The Wine's the Thing

Three intriguing vintages under $10 per bottle:

Fetzer 1999 Valley Oaks Syrah ($8.30-$7.60):  this is really, 
really good.  The wine is nearly black, and says so on the back 
label, which is often applied upside-down.  (I was surprised to 
find the hue matches the color of my favorite garnet.)  It has 
three complex levels of flavor, including a long peppery finish.  
Good with food, or by itself.  I love the idea of sitting down in 
front of a snapping fire with my favorite book, my favorite 
person, and the cats, and enjoying this Fetzer with baguette and 
good Brie.

Fortant de France ($5.99, if you can find it):  I first tasted 
this at a Mediterranean restaurant.  And we won't consider French-
bashing with my background (Some thousand years ago, Deaver was 
originally D'Evereux, from Normandy.)  I've only seen three types, 
White Merlot, Merlot, and Chardonnay.  The White Merlot is a bit 
sweeter than most, but the flavor owns excellent fruit, and is 
long and complex.  Good with food or by itself.  (And the bottle 
is beautiful.)  The Merlot is more classic in flavor, complex and 
more reserved, so it's better with barbecued beef or pepper-
crusted pork.  The Chardonnay is very good, in my opinion a close 
second to Talus in richness and "legs".  It's much "fatter" than 
Fat Bastard, and costs less.

[Yellow Tail] Southeastern Australia Merlot, 2002:  You won't 
believe the flavor of this young Merlot!  When it first came out, 
I didn't much like it because it was too sharp.  But during the 
next two pressings, something changed for the better.  It's dark, 
plummy, complex, and just plain good.  And cheap:  the big bottle 
runs $10-$10.95.  I found out that this brand eclipsed Lindemann's 
a few months after it was first marketed.  It's good with 
anything.  The Merlot is more friendly than the Shiraz, which 
tends to be not as flavorful.  That may change with ageing.  The 
Chardonnay I don't like much--it leans more toward a grapefruit 
flavor without much behind it, and owns a slight effervescence 
which blows the unrestrained cork out of the bottle after it's 
been sitting awhile.  I'm using the Chardonnay for cooking.