Egberts Spatlese 2006

By Sarah Green

My first inhale of Egberts Spatlese instantly transported me back to 1998 in the United Kingdom where I tasted my first glass of white German wine. While not nearly as sweet as that Leibfraumilch I tasted ten years ago, the Egberts Spatlese had a fragrant aromas of peach, apple, honey with a tinge of lemon and minerality.

As I tasted the wine, I first noticed a strong honey front, which was followed by a mineral flavor in the middle, and ended with a smooth apple and peach finish. The finish was lengthy, leaving a pleasant taste in my mouth as if I had just eaten a fresh granny smith apple a few minutes earlier.

This Spatlese is an off-dry wine and would pair very nicely with an array of spicy German sausage dishes, because the acidity and fruitiness of the wine would balance the fatty content in the meat. In addition, we determined that this wine would also pair with spicy Thai food and possibly even sushi.

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Murphy-Goode Cabernet Sauvignon 2005

By Charles Priddy Jr.

From before the middle ages, Cabernet Sauvignon has been known  as the staple of wine as we know it. The Murphy-Goode Cabernet Sauvignon, 2005 (Alexander Valley) wine is no exception.

In the beginning you are taken away with rich, hardy aroma of mild black berry and oak. The taste is that of a rich dusty oak with black berry and slight thyme finish. Prime rib with a wine reduction sauce would complement this well.

If you’re up to a succulent hardy meal this wine would truly suit your taste at below $20.

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Gabbiano Chianti 2006

By Jonathan Neitzel

Chianti is usually best served as a complement to many Italian dishes, and this bottle, Gabbiano Chianti 2006, is an excellent choice for  taste and price. At around $10 a bottle, this mildly oaked wine offers a smooth, earthy taste that hints of cherry in proper “Old World” style. A medium balance of acid and tannins coat the tongue and keep this wine soft to the palate. The wine offers a subtle but lasting finish of sour cherry that will balance out the sweetness of a homemade tomato or Bolognese sauce, can pair well with something as bold as a roasted leg of lamb seasoned with garlic and rosemary.

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Louis Jadot Macon-Villages 2006

By Felicia Anderson

It is said that this particular wine will be excellent served with clam chowder or pulled pork. When I tasted this wine, I could not help but get that quirky feeling in my mouth that my tongue was going to twist right out. Although, I do have to admit that the first taste that I tasted was apples and pears. There might have been a hint of butter in this wine, which would make it a perfect wine with clam chowder.

If you’re a wine connoisseur, or someone that loves wine, this is not a bad way to spend $12 on a bottle of wine and have a wonderful meal.

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Cristalino Brut NV

By Angel Lee

Looking for a Spanish wine that will complement your roasted turkey and apple stuffing or a light smoked fish dish, then try this inexpensive sparkling wine (less than $10 a bottle), Cristalino  Brut NV (Cava). It was clean and crisp to the palate. It had an apple base with a lot of fruit flavor when it first hit my taste buds. It was light in my mouth and it wasn’t extremely dry to the palate. The bubbles gave it the right bang for the buck.

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LesTuileries Rouge 2005

Most wine drinkers see Bordeaux as a great black hole made up of wine speak, unimaginably high prices, and an incredibly complex system of chateaux and classifications.

Which makes this wine (about $15) all the more welcome. It's a merlot and cabernet sauvignon blend in the classic Bordeaux style, but without any of the pretensions noted above. Classic means it's not a fruit forward popsicle, full of blueberry and cola, like most inexpensive Californa merlots. Rather, it has less fruit, more earthiness, and tastes more interesting. I stumbled on this when I was looking for a red Bordeaux to use for my Cordon Bleu class tastings, and it more than filled the bill.

Serve it with most beef (hamburgers on the grill wouldn't be bad at all) and even some meatier vegetable dishes.

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