Mirassou Pinot Noir

I'm a big fan of pinot noir. A really big fan of pinot noir. Because of this, I'm always happy to find a pinot noir that fits into my budget, which is exactly what I did with the Mirassou pinot noir. I drank this particular wine over Memorial Day weekend with a NY Strip that I personally seasoned and grilled to perfection. It was great.

The combination of the flavors from the meat and the smooth, rich flavors from the wine made for a truly enjoyable meal. Finding a pinot noir for under $10 ($8.99 at my local store) is a great find in itself, but finding one that can compliment a fine meal and be enjoyed well after the meal has been finished is an amazing find.

If you're in the market for a pinot noir that's smooth with no after taste and will compliment a good steak dinner, you can't go wrong with the Mirassou pinot noir from California. For the price, there really isn't any beating it. I give Mirassou Pinot Noir 4 stars out of 5. A definite must buy.

Bell'agio Chianti

I'll be the first to admit that I picked this wine up on a whim because I was in the mood for a chianti and the bottle caught my eye. Fortunately, it turned out to be really good for the price. Coming in at around $8.99, this Italian Chianti reminded me of exactly what it is I like out of a chianti - a simple wine that I can enjoy by itself or with a nice meal.

I enjoyed this chianti with a meal of Italian style meatballs over rice with a brown gravy - nothing fancy, but nice and hearty and warming on a day when I was, admittedly, feeling a bit under the weather. The nice tannins and dryness were exactly what I was craving, and while there was nothing complex or pretentious about this wine, it was the perfect compliment to the simple meal that I was enjoying.

If you're looking for a chianti that will redefine the varietal for you, this wine isn't it, but if you're looking for a nice house chianti that you can enjoy at home with a nice simple meal and that will add a bit of ambiance to your meal, this is absolutely the wine you want to go for. I give this bottle of wine 3.5 stars out of 5 because it's a good, solid chianti, but it won't blow your mind.

If you're looking for a bottle of Bell'agio Chianti, look here to see what you can find.

Ravenswood Vintner's Blend Zinfandel

I had been hesitant to try a red zinfandel based on the name association with white zinfandel, a wine I have a long distaste for (nothing personal, just not something I can get into). While shopping at my local market, a table had been set up for tasting some wines, and the Ravenswood Zinfandel was among them. Never one to turn down free samples, I tasted the wine. To say I was surprised would be an understatement.

The pepper at the finish was what caught me off guard the most, but in a good way. Finishing my far too tiny sample, I enjoyed the smoothness of the front end of the wine, but looked forward to the pepper at the end. Buying a bottle, I took this wine home and eventually enjoyed it with a meal of homemade jambalaya that had been made with shrimp and andouille sausage that possessed a smokey flavor that went very well with the pepper of the Ravenswood.

I cannot recommend this wine enough, and with a price range of $9 to $11, you really aren’t going to find a better deal on a very high quality zinfandel. This is a must buy and I give it 4.5 out of 5 stars. Go try this one today.