Linda M. Smith's RAVE WINES PICK

A great evening to me, besides playing out, is to share a delicious meal and great wine with friends. Here are some of my favorite wines.

Red Wine

Nothing like a good cabernet or merlot. These wines are not bad in price especially if you go the Wine Discount Center at 1826 1/2 N. Elston Avenue in Chicago.

• Cabernet Sauvignon (Don't you just love to say that word?)
• Columbia Crest
• BV Beaulieu Vineyard, Coastal, Rutherford and Napa Valley
• Rodney Strong - an excellent discovery this year
• Estancia - the meritage too
• Raymond
• J. Lohr
• Buena Vista
• Chateau Souverain (can be a trifle tannic)
• Markham - Merlot
• Forest Glen - Merlot
• Torres, Sangre de Toro - rioja
• Conche De Toro - rioja
• Conde De Valdemar Reserva - rioja - another great find this year!

These wines are a bit pricier. (Once in a while you just gotta' treat yourself.)

• Penfolds
• Chappellet
• BV, George De LaTour
• Duckhorn
• Peter Michael
• Sequoia Grove
• Ravenswood - Zinfandel
• BV - Sangiovise
• BV - Petit Verdot
• Saintsbury - Pinot Noir

White Wine

Here are some of my favorite white wines. The first group are chardonnays.

• Cambria KatherineŐs Vineyard
• Raymond
• Saintsbury
• Chateau Souverain
• Hess Select
• Murphy-Goode
• Geyser Peak
• Kunde
• Soave Classico - a yummy new find

These next wines are a little more expensive - remember itŐs important to treat yourself.

• Hidden Cellars
• Landmark
• BV Chardonnay
• Geyser Peak Reserve
• Murphy-Goode Reserve

Champagne

If you like Champagne, drink it all year round, not just on New Year's Eve! (OK, so some of these are sparkling white wines. We love 'em anyways.)

• Piper Sonoma
• Domaine Chandon Blanc De Noirs
• Mumm
• Moet & Chandon
• Iron Horse

(A few more bucks, but ooh la la!)

• Piper Heidsieck
• Veuve Cliquot
• Roederer Estate
• Perrier-Jouet