Just in time for Labor Day weekend! Brief reviews of fantastic wines.

Rodney Strong Merlot 2001
Long a favorite of mine as a no-nonsense wine. This Merlot is for the red meat lover, the wine drinker who enjoys a hearty wine. It has aromas of cherries and dark berries. The texture is smooth with flavors of dark fruits, vanilla, and a hint of American oak. It has a nice body and rich flavors that linger nicely. It is a dark, almost blood red color. Grill up a porter house or a rack of lamb with garlic. $15.

Tour de Monestier Château Blanc Sec 2002
The blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon, and Muscadelle produces a wonderful white wine. It is wonderfully fruity while being classically dry. It has pineapple, citrus, tropical fruits, and green apple. A friendly French white with the friendlier price of $10.

Man Vintners Sauvignon Blanc 2004
At the end of this past school year I was looking for a going away present for one of my son's teachers. The teacher has a long Italian name that is shortened to "Mr. Man." When I saw the bottles of Man wine at Cost Plus I had to buy them. Fortunately they turned out to be quite good. This South African wine has light aromas of pineapple and lime, crisp tropical fruit flavors and well balanced acidity. I served my bottle with grilled shrimp and it was pure expression of Sauvingnon Blanc. Oh, "MAN" is an acronym of the vitners' wives' names. $9.00.

Beringer Founders' Estate Pinot Noir 2002
Yes, Pinot Noir is hip and hot right now. This wine is one reason why it should be popular. This wine is a ruby garnet color, with aromas of cherry, herbs, and spices. It has juicy cherry flavors and toasty oak notes. I like it with lamb, duck, and grilled pork loin. $13.00.