IntoWine Staff

IntoWine asked our panel of experts to share their recommendations for the best wine to pair with Mexican cuisine: Mexican food is a cornucopia of ingredient s on a plate and to find a wine to work with the diversity of flavors isn’t easy. But the Kalyra Cabernet Sauvignon Lot 6 ($22) from Santa Ynez is full of black cherry, dark raspberry, oak and pomegranate combining to create a surprisingly rich cab with an acidic backbone that can stand up to grilled meats like carne asada and the subtle nuances of rice and beans. It’s also dynamite with guacamole! Not a powerful cab, the growing condition in Santa Barbara County allow it to be mild and charming. - Michael Cervin , Wine Judge, Restaurant Critic, and IntoWine Featured Writer

IntoWine asked our panel of experts to share their best pinot noir recommendations (for the money): Finding a good, value-priced Pinot Noir —i.e., for $20 and under--has been a real challenge over the past decade, when the demand for Pinot Noir grapes has driven up the price growers charge to producers, leading to higher and higher consumer prices. Significantly lower yields in vintages like 2010 and 2011 haven’t helped either. And although a lot of Pinot Noir has been planted each year since the Sideways phenomenon made the grape the wine world’s hottest commodity, those plantings and the speed with which they get mature enough to be the source of wine (minimum three years) have still lagged behind demand. The best sources for Pinots at this price level in California have been La Crema (their Monterey appellation bottling is usually $20 or less) and Cambria Estate Julia’s Vineyard Santa Maria Valley ($20 or less). The lowest priced, decent Pinot Noir I’ve tasted from the State in the last few years has been the Mark West, simply a California appellation, for about $11. The real value source for characterful Pinot Noir these days, however, is New Zealand. They can be a bit more of a challenge to find on U.S. shelves, but are well worth the hunt, for both quality and value. Some of the best recent releases I’ve tried, that can be had for $15 to $20, are from Coopers Creek (I especially loved their Razorback bottling from Central Otago), Saint Clair, Stoneleigh, Te Kairanga and Wither Hills. You’ll find a delicacy, lightness and good acidity in these Kiwi Pinots that make their value pricing no contest when compared to similarly priced domestic Pinot. - Richard Jennings, IntoWine.com Featured Contributor and the Founder RJonWine.com

Talbott Vineyards in Monterey Country is one of the regions top Chardonnay and Pinot Noir producers. Owner Robb Talbott, son of Robert Talbott who started a high end clothing line in the 1950s, first planted vineyards in 1982 and quickly established his label as one of the premier wineries in the Santa Lucia Highlands. Though much has changed in Monterey County in the last 30 years, Talbott nonetheless continues to craft wines that truly reflect a sense of place.

Lynfred Winery was entirely a creation of the love and ingenuity of Fred and Lynn Koehler. Between Lynn's ideas and Fred's practicality, they created one of the most unique attractions — not to mention gourmet tastes — in the United States today. The Koehlers were pioneers in the Illinois wine industry, and their road was not an easy one. Naturally, getting the business of a winery in Roselle, Illinois, off the ground took quite a while. Starting in an historic house that was originally built by the Hattendorf family in 1912, the Koehlers quickly went to work restoring the house and organizing a cellar to expand their "hobby" into a business. Lynfred Winery is celebrating 32 years in 2011. The winery has come a long way from the original tasting room opened in 1979. Lynfred has now expanded into a 24,000-square-foot facility. Fred still carries on the Lynfred legacy but has passed the winemaking duties along to Chilean-born Andres Basso. IntoWine recently caught up with Andre Basso to discuss wine and thoughts on current trends in the wine industry.