Wine Recommendations

The Rhone valley produces many great wines such as Hermitage and Chateauneuf du Pape . It also produces great value wines such as Cotes du Rhone . Straddling both categories are some very good wines at reasonable prices including wines from the region of Gigondas (pronounced “zhi-gon-dahs”). Often referred to as the poor man’s Chateauneuf du Pape, these wines are very similar to the style of wines of Chateauneuf albeit slightly lesser in quality. The quality on many Gigondas wines has, however, greatly increased over the last decade.

IntoWine.com asked our panel of wine experts to suggest a great wine to pair with grilled salmon. While pinot noir seemed to rule the roost as a common favorite, chardonnay proved that wine pairing is beholden to the variances of the human palate as we had strong recommendations both for and against chardonnay.

IntoWine.com asked our panel of wine experts their recommendation for one California Central Coast wine worth seeking out (but which won't break the bank): Tucked into the sun-drenched hills of Paso Robles, the vineyards and winery of L’Aventure continue to impress. Directing the project from the soil up is Stephan Asseo, a ‘renegade’ vigneron who understands that incredible wine must be and can only be a truthful expression of place. Never short on sensibility, Asseo planted his warm Central Coast vineyards to Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon , and Petit Verdot in the late 1990’s and has since been reaping the benefits. Find L'Aventure Wines During a recent visit to the estate, I had the pleasure of tasting the 2006 L'Aventure Optimus , a blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Syrah, 5% Petit Verdot. This is a big, big wine that is as friendly and approachable when young as it is soft, supple and voluptuous while it ages. If you can find it, try it. This wine frequently sells out and is highly sought after. (About $45) - Benjamin Spencer , a diploma student with the Wine & Spirit Education Trust, writes for IntoWine.com about wine from a winemaker's perspective.

The region of Tuscany makes many outstanding and well knows wines. Intowine.com has already explored Super Tuscans , Chianti ,...

Cheap Wine is Au Courant With all our economic woes, it is nice to know you can cut back on wine, without having to “cut back on wine,” if you know what I mean. Bargains are everywhere these days, with many premium wines actually lowering their prices to retail outlets. But you can also find excellent quality wines and hidden gems in the under $25 range. And my philosophy is that price does not always dictate quality when it comes to good wine.