The 2007 Mt. Monster Shiraz ($12) is ghoulishly good with a bouquet chocked full of black fruits and a touch of licorice with flavors of dark plum, blackberry jam and mocha. The Big Red Monster ($12) is made from syrah, zinfandel and petite sirah with aromas of plums and cocoa and flavors of dark plum, black cherry and black currant. the 2008 Horton Vineyards "Black Cat" Chardonnay ($15) has flavors of apple, nectarine and guava with a nice touch of vanilla. Another wine to try: the 2008 Aqua Pumpkin Pinot Noir from Kenneth Volk Vineyards in Santa Maria, California ($20).

Some of the best viognier can be found in Virginia. The 2008 Horton Vineyard Viognier from Orange County, Va. is a steal at $15. It has scents of acacia, tropical fruit and white peaches with flavors of peach, pineapple, vanilla and toasty oak. The 2008 Freemark Abbey Viognier from Napa Valley ($25) sports a nose of acacia and nectarines that leads to palate pleasing flavors of creamy peaches and tropical fruits with a touch of wet stone. If you want to experience Viognier in its native form, try the 2007 E. Guigal Condrieu ($53) from the Rhone Valley in France. Another wine to try: Australia's 2008 d'Arenberg "The Last Ditch" Viognier ($25).