The Taste

Do not confuse Mr. Krug with the wine from that other Charles with the four-letter last name -- Charles Shaw -- otherwise known as "two-buck Chuck." Charles Krug is a big, albeit ancient, deal. He founded Napa's first winery in 1861, naming it after himself. The famous Mondavi family took it over in 1943 -- now that's a serious pedigree.

The family of Peter Mondavi, brother of Robert (who split in 1965 and later founded his own influential winery), continues to run the show at Charles Krug. They replanted vineyards in Napa Valley with Bordeaux grape clones. This bottle, specifically, is made from an odd assortment of grapes: 79 percent cabernet sauvignon, nine percent petit verdot, six percent syrah, two percent cabernet franc, one percent merlot and one percent carignan. It is then aged in oak barrels for 18 months.

The wine is silky and purple, with a cherry-currant aroma. Truly chewy tannins make us want a second, third and fourth sip almost immediately. The long finish is full of cocoa and coffee flavors, but not so much as to overwhelm the palate. At 14 percent alcohol by volume, it's not too heavy and pairs beautifully with grilled meats. For a fairly priced name-brand wine from a terrific vintage (2005), hailing from a respected region (Napa Valley) that happens to be known for its cabs, this is your man: 27-buck Chuck.

-- James Oliver Cury