Bolla Pinot Grigio 2009

This mass produced white from one of Italy's largest combines does come from the Veneto but lacks the most salient characteristics of the variety. It's a fairly pleasant, light wine with touches of peach and citrus and entirely unmemorable. At $10.99 fcr the 1.5 liter bottle it's reasonably cheap though.

Herding Cats Chenin Blanc/Chardonnay 2009

This South African white is 80% Chenin Blanc, 20% Chardonnay. It's fresh, mild, the citrus elements of the former nicely balanced by the peach of the latter; the proportions are such that the wine stops well short of being sweet. Not outstanding but eminently drinkable, and the price, $7.99 for the 1.5 liter bottle, makes it the clear choice for serving at large holiday season gatherings.

Sella & Mosca La Cala Vermentino 2008

This white from Sardigna is apparently highly esteemed by the smart set that vacations there. It's a light drink, with a relatively low alcohol content, has a distinct floral element along with apple flavors, and a very slight salinity that makes it a good match for seafood. It went nicely with our steamed clams. For reasons best known to the PLCB it.s on offer here for both $11.99 (luxury) and $8.99 (chairman's selection). After much introspection I chose the latter.

Castle Rock Pinot Gris 2008

Don't expect anything like the Italian varietal. The edge and the flintiness are completely absent, replaced by a rather soft green apple element, balanced by vanilla. To me, it tastes almost like a Chardonnay. Castle Rock is not a winery, but an entrepreneurial combine that buys up grapes all over California's Monterey County and has the wine made for them, so I would expect considerable variations in quality. Nicely priced at $6.99.

Marques de Caceres Reserve 2004

Just so you don't that I have given up my campaign against the PLCB, I will report that we drank a bottle of this in Zamora. It is a truly noble wine, with deep cherry and licorice elements, powerful but at the same time austere. At the supermarket chain Carfour I paid $12. In PA the '01, which is probably over the hill by now, is on offer for $31.

Vignerons de Caractere Cotes du Rhone Villages 2007

To go with our Thanksgiving turkey we chose this red blend of Grenache, Mourvedre and Shiraz, produced by a cooperative at the Southern end of the region. The grapes thus don't come from a single vineyard. Neverheless, this is a very nice wine, exhibiting a pleasing blend of plum, dark berry and chocolate, with just the right amount of tartness in the finish. Well worth the price of $9.49.

Viva Espana

We are just back from two weeks in Spain where we sampled some nice wines, many that were new to us, some that were old friends. The price structure, even given the lamentable relationship of the dollar to the euro, hardly makes PA look good. I will confine myself to reporting that the Marques de Caceres red crianza, which goes for $15 here, is available for $7 and that we found the rose of that vineyard which costs $13 in PA for, hold your breath, $2.50. Someone is filling his pockets. We heard that the governor elect intends to take the state out of the liquor business. May he succeed in doing so!

Two of the wines we drank are available here:

Beronia crianza 2007. This is a pleasant red Rioja with with a soft dark berry flavor and a slightly smoky finish. We paid $10. What is available here is the unaged version, for $10.99.

Antano reserva 2005. This is a very nice red Rioja that is a finely blended mix of dark berry and chocolate, also with a smoky finish. We paid $12 and, believe it or not, the PA price is $11.99. I recommend it,