When I first started visiting the red wines it was the very early beginning of the merlot days. There were some good merlots, and some unremarkable merlots. I enjoyed the hunt.

But then merlot was over planted, over produced and the remarkable grew too expensive for my then very meager earnings. The Chilean's helped with some good value brands but eventually I had to travel into other reds.

I visited the Australian shiraz, the Burgundian reds, the Chianti (and oh do I love a good sangiovese blend) but ever then and even now I return to the tannic Cabernet Sauvignon.

Now that Sideways has entered the fray, I have tasted the pinot nior, and found many a good Sonoma Coast or Oregon pinot to taste. Still, pinot nior, with its acids requires food.

Tannic cabs can stand upon their own, a pleasure with only a bite of 75% coca chocolate to balance the palette.