2000 Eric Texier, Viognier, Cotes du Rhone $15.99

Gold in color, this wine has a forward, perfumy, floral nose of sweet violets and honeysuckle, with nuances of spice. On the palate, it is buttery and unctuous and delivers plenty of peach flavors, with creamy undertones, that metamorphose from sweet to dry. Light to medium bodied, the wine is well balanced with good acidity. The long, lasting finish is marked by orange zest with some toast notes. This wine was extraordinary with baked salmon. Imported by LDM Wines, Inc., New York, NY.

This wine was reviewed in our January 2002 feature on Viognier, A Wine by Any Other Name.

1997 Zaca Mesa, Cuvee Z, Santa Barbara County ($16.99)
Rusty garnet in color, this Rhone-style blend of Grenache (51%), Mourvedre (22%), Syrah (12%), Cinsault (10%), and Counoise (5%) has good legs. The nose is attractive, with smoke and wild mushroom aromas. Medium to full bodied, this wine is well structured, with big soft tannins and loads of fruit. It has plenty of tart plum flavors that evolve into cherry, as well as some hints of tobacco. The finish is good, with lingering flavors of tart cherry and oak. This is a very nice wine that's made for food. It was good with Sicilian spinach and cheese pizza but cried out for beef.

This wine was reviewed in our February 2002 feature on wine labels, Graphic Violations.

2000 Ascevi, Ribolla Gialla, Collio DOC ($16.00)
Light gold in color, this wine has an attractive creamy nose with crème brulée notes. There are also some secondary aromas of cloves and nectarines. Medium bodied, it has good acidity. Quite dry, it offers tart flavors like citrus pith together with some toast notes. It seems to cling to the palate. The finish is attractive and long, with tangerine tartness and cream. It supplemented a simple roast chicken, adding body to it. Imported by Niccolo Selections, Manhasset, NY.

This wine was reviewed in our March 2002 feature on the wines of Friuli-Venezia Giulia, And the Award Goes To....

1999 Domaine Borgeot, Bourgogne ($14.99)
Garnet in color with good legs, this is classic red Burgundy. It has a subtle, deep nose of strawberry and mushroom. Light to medium bodied, with good acidity, it's well structured with very soft tannins. On the palate, it delivers dry, tart cherry and vanilla flavors that linger. It has a long, tart cherry finish. It was very good with a simple roasted lamb and served as a counterpoint to the food. Imported by Vinifrance Imports, Inc., Arlington, VA.

This wine was reviewed in our April 2002 feature on Pinot Noir, Faithful Pinot Noir.

2000 Bodegas Cia. Vinicola de la Granja, Basa, White Wine, Rueda ($7.50)
This blend of Verdejo, Sauvignon Blanc, and Viura is very pale straw in color with slight tints of green. It has a forward nose of tropical fruit with some vanilla and herbaceous nuances. Light bodied and dry, it has an elegant mouthfeel. Crisp and tart, it offers lemon-citrus and mineral flavors along with classic Sauvignon Blanc grassiness. It has an adequate finish with lemon-citrus notes. It maintained its character with seviche and lenguando al limon (flounder in lemon sauce). A great value. Imported by Tempranillo Incorporated, Mamaroneck, New York.

This wine was reviewed in our May 2002 feature on Spanish white wines, White, The Other Spanish Wine.

1999 I Normani, Sannio Aglianico, DOC ($12.00)
This wine has a ruby color and long legs. The nose is pure toast complemented by floral, violet notes. Light to medium bodied, it offers deep, blue-plum flavors supported by supple tannins. Well structured with nice acidity, this wine has a good finish with wild cherries all the way to the end. It was unbelievably good with the traditional spaghetti in red sauce. A perfect match. Imported by Niccolo Selections, Manhasset, NY.

This wine was reviewed in our June 2002 feature on inexpensive Italian reds, Spaghetti Reds.

2001 Austin Vale, Chardonnay, South Eastern Australia ($9.99)
Pale yellow in color, this Australian import has a big, attractive nose, with fruit-blossom aromas, complemented by nuances of peach and citrus. There's some complexity to the nose. Medium to full bodied, this wine has loads of pineapple and peach flavor together with some butterscotch. The flavors linger, and the wine has a nice mouthfeel and good acidity. There's butterscotch and citrus on the finish, which is a bit more tart than the wine's initial flavors. It complemented the grilled tuna nicely. Imported by Austin Vale, San Luis Obispo, CA.

This wine was reviewed in our somewhat controversial July 2002 feature on mass-marketed wines, Beyond the Hype.

2001 Domaine Paul Blanck, Pinot Blanc D'Alsace, Alsace ($11.99)
Pale gold in color, this wine has a big, inviting nose with aromas of mock orange and honeysuckle that are rounded out by mineral notes. On the palate, it's medium bodied and fleshy with good acidity. It has a great mouthfeel with a bit of unctuousness. There's plenty of peach and grapefruit flavor. It finishes well with tart, pithy citrus. This wine complemented a selection of wursts perfectly. Imported by Michael Skurnik Wines, Syosset, NY.

This wine was reviewed in our August 2002 feature on Alsatian wines, Austere Splendor.