At $10, why not? Itís a big, bold, hefty red not lacking in fruit. Savor the lush raspberry, roasted cherry with plush yet leathery tasting tannins and balanced acidity. Perfect with grilled beef. Sw=2. $10. 4 stars.

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This time of year, states north of Florida lead the good life. Just in time for the Memorial Day holiday, Mother Nature ushers in mild weather up there while she shoves torrid 90 degrees/80 percent humidity down my throat. But it signals the official beginning of grilling season and that’s always a good thing. So grab what you got in the fridge and get cooking.

Which might be chicken sausages...

Western Australia's cool climate Margaret River produces bracing and grassy sauvignon blancs and austere yet spicy shiraz. Leeuwin remains a favorite from this region, offering this zesty, herbaceous, green apple and lemon/lime white blend. The addition of semillon gives it a slightly mineral, white pepper finish. Sw=1. $20. 4 stars.

This wine is featured in this week's Corkscrew column -...

Listening to the pre-trip food-poisoning, bug-eating horror stories, I expected to lose weight. But far from the miracle Dexatrim solution I’d envisioned, my recent vacation in China proved to be an incredible culinary adventure.

China is far more modern, clean and sophisticated than I ever imagined, at least in the cities. Its citizens are warmly hospitable and enthusiastically curious about...

Spring presents perfect weather for sauvignon blanc. From the king of New Zealand comes another reliably charming wine ñ capped with a screwtop, no less. Its green grass aromas give way to dry, crisp acidity, ripe Granny Smith apples, zingy lime and plenty of refreshing grapefruit. The 2008 trumps previous vintages. Sw=1. $13. 5 stars.

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Cool climate Carneros delivers up some great pinots and chards, and this refined Artesa beauty delivers value too. Soft, elegant tannins and subtle acidity break into bright, luscious red cherry, raspberry, apple pie spice and a long, dusty finish. Surprising price on a pinot of this quality. Sw=2. $22. 4.5 stars.  

This wine is featured in this week's Corkscrew column - Craft Projects for...

Navigating the wine world's vernacular can be tricky. Here's a glossary to help you survive among the latest linguistic landmines.

Malolactic Fermentation. Even Microsoft Word swiggly-lines "malolactic," a scientific word previously confined to a winemaker's lab. Malolactic fermentation, or "Em El" (get it, M-L?) in wine circles, got released to the wild when Americans fell in love with...

Sauvignon blanc is a bit of a chameleon. In a cool region, it's green and grapefruity, but grow it in a warmer climate and blend in a bit of softer, creamy sauvignon musque and you get this wine. Soft, elegant and honeyed, with a green herby follow up. Lovely and lively with a tart finish. Sw=2. $22. 4 stars.

This wine is featured in this week's Corkscrew column - Traversing Wine Geekdom.