Price: $10

Producer: Dominique Rocher

Origin: Côtes du Rhône, France

Type of wine: Dry red wine made from Grenache,Syrah and Mourvèdre

Try it with: Great by itself, grilled meats, tomato sauce-pasta dishes,pizza

Date Reviewed: Sept. 2003

I couldn’t ask more from a $10 wine. The Cairanne is a deep maroon color and nearly opaque. It packs a dizzying complexity of scents into the glass: ripe red cherries, red currants, cooked berries, savory spices and even clay-earth aromas. The taste is just as attention grabbing – immediate, bracing tannins followed by spice and subtle fruit throughout its long finish. Yum. One of the best wines I’ve found at this price.