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Matt Kramer      August, 2009

The most oppressive word in wine is “serious.”  You have “serious” wines and “serious” wine drinkers.  Happily, you have none of this during the summer. Hallelujah!

Palo Alto Reserve 2007
Palo Alto is a one-wine-only brand from the Chilean wine giant Concha y Toro. Their target audience here is customers with upscale palates and down -market pocketbooks. Count me in. Palo Alto Reserve is a blend of cabernet sauvignon (55%), carmenère (30%) and syrah (15 %), adding up to a supple, well-integrated red with real finesse, substantial fruit and classic cabernet flavors of cedar, black currant and blueberry. For $12 a bottle, this is a terrific deal in really fine Bordeaux-style red wine.
    
Planeta Cerasuolo di Vittoria 2007
Here’s a velvety, light, juicy, flat-out delightful red from Sicily. The name “cerasuolo” refers to cherries—in this case a cherry-red color, as well as a whiff of red cherry along with an unmistakable scent of ripe strawberries. Composed of two indigenous Sicilian red grapes, nero d’Avola and frappato, this wine is meant to be served slightly cool and accompanied by anything from salmon to a slice of pâté to a bowl of good potato chips. $20.

Pierre Sparr Pinot Blanc Réserve 2007
This white from France’s Alsace region is a 50/50 blend of pinot blanc and a local grape called auxerrois. The 2007 vintage in Alsace created vibrant wines of exceptional flavor thanks to a two-month run of unusually temperate weather in September and October. These conditions allowed the grapes to remain on the vine longer than usual, acquiring flavor without excessive ripeness. The result is delicious: a dry, oak-free bottling with flavors of lemon zest, pear and melon buoyed by a zippy acidity. Serve this wine with any dish where you'd otherwise choose a chardonnay. The price is unbeatable for the quality: $12 a bottle.

Matt Kramer is Diversion's wine columnist.