Black Pepper

2003 Murphy-Goode "Liar's Dice" Zinfandel, Sonoma County ($20). This lush, decadent, powerful California red wine is not for the faint of palate. If brawn and high alcohol offend you, avoid it. But if you like a wine with big shoulders and a complex mix of flavors -- blackberry, black raspberry, black pepper, herbs, smoked meat and barbecue sauce -- it could be right up your alley. The 14.5 percent alcohol is well-concealed by the wine's abundant fruit. Serve the zinfandel with food that can fight back: barbecue, grilled steak or lamb, or pasta with a rich tomato-based sauce.

2006 Rosenblum Petite Sirah, Heritage Clones From : San Francisco Bay, Calif. Price: $18 Serve with: Hearty stews, red meat, gameAll hail petite syrah! Once hopelessly out of fashion, this old-fashioned red stalwart of the California vineyards is producing dozens of high-quality, high-value wines from vintners such as Rosenblum. This full-bodied, meaty gem delivers bold flavors of blackberry, black pepper, herbs and coffee. This complex, powerful, lush wine can be enjoyed now or be aged for a decade or more.

This gutsy, full-bodied California red delivers a load of complexity for a varietal that is often scorned as hopelessly rustic. It offers intense flavors of herbes de Provence, raspberry, blackberry and black pepper. If this sounds like the description of a fine red zinfandel, that's because this wine does a convincing imitation at a much kinder price. The out-of-fashion Concannon winery has produced a wine from an out-of-fashion grape that is out of this world.

From: Amador County, Calif. Price: $13 Serve with: Hearty stews, grilled red meat This feature usually avoids wines with limited distribution, but this was just too compelling a value to withhold. It's an intensely peppery, complex and well-balanced red wine with authentic old-vines character. The rich blackberrry fruit is enhanced with nuances of black pepper, chocolate and herbs. Despite a hefty 14.9 percent alcohol, the wine is all smoothness and no heat. It easily holds its own with zins at twice the price.

1999 De Loach California Zinfandel ($12). Good zinfandels have been edging up in price toward $20, so it's encouraging to find such high quality at this price. Often a generic California designation is a sign of mediocre quality, but not in this case. This medium- to full-bodied red offers vibrant berry fruit, a hint of black pepper and an appealing smoothness. It's not the biggest or most complex zinfandel, but it's entirely satisfying and an excellent value. Serve with a wide variety of red meat, roast fowl and pasta dishes.

1995 Georges Duboeuf Chateauneuf-du-Pape ($17).Georges Duboeuf, the "king of Beaujolais," has expanded his operations to the Rhone Valley and is doing some excellent work there. This Chateauneuf-du-Pape is flattering and inexpensive for that prestigious appellation, but that doesn't make the wine wimpy. It has plenty of Chateauneuf character, offering the classic flavors of blackberry, herbs, black pepper and smoked meat. The tannins are restrained, however, making it quite appealing now. It should be sturdy enough to last three to five years.

Patrick Campbell, the talented maker of one of California's greatest cabernet sauvignons, apparently decided to just have some fun with this wine. It's a blend of unspecified red grapes that add up to a concentrated, delicious, decadently fruity wine. The flavors include blackberry, black pepper and blueberry, and they come right at you with explosive force. Devotees of the hard-to-find Marietta Old Vines blends will find a new favorite in this great value. It's been advertised on sale in Washington for as little as $6. At that price, buy it by the case.