2012 Borsao Garnacha, Campo de Borja, Spain

 Spanish garnacha is our go-to wine both for groups and for an casual supper.  Big fruit, tastes of plum jam and red berries, light on the tannins, and a bargain at $7.99 (from Total Wine).  It went nicely with spicy chicken wings, sweet potato fries, and brussels sprouts.

2011 Castle Rock Pinot Noir, California Cuvee, California

 Can't have Mardi Gras without a bowl of Gumbo, this time made with Andouille sausage. Wanted a light bodied red, and this Castle Rock pinot (Trader Joe's $8.99) did just fine.  You don't get much in the way of Pinot Noir characteristics at this price point,  but this is a pleasant, fruity, easy drinking wine.

2010 Roustabout Meritage, Paso Robles, California

We've been to visit Paso Robles, halfway between LA and San Francisco, a couple of times.  Beautiful area, great wineries & restaurants, stellar wines.  Only 30 miles inland from the Pacific, so if you're traveling the PCH, make sure to stop a day - or 2!  I was happy to see some price-pleasing Paso wines at Trader Joe's, including this Roustabout at $5.99.  The tannins in the 2010 could use a few more years to soften, so we aerated with the Vinturi at first.  By the time our yummy Trader Joe's frenched bone-in pork chops came off the grill, the wine had opened up.  It worked nicely with the rest of the meal:  Braised fennel, sugar snaps & multigrain ciabatta.

2012 Blackstone Pinot Noir, California

Good cheap Pinot Noir is an oxymoron (not unlike a "good German red wine"), but I keep trying...  And this Blackstone comes pretty close, at $7.99 from Trader Joe's.  I also really liked one called Cosmia,  from Trader Joe's, but it was gone when I went back and it has not been available since!  Grab some if you see it.  Red plums, cherries & berries, and that hint of chalk dust, it went easily with grilled salmon, sauteed bok choy & rice.  Hope it's there when I go back!