By G.M. “Pooch” Pucilowski

In the past, I’ve encouraged readers of this column not to be wine snobs: Buy that $1.99 bottle of wine if you like it. Sure, I talk the talk, but do I walk the walk? In general, I don’t buy $2 wines. But I recently tasted a bottle of the infamous Two Buck Chuck: Charles Shaw 2002 California Shiraz. Wow! It was medium bodied, with lots of upfront fruit, luscious taste and a slightly sweet finish. It just goes to show: Do as I say.

Another wine that I normally would not buy is Pinot Gris, a white varietal that’s become popular of late. But when a winery sent me a bottle, I gave it a try and was pleasantly surprised. Rancho Zabaco 2003 Reserve Pinot Gris (Sonoma Coast) has a very light floral, peachy nose and a crisp acidity that makes it a perfect match for grilled chicken or seafood. $18

Storrs Winery in the Santa Cruz Mountains makes a wonderful wine: Storrs 2002 Grand Noir (Santa Clara Valley). Grand Noir is the name of the grape—one of the few dark grapes that produce red juice. (Most dark-skinned grapes produce white or clear juice.) The Storrs wine is big, with a nice balance of ripe plums and chocolate. $19

Two more wines for your cellar: Amador Foothills 2001 Zinfandel (Ferrero Vineyard, Shenandoah Valley) has a spicy character, with bright raspberry/cherry fruit, medium-bodied tannins, a fair amount of acidity and a clean, lovely finish. For the money—$15—it’s a good value. Another big, mouth-filling wine is Mayo Family Winery 2002 Old Vine Zinfandel (Ricci Vineyard, Russian River). This classic Zin is a jammy, plummy, fruit-intense beauty. $25

This article appears in the December 2004 issue of Sacramento Magazine.