Before I recommend my summer wine list, let's discuss some guidelines to follow. I always say, know your limits. Now-a-days that has a double meaning. The first meaning is a "how". Know how much you can drink and be within the legal limit. This is very important in my book. Don't have so much wine that you are impaired in any way. Be responsible. The second meaning is also a "how". Know how much you want to spend for each bottle of wine. You need to set a dollar range of between X and Y - or between $7 and $14; or whatever your numbers are.

A guy I know thinks I am a cheapskate. He says I can rattle off 10 wines that sell for under $10 one week and then the next week rattle off 10 more wines for under $10 and they'll all be different. I do not think of myself as a cheapskate. Yes, I can rattle off wines for under $10, but I prefer to refer to myself as a value wine drinker. I want the best wine I can get and if I like it, I want to be able to go back and buy a case for under a C Note. (Ed note: For you younger readers, a C Note is what old people, like me, call a one hundred dollar bill. It has a picture of Ben Franklin on the face. And Yes - we still use cash.)

Once you know how much you are going to spend on a bottle, your job gets a lot easier. In the summertime, I like to save my money for important things like camping trips, propane for the grill and fly fishing trips. So I really go after value with a passion. This is also known as getting the most bang for the buck.

Here in no particular order is my summer wine list:

Red - Eye of the Toad (Pinot Noir Dry Rose)
White - Fetzer Pinot Grigio
White - Famega (White table wine)
White - Cristalino Brut (Sparkling)
Red - LaCarraia 2004 Sangiovese
White - Piper Heidsieck Cuvee Brut
Red - Canyon Oaks - Zin or Merlot
White - Torresella Pinot Grigio
Red - Red Diamond Shiraz
Red - Bogle Petite Sirah

We have several birthdays in the summer and our wedding anniversary. We also like a nice sparkling on a Saturday afternoon when we sit on the deck and relax while sipping some bubbly. Give it a try!

You should be able to get these wines in most parts of the country. I was surprised at the Bogle Vineyards selection. Buy a bottle and see what you think. Bogle has several different reds that you should try; Petite Sirah, Merlot and Zinfandel Old Vines to name a couple. Bogle also has a Chardonnay and a Sauvignon Blanc. The wines are value priced and the average price is around $8.

The same goes for the Fetzer brand. In the Dennis Martin interview he said that they try to produce value wines that are consistant from year to year. While I have not had any of their reds, the whites are very good.

I have been really impressed with wines from Chile and Argentina. In my interview (again) with Dennis Martin I mentioned this part of the wine world and he said that they are producing some really nice wines there and are definitely worth a look. Especially, in my opinion, since they are value priced. He does not know how they are able to produce the wines they do and not charge more. What can I say?

Everyone's palate is different. I am branching out and trying wines that are $25 and $35 each. The wines in this price range are very complex and I find myself trying to study the wine and the composition. Frankly, I will put my wine tasting of these wines on hold for summertime. With the exception of Fetzer and Eye of the Toad, I've not reviewed any of my value selections here at Bella.

It was 75 here today and supposed to be 45 tomorrow. It's - Spring time in the Rockies. The weather people are calling for 16" of snow in the mountains.

Until next time, let me know what is on your mind, and how you are doing, O.K.?

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Jim Fortune - Bella Online Wine Guy