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Old Vines Kindle Young Wine: Bodegas Ateca Garnacha de Fuego 2007

There's still plenty of fire left in the belly of old gnarly Grenache vines in Calatayud, Spain. These old vines manifest their destiny in Garnacha de Fuego 2007, imported by Jorge Ordoñez, and sold here in Tennessee for well under $10, and in some areas of the country nearer to $5.

This is one of those outstanding inexpensive red wines that make you wonder why some wines cost so much. Unencumbered by wood aging, it's so very pure and drinkable, yet unlike similarly priced junk wine, the wine equivalent to junk food, it's genuine. There isn't a hint of manipulation evident.

True to form for a fresh Grenache, you get a plethora of raspberry character, perhaps even some "Now-Or-Later" cherry mixed in. There's also some white pepper spice to be sure, and a mouth full of rocks. The body is light-to-medium, and the combination of youth (wine) and age (vine) come through in the somewhat rustic, lasting finish.

The vines harvested for this wine go back to the days when Franco took power and when Picasso painted Guernica. On a political hiatus for decades, these sage vines are now just coming into their own. Therefore I'm raising a glass, to remember those people who suffered before, and to be enlightened with the wisdom to help alleviate future suffering. The planting of these vines was a bit before my time, but not really that long ago in the evolutionary big picture. History is changing fast, and as was said, "those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it." Garnacha de Fuego kindles the mind, makes you think, doesn't cost a lot, and it even goes great with fried green tomatoes.

Price: $9 (Nashville). Closure: Nomacork. Alcohol content: 14%.

Can the Circle Be Unbroken? Bogle Phantom 2005

In between the last sips of the last glass of this bottle of Bogle Phantom 2005, I pick up my blue guitar and strum a few measures of that old hymn and wonder what it means. What circle? The reason this tune is on my mind has to do with the seemingly imminent passing of an uncle. He's about to leave a gap in the circle here, and I suppose he will join the circle of those who left before. This is a favorite song of his and he is on my mind.

Whenever I play my guitar, there are phantoms in my head. One tends to play tunes written or performed by those who have already left the room. I first picked up a guitar as a point of entry into the head of one such person. You can learn a lot from those who pass before.

Bogle Phantom turns out to be a lush wine, offering up lots of fruit preserves flavors and aromas, wrapped in sweet spicy oak overtones. Plummy, cherry and currant fruit abounds. The spice is a bit along the lines of a Moroccan blend, and there's a touch of vanilla in there as well.

The blend is 55% Petite Sirah, 42% Zinfandel, with the balance being Mourvedre (Monastrell). The spicy notes are brought out through the time spent lying in American oak barrels. Bogle is known for giving a lot of wine for the money, and Phantom always sells out quickly. I guess that's why they call it Phantom - it's elusive - hard to get a hold of, so to speak.

Earlier in the evening, we paired Phantom with some barbecue beef, of the sweet tomato variety. Anything of that hearty stick-to-your-ribs sort of food will pair well. Now that the last sip is gone, I put down my guitar and let go of the day.

Price: $19 (Nashville). Closure: real cork. Alcohol content: 14.5%

Red, White and Brews: Tait Ball Buster Shiraz 2006, Pine Ridge Chenin Blanc-Viognier 2007, Duvel Belgian Ale, and Dogfish Head Punkin Ale

The 2006 edition of Bruno Tait's Ball Buster is true to form. Like Barack Obama, it's a velvet glove on an iron fist. This I verified on the night of the third Presidential debate of 2008, by drinking the third bottle to date.

Mind you, writing about it is not as easy as drinking it. It's so smooth on the surface, you get carried away, as if the Bush years are a thing of the past. If I were on death row, I would request as many glasses of Tait Ball Buster as I could get, as a prelude to the lethal injection that would be the ultimate anti-climax. I imagine a last supper of long-suffering Shiraz grapes, basket pressed to my lips before I turn blue.

Robert Parker's Jay Miller, a true hedonist of a reviewer, sees the virtue in Ball Buster '06, to the tune of 92 points. I first tasted Ball Buster 2005, drawn to the name. It was quite good; the 2006 seems even better, but that's probably just my eternal optimism getting the best of me.

Fact is, Bruno says this year's blend is 78% Shiraz, 12% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Merlot. The iron fist manifests itself by way of the alcohol level that soars into the stratosphere without a trace of ethanol in the nose. The velvet glove is the cloak of the grape skins preserved from the vineyard into the glass.

Tait Ball Buster 2006 is deep dark purple ruby, as expected. You get aromas of loganberry, expresso, cedar and forest. Lush jammy red-to-black fruit, vanilla, then chocolate emerge, at first sweetly on the edges of the tongue. The finish is dusty dry with soft astringency on the center of the tongue.

Price: $19 (Nashville). Closure: Screw cap. Alcohol content: 15.7%.

Pine Ridge Chenin Blanc Viognier expresses the very irrational exuberance that got us into this economic mess. But it didn't, it just tastes that way. Like Sarah Palin, it's fresh, attractive and uncluttered, but alas, it's well crafted.

This alternative white wine blend will connect and resonate with most any white wine drinker. It tastes like perfectionism in a bottle. It comes out of left field but has the power to bring people together. I've tasted this wine in previous vintages, always found it to be pleasant, but this vintage really grabbed me.

Expect perfumed aromas of melon, pear, grapefruit and cold blossoms, plus overtones of sweet spice. On the tongue, bright acidity gives it a mouth-watering crisp edge. The finish, like Sarah Palin, gives a wink of sweetness, but the overall effect is palate-cleansing. Robert Parker himself rated this one 90 points, a real bragging point for an under-$15 USA-made white wine.

Price: $14 (Nashville). Closure: Screw cap. Alcohol content: 12.8%.

Oktoberfest! I must confess that October has found me drinking more beer. Maybe it's Oktoberfest, or maybe I'm turning into a beer advocate. My paying job has me promoting brews, so I have a vested interest in gaining first hand experience. Research must involve all the senses. Yeah, that's it.

Not knowing much about beer, I stumbled onto a couple of good ones right off the bat. First, Duvel Belgian Strong Pale Ale. If you've tried it, you know about that amazing head. If you haven't tried it, and you're not dead yet, go get a bottle, chill, and pour it into a glass. The head defies gravity. It's like what I hoped whipped cream would be when I first learned of it, but it never was. Lightly bitter, unlike the hop-head brews that gather the limelight, beautifully crisp, like a champagne, refreshing and smooth, Duvel is the creme de la creme, literally and figuratively. It's not the latest thing, but no one appears to have improved on it. Expect to pay about $3-$4 a bottle (330 ml.). Alcohol content: 8.5%.

And then there's Dogfish Head Punkin Ale. 'Tis the season, and unlike the imitation over-hyped or over-hopped brews that pretend to convey the harvest, Dogfish really does. The color is beautiful, somewhere between a new minted copper penny and an October sunset. The aromas are complex, hinting at sweet baking spices and pumpkin, but also conveying lots of malt and even some hops. The flavor is a bribe that could make you do most anything.

Expect to pay about $8.99 for a 4-pack of 12 ounce bottles. Alcohol content: 7%. Don't miss out!

By way of a "plug", I recently installed high-proof beer sections into Frugal MacDoogal's web sites for Nashville and Fort Mill, SC (Charlotte, NC area). These sections combine my original bottle photos with a pinch of clever programming, some worthy graphics, and information from all over the place. So far, Frugal's is getting good results from this effort.

Zins Off the Beaten Path: Girasole Mendocino Zinfandel 2006 and Renwood Sierra Foothills Zinfandel 2005

Among the reds, Zinfandel is the most primal and comforting. Often seen as outclassed by buttoned-down Cabernet, temperamental Pinot Noir, or blockbuster Shiraz, Zin dispenses with all the formalities, allowing you to find your Z-spot. It's like riding down the beach road, after the tourists have left for the season, with a sunset and tail wind behind you. Zin is the perfect wine for a slowdown, be it a weekend off or an economic meltdown.

Often brutally strong, going upwards of 16.5% ethanol, there are those Zinfandels that deliver lots of flavor at 13.5%. Everyone knows Dry Creek Valley, Napa, Paso Robles and Lodi are home to great Zins, but how about Mendocino or the Sierra Foothills? These are Zins off the beaten path.

Girasole Vineyards Mendocino Zinfandel 2006 is made from organic grapes, which adds to the comfort factor. Organic is getting popular on wine labels, but you don't see it on many Zinfandels. Expect aromas of blackberry cola with hints of earthy menthol and sage. Red-fruity, spicy-tart, and slightly earthy on the palate, the finish is quite dusty and gripping without being heavy.

Price: $12 (Shallotte, NC). Closure: Real cork. Alcohol content: 13.5%.

Renwood Sierra Foothills Zinfandel 2005 is loaded with cherry pie, mocha, and tobacco aromas. Lush and soft for a Zin, the red fruit is ample, and then soft tannins and a faint whiff of sweet pipe smoke lingers in the finish.

Price: $12 (Shallotte, NC). Closure: Real cork. Alcohol content: 13.5%.

Put something on the grill, raise a glass of either of these Zinfandels, and toast the quiet comfort that only comes from every third cottage on the street being empty and for sale.