2006 Kendall-Jackson Vintner's Reserve Chardonnay, California: This, the KJ people say, has been the best-selling chardonnay nationwide for the past 17 years. KJ knows how to please people with its sweet and fruity wines. This one has aromas and flavors of mangos and cinnamon, intense fruit and a rich smoothness.
2006 Red Rock Winery Reserve Merlot, California: Merlot should be soft and round and smooth, with no hard edges of tannin or acid. Just rich, plummy fruit with maybe a background of black coffee. This one is.
2005 (oops) Carmenère Merlot, Valle Central, Chile: The winery is called (oops) because all of its red wines contain the carmenère grape, which was planted in Chile 100 years ago, quickly mis-identified as merlot, and thus disappeared under its own name until about 10 years ago.
2006 Kenwood Pinot Noir Rosé, Russian River Valley, Sonoma County, California: Here's a rose that will win back the wine's reputation that was ruined by those sweet, soda-pop blush zinfandels of the past decade.
Nonvintage Ladybug White ''Old Vines'' Cuvée III, (by Lolonis Winery) Mendocino, California (chenin blanc and chardonnay): This wine combines the chenin blanc that's famous in France's Loire Valley with chardonnay, which is famous almost everywhere.
2007 Oyster Bay Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, New Zealand: You can tell this is a sauvignon blanc from New Zealand's Marlborough district. It's in a screw cap bottle, as are most self-respecting Aussie and New Zealand whites. And it has that trademark ''gooseberry'' flavor of sauvignon blancs from Marlborough.
2006 Leasingham Magnus Shiraz, Clare Valley, Australia: Shiraz should be a comfort wine, and this one is. Tastes just like one of those chocolate-covered cherry candies. No hard edges. Great with meat loaf, spaghetti with meatballs, Whoppers with Cheese. It's $12.
WINE
Whenever I need a hug, I write a column about the most inexpensive, pretty-good wines I've tasted lately. The reaction from readers is always positive enough to get me through another week or two. Like a vitamin B-12 shot.
