Blackberry

1996 Ravenswood Vintner's Blend Zinfandel ($11)Ravenswood has few rivals in its mastery of zinfandel, and it shows in this full-bodied California red wine. It offers generous blackberry and black-pepper flavors, and a silky texture that is unusual in a big, inexpensive red wine. This is a classic pizza wine.Pub Date: 4/12/98@

Mayor Martin O'Malley has an addiction: BlackBerries. Not the fruity sort, the wireless kind. And he's gotten City Hall hooked. The mayor and his wireless e-mail device are literally attached at the hip - he wears it on his belt. He takes it with him to bed and on vacation. In public he often can't stop himself from checking the handheld gadget or from thumb-typing missives to staff at all hours of the day, every day of the week. Word of his habit has traveled throughout the state and beyond.

My favorite autumn tradition has nothing to do with falling leaves or bonfires. I look forward to sweater weather because it means my sister's friend, Anthony, returns from his annual visit to his family home in southern Illinois. When Anthony returns with jams, jellies, pickles and preserves, from his family's tradition of "putting the harvest away," I can count on a large jar of his aunt's homemade blackberry preserves. I reserve most of the jar to use as a weekend breakfast spread.

From : California Pice : $14 Serve with : Red meat, pasta This imaginitive California blend delivers excellent value at an attractive price. It's a medium-bodied red wiith gripping flavors of blackberry, blueberry and herbs — not complex but very satisyfing. It's not meant for extended cellaring so the use of a screwcap shows wisdom on the part of the winery.

1997 Fetzer Barrel Select Cabernet Sauvignon, North Coast ($18). This full-bodied cabernet with a supple feel and generous fruit delivers admirable complexity and forcefulness for its price. The 1997 vintage was exceptional for cabernet in California's northern wine counties, and its quality shows in the ripe, rounded flavors of black cherry, blackberry and spices. Behind its plump charm lurks admirable structure, so you can safely put this wine away for further development over the next five to 10 years.

From: Barossa Valley, Australia Price: $18 Serve with: Beef or venison stew, leg of lamb This full-bodied red blend of mourvedre, tempranillo, grenache and carignan - - some of the great grapes of Spain and southern France - is lush, ripe and, yes, layered. Its complex flavors of blackberry, blueberry, earth, chocolate and smoked meat give it a burly elegance. It may soon turn over to the 2010 vintage, so snap it up if you see it. - Michael Dresser

1996 Marques de Arienzo Rioja Reserva, Bodegas Domecq S.A. ($15). This deep, rich, complex Spanish red wine is an exceptional bargain at this price. The wine is slow to reveal its charms, but as it unfolds in the glass, it shows wonderful flavors of black cherry, blackberry, Asian spices, earth and the sweet vanilla impression imparted by American oak. This wine is capable of many years of development, but with a little breathing shows beautifully now. It's suited to be served with the best cuts of beef or lamb or with roasted poultry.

2003 Ca' del Solo Big House Red ($12). This eclectic blend of six red-wine varieties delivers vibrant fruit and a smooth texture with no tannic edge. It's a medium-bodied, distinctly spicy wine, with touches of blackberry, wild berries, plum and herbes de Provence. It would make a perfect pairing with grilled red meat or chicken, as well as pasta dishes. It has the advantage of coming with a sophisticated, mold-free screw cap.

2004 Mettler Family Petite Sirah From: Lodi, Calif. Price: $25 Serve with: Grilled lamb, roast beef Petite sirah was long regarded as a poor relation among California's red-wine grapes, but lately it has gained a well-deserved cult following. This excellent example is lush, ripe, intense and complex. The wine is packed with blackberry, black pepper, smoked meat and herbal flavor. It has the structure to age for a decade but can be enjoyed now.