Alberti 154 Tempranillo 2008

The 154 smells of earth, wood and barnyard (in a good way). On the palate, expect rustic earth and winter fruit. This is a dry red with a mellow finish. A little hot right out of the bottle, the wine's plum and cherry qualities shine after half an hour of air.

Durigutti Bonarda 2007

The Bonarda is an inky, cool red and offers heady scents of rich wood and leather. More fruit-forward than I expected, the wine quickly reveals layers of oak and fig, with chalky tannins and a slightly sweet finish.

It's a fairly intense wine that is mellow and versality enough to go with red pasta dishes and grilled meats.

Südtirol Alto Adige Pinot Grigio 2008

Pinot Grigio is one of the more popular everyday white wines, primarily produced in Italy. It straddles the line between sweet and dry, acidic and mellow, light and full bodied. But as wines go, it can be a challenge to find one that expresses a unique personality. I can't tell you how many times I've tried a Pinot Grigio that just tasted like pale white wine with little substance.

The Südtirol Alto Adige Pinot Grigio, however, has plenty of personality. The wine has a pale lemon color, and scents of fresh pear, honeydew, and white grape. The palate bursts with bright acidity and bit of effervescence, then quickly reveals layers of lemony citrus and green apple with clean mineral notes, a hint of oak, and a light peach finish. It's a really delightful wine.

Produced and bottled by Cantina Produttori Bolzano, these grapes live near Bolzano -- a small town in the far northeast of Italy, closely bordering Switzerland and Austria.

Louis Pierre & Fils Cotes du Rhone

This bright crimson-colored Cotes du Rhone hails from the Languedoc region - hugging the hills just above the sun-drenched Mediterranean Coast of France.

With colorful red hues of plum and bright violet, this wine has a delightful floral nose that expresses  aromas of racy cherry, dried red roses and hints of dark candied fruit. The rustic palate is gentle with a soft, medium-bodied dry balance of fruit that gently clings to the tongue while giving way to ripe flavors of raspberry, bing cherries, strawberries. The finish has lingering notes of baked red apples.

Tabali Reserva Viognier 2008

Lightest lemon in color, the Tabali Viognier shows scents of vanilla, melon and pear. On the palate, expect light acidity to brighten this otherwise smooth, medium-bodied wine that features apricot, honey and floral notes with a hint of ginger.

A lovely wine, and a great deal at around $6.

Upcoming event: The Mazer Cup International (mead)

Okay, it's not quite wine in the traditional sense. It's definitely not beer. Rather it's referred to commonly as "honey wine," being made from honey and water with a yeast process. To me, mead is sort of an oddity. Since I'm not keen on sweet alcoholic beverages, I don't really go after it but once in a blue moon.

If you're feeling meady, then plan on attending The Mazer Cup International in Boulder, Colorado this coming March 26-27. This event gathers professional and home brewers for a fierce competition featuring a variety of mead styles.

To learn more about mead in general, gotmead.com is a hotbed of information. For a local quaff,  Meadery of the Rockies makes some pretty good stuff from dry to sweet. They have a lovely tasting room in Palisade, and their inventory can be found in most liquor stores throughout Colorado.