Babies on the brain

For a second there I thought you disappeared...

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If you shake her heart enough she will appear...

In vino veritas

Although the trees are already starting to bloom, we're still not quite in the comforting confines of spring just yet. Before we descend into our more notorious weather, I thought I'd better share with you some of my favorite red wines, as I promised to do months ago.

Like clockwork, when the cooler temperatures of fall slowly transform into the winter months, I find myself routinely craving a red wine over a white. Isn't it interesting that our bodies desire things cyclically and seasonally? It's not that I don't enjoy it year round, but I definitely drink more red wine when it is cold outside.

Don't you find it to be warming and relaxed, like an aged library with leather chairs and musty, old books? Well... that's what I think of and I suppose it shows in the wines I am drawn to. They tend to invoke these characteristics: smoky, full-bodied, smooth, with a hint of leather or chocolate, and a little spice, with some textured layers of flavor. All of the wines below embody these very features in one way or another.

Here are some of my current favorites starting with the least expensive. Most of these wines were purchased at either Trader Joe's, Fresh & Easy or Whole Foods. Please feel free to comment with your favorite red(s). Cin cin!

Beneventano Epicuro Aglianico $5.99

Morrow Bay 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon $9.99
Bellerüche Côtes-du-Rhône by M. Chapoutier $10.99
Napa Family Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon $10.99

Rockcliffe Family 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon $10.99
Chévere 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon $11.00
Anfra 2007 Montepulciano $12.00
Nevis Bluff 2002 Pinot Noir $12.00
Terredora Dipaulo 2004 Aglianico $12.00
Milazzo Castello Svevo 2002 Nero d'Avola/Capuccio $12.00
Sonoma Trail 2006 Pinot Noir $12.99
Domaine de la Renjarde 2003 $12.99

337 Lodi Cabernet Sauvignon $13.99
Doña Paula Malbec $15.00
Yalumba 2006 Grenache $15.99
Kaleidoscope 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon $17.99
Zaca Mesa Syrah $19.99
Saint Gregory Mendocino Pinotage $20.00
Little Ox by Andrew Hardy 2006 Shiraz $24.99
Seghesio Sonoma 2007 Zinfandel $24.99
Shingleback McLaren Vale 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon $28.99
Punto Final Reserva 2005 Malbec $28.99

For special occasions:

Châteauneuf-du-Pape (usually starts at $39.99+)

Amarone (one of my favorite splurges when we eat out, often starting at $50+)

in [focus]