"wine" news and stories

For Valentine's Day this year you could give your sweetheart one of our favorite boxes of chocolates or take our advice on a bottle of great sparkling wine. Or, you can celebrate humor and wit with one of these bottles. Each of the five labels we've selected is tongue-in-cheek, funny or downright obnoxious. But they're romantic all the same.

Without further ado, here are five of our favorite quirky, romantic wine labels.

Cycles Gladiator 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon, California ($10)
The red-haired woman cycling naked through a midnight sky is borrowed from a vintage (1895) French poster by G. Massias. In 2009 the state of Alabama deemed this logo -- from Hahn Family Wines -- pornographic and consequently banned its sale there. (Note, you can also purchase a Chardonnay, Syrah, Merlot and Pinot Grigio with the same label.)

Naughty Cellars 2004 "Racy Red" Blend, Napa Valley, California ($50)
Is the cherub on the label creepy or naughty? You decide. Since it's Napa Valley red fruit you probably can't go wrong with this wine. Buddies Steve Reynolds (owns Reynolds Family Winery) and Oscar Renteria (a seasoned member of Renteria Vineyard Management) teamed up to create this juicy blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel and Cabernet Franc, as well as its very suggestive label. And it doesn't stop with "Racy": the collection also includes "Sticky" (Semilion and Sauvignon Blanc), "Inky" (Petite Sirah and Syrah) and two "Naughty Bubblies" (Rose and Brut).

• South Florida, mecca for Jewish retirees, is home to the gourmet knish.
• These cinnamon buns have been a Floridian favorite for more than fifty years.
• The farmers market in Hollywood has everything "from beets to banh mi subs." (No, not that Hollywood.)
• Now that it's over, you can admit it: Did you crack open a bottle of vino for the Super Bowl?

Beer is considered game-day imbibing but really, it's okay to sip wine too. Here is your guide to pairing wine with typical Super Bowl snacks -- from bowls of hot chili to bags of potato chips. And because we know you might be buying for a crowd, all of the recommended wines are budget-friendly (costing no more than $15 a bottle).

Layered taco dip
This is a complex dish, with layers of guacamole, chopped lettuce and tomatoes, corn kernels and spicy-hot taco meat or refried beans. An equally complex wine to help you wash it all down is key. Ditch the Napa Cabs and try a something from a new, up-and-coming Cabernet Sauvignon region: Chile.
Our budget pick: Vina Aquitania 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon, Valle del Maipo, Chile

Pizza
Syrah's peppery notes bring out the acidic nuances in a pizza's tomato-based sauce.
Our budget pick: J. Lohr Winery 2006 South Ridge Syrah, Paso Robles, California

In celebration of Australia Week (January 15-29, which is actually two weeks) we thought we'd take a look at wines from Down Under. If you haven't heard of Australia Week (also called G'Day USA), the skinny is that it's a look at all things Australia across the United States. We may not have koalas in the wild or call our first meal of the day brekkie but we do have access to a lot of Australian wines.

Here are seven of our recent favorite Australian wines -- all costing $17 and under.

Yellow Tail 2008 Reserve Pinot Grigio, South Eastern Australia ($12)
This white-wine varietal is a step-up from the budget wines that this label is well-known for producing. Accents of lime introduce a nice brightness, yet there are mineralities which contribute to a balanced mouthfeel. Plus, there are notes of green apples in this Pinot Grigio.

Jacob's Creek 2007 Reserve Pinot Noir, South Australia ($14)
An amazing Pinot Noir, especially for the price, the wine is loaded with strawberry, sweet cherry and rhubarb flavors, and is light-bodied with a lingering finish. It also has good structure and mild oak towards the end of the palate.

Mendocino is the Berkeley of California wine country. More than a few of the 80-odd wineries from the region (which is about two hours northwest of Napa and closer to the Pacific Ocean) practice "green" business in some form or another. This includes creating earth-friendly packaging, converting to solar-powered winemaking production methods and aggressively recycling corks. Many also grow their grapes without relying on chemicals or pesticides. Still others choose to farm biodynamically. Frey Vineyards, which is America's first certified-organic winery, continues to make wine in Mendocino. It was in 1980 that Frey was awarded the certification.

The region is growing as much of a variety of wine grapes as Napa, Sonoma and California's Central Coast. Recently we tasted red wines from Mendocino, and found five favorites.

Graziano 2005 Old Vine Zinfandel, Bertozzi Vineyard, Mendocino, California ($21)
Balanced and packed with ripe fruit (black cherry and raspberry) the Zinfandel also contains delicate flavors of vanilla and oak. Rich, soft tannins on the finish are delightful. It would pair well with a braised-meat dish or a hearty bowl of stew.