Villa Maria Sauvignon Blanc 2012

Your typical New Zealand Marlborough Valley Sauvignon Blanc tends to be fresh, flinty, with a mown grass element predominating. This one, however, has a good deal more body, with strong gooseberry and citrus flavors. $12.99.

Peter Weber Brut

One man's brut is another's demi sec, and that is what that Alsatian bubbly struck me as. It's relatively heavy-bodied and particularly unsubtle. Way over priced at $12.99.

Cantina Orazio Rosso Gastone 2010

If I were employed in an Italian vineyard to help with the harvesting, this is what I might expect to be given along with my free lunch at noon. It's from Liguria, and it's red. That's the best that can be said for it; othewise it's raw, more than fleetingly bitter, and in no conceivable manner worth the "sale" price of, hang on to your hats, $11.99. (Which reminds me that it's now been at least a year since the initiative to do away with the PLCB was introduced. In that period ( not that anyone cares) I've tried to be fair, praising the Board for whatever real bargains it was offering, and there were certainly some, but from here on in, I'll just save my breath and, whenever expedient and justified by price, order my wine from out of state. The PLCB succeeded admirably in running rings around the voters, but not around the courts.

Rosnay Vouvray 2011

Made of 100% Chenin Blanc, this white from the region of Tours is a so-called demi-sec. In fact, it leans more in the direction of sweet, with elements of pineapple and peach, only partially tempered by citrus. Given its minerality and and slight carbonization, I'd consider it as a dessert wine. $12.99, can be bought for two dollars less in N.Y.

Carpineto Dogajolo Bianco 2012

All that the term Super Tuscan guarantees these days is that the wine is indeed made in Tuscany. This white blend is on the mild side of "dry", with predominantly apple notes and some quince. $11.99, but it sells for two dollars less in a lot of places.

Les Rabassieres Cotes du Rhone 2011

Those must be some wierd truffles(ramassieres means truffles in the Provencal dialect, from having to stoop to dig them up, after they've been located by one's pet pig or dog) this red grows in the midst of. Even after a good two hours of airing, it tasted thin and unpleasantly bitter. Certainly not worth even the sale price of $9.99.

Anna de Codorniu Brut

The Holiday Season having snuck up on us, it's time to look at Cavas. This Catalonian white from Penedes is Spain's best selling bubbly. It's certainly not bad, but the rather unusual mix (not to say contradiction in terms) of pineapple and citrus is not precisely to my taste. When it comes to Cavas, I prefer the Freixenet. $8.99.