Wine Producers, Growers, & Labels

German Rieslings are, to put it bluntly, misunderstood wines. German winemakers will tell you that Riesling is their country's flagship wine and that the Riesling grape works perfectly with the cooler climates and slaty soils of German river valleys. If, however, you ask a group of non-German wine drinkers to tell you about Riesling, several of them will probably use phrases like "too sweet" and "doesn't pair well" in their descriptions. In my opinion, they are missing out on one of the world's great wines.

When one thinks of dry wines from Italy’s Piemonte, they are usually red wines. There is a white wine though that should be on everyone’s radar. I am speaking about Arneis. It is the perfect white for transitioning from summer to autumn. Arneis is both the name of a wine and the grape from which it is made. The name means “little rascal” in Piemontese dialect, so named because it can be difficult to grow. Historically that difficulty was because the better situated vineyards were planted with the “more important” red nebbiolo grape leaving the “lesser” sites for Arneis.

IntoWine asked a panel of wine experts to recommend the best Rhone red wine (for the money): With the price of Chateauneuf-du-Pape skyrocketing , now is a good time to explore some of the other Rhone Valley AOCs that offer good wines at better values. Just north east of Chateauneuf-du-Pape is the sun-drenched village of Vacqueyras. As if being overlooked by those on the prowl for Chateauneuf-du-Pape weren’t enough, like a younger sibling lost in the shadow of its glamorous older sister, Vacqueyras often plays second fiddle to its northerly neighbor Gigondas. Well the vineyards of Vacqueyras may not be as picturesque as those of Gigondas , their wines may not be as long lived, and they may not have received AOC status until nearly 20 years after Gigondas, but wines from Vacqueyras offer a rustic simplicity that make one think of enjoying a hearty cassoulet in a tiny cobblestone French village. By law the wines must be at least 50% Grenache with Syrah and Mourvèdre making up at least 20% of the blend. A fine example of Vacqueyras is the 2006 Clef de Murailles . This wine is made out of grapes grown from a local grower’s co-op and offers a classic expression of what the region produces at an affordable price. Deep and brooding, the wine is uninfluenced by oak so the spicy, mineral-laden terroir shines through. There is a touch of red fruit to this wine, but it’s not for the faint of heart. If you’re looking for a jammy fruit bomb, stick to California; this is not your wine. But if you’re interested in taking a chance on an honest, traditional wine from a region that is generally ignore, pop open a bottle of Clef de Murailles. - Kareasa Wilkins , Wine Consultant for Weimax Wines & Spirits in Burlingame, CA and an IntoWine Featured Writer

IntoWine.com asked a panel of wine experts for their recommendation for the best Bordeaux Red (for the money): As Bordeaux classified growths have all hit stratospheric price levels in recent vintages, this becomes more and more of an impossible quest for those of us who still follow the Bordeaux scene—albeit with a lot less of our own money than we used to. The average price of the nearly 10 dozen Bordeaux poured at this year’s Union des Grands Cru Bordeaux event was north of $75—more than most Americans would ever pay for a bottle of wine. I’ve tasted through a great many of the highly touted 2009 and 2010 Bordeaux, and can only really recommend a handful of very relative bargains. The best price-to-quality performer among the classed growths in 2010 is second growth Château Gruaud Larose, whose delicious offering I rated 94.5 points. Its average U.S. price currently is “only” $97. My very top value pick from the vintage, and one that I grabbed a case of, is Graves-based Château de Chantegrive ($23). Other solid choices for QPR in 2010 are Pomerol’s Château La Pointe ($55); St. Émilion’s Château Grand Mayne ($53) and Château Berliquet ($43). - Richard Jennings, IntoWine.com Featured Contributor and the Founder RJonWine.com

IntoWine asked a panel of wine experts to recommend the best wine to pair with a Caesar Salad: In the boxing match of food and wine pairing , Caesar salad defeats wine nine times out of ten. There’s hardly a menu item out there that is more wine unfriendly. Salad in and of itself is always a challenge to pair, but one that is comprised of a creamy sauce made of eggs, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, parmesan cheese and anchovies inevitably makes most wines taste awful. But I recently discovered one contestant who can step up to Caesar’s punch. Domaine Patrick Coulbois makes a lovely Sauvignon Blanc from the Loire Valley’s Pouilly-Fumé region called Find "Les Cocques" “Les Cocques,” The grapes for this wine come from 50-year-old vines grown on silex soil. Les Cocques has gorgeous notes of fresh herbs and citrus which work quite well to complement the salad, and its racy acidity allows it to stand up to the intensity of the dressing. Moreover, a slight hint of minerality from the soil works in harmony with the briny anchovies. Caesar salad has finally met its match! - Kareasa Wilkins , Wine Consultant for Weimax Wines & Spirits in Burlingame, CA and an IntoWine Featured Writer

Spanish red wines are popular around the world. In fact, Wines From Spain reports that 43 million people around the world say they drink Spanish wine "often," according to a recent study.

IntoWine asked a panel of wine experts for their best Merlot recommendation taking cost into consideration: Great Merlots from Napa Valley easily run $50 to $75 and higher. The best value recommendations for Merlots that I’ve rated 92 points or higher in the last couple years—the only two that can be found for under $30—are the ’09 Fields Family from Napa Valley’s Oak Knoll Distric (92+ points, averages $26) and a delicious, complex Merlot from Slovenia, the 2008 Batič (92+ points; $29). Among Merlots I’ve rated 90 to 91+ points in the last couple years, the best values are Merryvale’s Starmont (averages $24, 91 points), Frostwatch Bennett Valley ($28, 91+ points), Waterbrook Reserve Columbia Valley, Washington ($23, 90 points), Field Stone Alexander Valley ($17, 90 points), and Wildhurst Reserve Lake County ($15, 90+ points). Richard Jennings, IntoWine.com Featured Contributor and the Founder RJonWine.com.