From: Russian River Valley, Calif.

Price: $40

Serve with: Roast poultry, tuna steakIt is not lightly that one recommends a $40 California pinot noir, but this Burgundylike beauty from Robert Stemmler is, if anything, underpriced for its exceptional quality. It offers bright black-cherry fruit - seasoned with subtle earthy notes - that just won't let go. Its full body is buffered by a silky texture that glides across the palate, and it exhibits flavors and aromas of wild berries and cranberry. This wine is pure pleasure in a glass, and it's entirely ready to enjoy now.