Henry Fessy Crus du Beaujolais Brouilly, 2009

This is exactly the type of wine I like with a vegetable-oriented meal on a spring or summer evening. It's crunchy and fresh with an array of intense aromas and flavors.

Medium light in color and body. Very pretty smells--lavender, flowers, cranberries. Racy presence on palate; nothing sweet or fat about this wine. Intriguing flavors dance on the finish.

Pietra Santa Cienega Valley Pinot Noir, 2009

This winery, located in the Cienega Valley of San Benito County, makes a range of wines from Italian varietals such as Sangiovese. This is the first Pietra Santa Pinot Noir I've run across.

Light garnet color. Also light in body, and it takes some time to recognize the intensity of the aromas and flavors. Lavender and spice. Now I smell some wild berries and cherries. French oak acidity and intensity but it really doesn't come across as an oaky wine. A good measure of complexity on the long finish. For me, it doesn't measure up to Pinots from Anderson Valley and the Sonoma Coast--lacks the depth of fruit and concentration. But I like it and, at the right price, would come back for more.

The property, I learn, is part of what was once Almaden Winery, a low price favorite in the 1980s. This wine is definitely several steps up from anything I ever had from Almaden.

Le Vieux Donjon Chateauneuf du Pape, 1993

With braised lamb shanks for a Father's Day dinner: very enjoyable. 1993 was not a great vintage, and this bottle is less powerful and spicy than the last bottle I had a couple of years ago. But there is still plenty of pleasure to be gained.

Medium deep crimson. Bouquet of dark cherries, cassis, iodine and spices. Compact fresh and dried fruit. True to its appellation. Savory and sweet with a slightly warm finish.

Rabasse Charavin Cotes du Rhone Villages Cairanne, 2004

The bouquet of this wine is fully formed and delightful. Dark cherries, strawberry compote and nuances of black pepper and tobacco. Although Syrah is only 15% of the blend, the grape makes its presence felt with scents of juniper berries and herbs. Much of the same on the palate. This Cairanne has more tartness than most Southern Rhones, but that is a plus as far as I'm concerned. There is still plenty of Cairanne-style sweetness on the finish.

Corinne Couturier, who took over the estate from her father in 1985, fashions the wine from 70% Grenache (40- to 70-year-old vines), 15% Syrah (10 to 30 years), 10% Counoise (30 years) and 5% Cinsault (15 to 20 years). All of her wines are made traditionally--unfined, unfiltered and aged in concrete.

Domaine Sainte Anne Cotes du Rhone Villages Saint Gervais, 1999

This 1999 Saint Gervais from Domaine Sainte-Anne is about as mellow and table-worthy as a wine can get. But I suspect that it still has some room to grow. Compared to the other Saint-Anne cuvees, Saint Gervais has a high percentage of Mourvedre and a good track record for aging.

A deep crimson color. Clean, well focused smells of dark berries, violets and Mourvedre spice. Deep and dark with a long, ripe finish. Not terribly complex at this stage of development but very enjoyable.

Domaine du Vieux Chene, Vin de Pays Vaucluse Grenache, 2010

This is the perfect match for the MezzaCorona Pinot Grigio described below. It's fresh, lively and honest; doesn't pretend to be a show wine but is capable of grabbing your interest and holding it through a meal. Vieux Chene, one of my favorite Southern Rhone estates, makes a VDP Grenache, a VDP Syrah and a couple of blends (Cuvee Friande and Cuve de la Dame Vieille). I like them all. The choice depends on what you're eating.

Medium crimson color. Low key scents of spices, herbs, berries and black pepper that get gradually more assertive as the wine airs and warms. Has the sweet fruit of Grenache to liven up a vegetable-oriented meal but lots of intricacies to enjoy at the table after the meal is over. The price tag on this bottle, purchased at Sawall's Health Foods in Kalamazoo, reads $7.49.

MezzaCorono Vignetti delle Dolomiti Pinot Grigio, 2011

This is always one of my favorite Spring and Summer wines--fresh, light but never simple. The usual price is about $8.99, but I can nearly always find it at some time during the warm months for a couple of dollars less. For an estate bottled wine from cool climate vineyards--the oldest winegrowing area in Europe, it is a steal.

Very floral. There are lilacs outside our kitchen window, and the smell wafting in is a perfect match for the wine. Also fresh herbs on top of vibrant pear-like fruit. Nothing at all simple or ordinary about this wine. Pinot Grigio/Gris has many faces; this one is fresh and lively, and I always drink it during the first year.