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The club is designed for those who like to enjoy wine every day and those who know that wine helps make a party great - no matter what size! But who has time to make that extra trip after work to the wine store, trolling through endless bottles of wine? You should spend your time enjoying the wine, so we pick great bottles at great prices for you. No more guess work!

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Maybe it was my stomach grumbling. Maybe it was the thought of the rigatoni and meatballs I had for dinner last night. But one thing is for sure – that even in South Florida, winter, pasta, and wine go hand in hand. Think about it for a second – when deciding on a pasta or a wine, the first question you have to ask is red or white. So once you figure out the answer you have both your sauce and your win narrowed down. Plus, the pairing is just so darn easy – hearty pasta dishes easily satisfy just about any crowd. And there is no need to stick to the standard standard spaghetti or angel hair Bring something new and exciting to the table. I mean, why not? Pasta all pretty much cooks the same – all you need is the pot and boiling water.

• Bow-Ties: The Italians call them farfalle (butterflies). Either way, they work beautifully with creamy white and pesto-style sauces. Their little tucks and folds trap the bits of garlic and herbs in the sauce, bringing a lot of flavor to every bite.

• Spirals: For a more adult version of macaroni and cheese, try these springy, whimsical noodles tossed with a rich, elegant cheese sauce.

• Ribbons: Don’t have time to make lasagna? These long, fluted noodles offer the curly-edged flair of lasagna, but can be served simply topped with a hearty meat sauce.

Thick or thin, straight or curly, pasta always pairs well with a good glass of wine. For hearty and meaty red-sauced dishes, try Chianti, Barbaresco or Merlot. For Alfredo or cheese-sauced dishes, a Chardonnay – either a crisper French style, or creamy California style. Either will offer a rich, dense body that’s sure to hit the spot.

While entertaining friends this weekend, I found myself at Eno Wine Bar on Lincoln Road talking about wine for the holidays – Thanksgiving, and even Christmas. Forgetting the fact that I’m Jewish, this was kind of weird considering it’s only September. But I figured, hey, if Walgreens and CVS can begin to advertise for holidays two months away, then so can I!

Thanks to wine’s long shelf life, you can stock your wine cellar now, well in advance of the year-end festivities – and have one less item to check off your to-do list when the celebrations are in full swing.

With so many different kinds of food served during the holidays you’ll want a few go-to wines that pair with just about everything. Pinot Noir and Pinot Grigio are both versatile, food-loving sips that won’t step on many dishes’ toes.

Sometimes, however, it’s just as important to match wines according to the taste of your guests. You can make all those around your table feel welcomed and indulged by picking up a bottle you’ve chosen with their preferences in mind. Remember these tips when matching wines to personalities:

• For those sweet-wine-loving aunts and grandmas: White Zinfandel and German Riesling are fruity and refreshing. For a fruity-style sparkling wine, choose Asti or Moscato d’Asti.

• For artistic, urban-dwelling cousins: Look to Spain for some currently trendy sips, including Albarino (an energetic white with a fleshy, round finish) and red Riojas, made from the Tempranillo grape.

• For your friend, the wine geek: Go for specific sub-regions that fascinate wine lovers, such as the Willamette Valley in Oregon (for Pinot Noir), the Marlborough region of New Zealand (for Sauvingon Blanc) and Napa Valley (for Cabernet Sauvignon).

• For the Steady Eddys: Some people just want “their usual.” Remember that Merlot and Chardonnay always rank among the best-selling reds and whites, respectively. Keep a few bottles of these on hand, and you’ll have something nearly anyone can enjoy.

And don’t worry about buying too much – what you don’t open can go right back in your cellar, and what you won’t ever drink (perhaps the White Zinfandel) can go home with your quests, so as not to clutter your wine rack. Everyone wins!

I see that this post will be my 100th, and honestly, it feels great to know that I’m helping people enjoy wine more. Some people view wine as just another vehicle in which drinkers can get their alcohol fix. I am not one of these people. For me, the decision is not between wine, beer, or vodka; the decision is between different varietals. Wine compliments food like nothing else. And it is with that sentiment that I suggest some quick and easy pairings to help you enjoy your wine and food more.

Just because you don’t have a lot of time to fuss in the kitchen doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a fully satisfying meal at home, complete with wine. There are certainly plenty of pairings that can be put together in about an hour. Here are a few themes for dinner I would suggest:

Bistro at Home: A simple roasted chicken is a French bistro staple. Grab a rotisserie chicken – probably one from your local supermarkets (if you made your own it would obviously take over an hour to make). Then keep the bistro theme going with Chardonnay, Pinot Noir or Syrah. These wines are popular in France and friendly to roasted chicken.

Italian Night In: With your favorite marinara sauce, your preferred pasta, and possibly some meatballs from the freezer (or your local gourmet market), you can have a cozy little spaghetti-and-meatball dinner on the table in minutes. Spread out the red-and-white checked tablecloth, light some candles and pour an Italian Chianti or a California Sangiovese.

Comforts of Home: When you’re ready for a hearty, meaty and robust entree, try your hand at making a meatloaf. Just combine some ground beef, onions, tomatoes and Italian breadcrumbs, and you’re good to go. A full-flavored Merlot or red Zinfandel is the perfect choice with this style of comfort food.

Ham in a Hurry: One of the easiest meals in the world starts with a few thick slices of good-quality smoked ham. Serve it along with a fruit salad to brighten up dinner. Enjoy an equally bright chilled dry rose wine with this combo.

Asian Delight: If you want to spice things up a little bit, try putting together your own stir-fry. Grab some baby corn, broccoli, water chestnuts, as well as some meat, chicken, or shrimp, and cook on the stove-top. Add some teriyaki sauce and you’ll be good to go in about 30 minutes. Pair with a Riesling or Gewurztraminer to balance sweet and salty.

And now you have enough ideas to get you through a whole week!

If you’re in need of a vacation but only have a long weekend, pinpoint your plans by making a two- to three-day jaunt through the Dry Creek Valley in California Wine Country near San Francisco. You’ll enjoy an in-depth introduction to all that’s wonderful about the wine country.

Cross the Golden Gate Bridge, and in about an hour, you can be in Healdsburg, a charming spot cradled between the fertile Dry Creek and Alexander valleys. With its wine-tasting rooms, progressive restaurants, tiny boutiques, art galleries and antiques shops, the Victorian town provides a chic “base-camp” for your visit. In all, there are nearly 61 wineries that are member wineries of the Winegrowers of Dry Creek Valley. They are family owned, and pretty close together – which is nice, considering you’ll be drinking and won’t have to go far to take in a variety of wine-country sips. The pride and the diversity of the people who live and work within this narrow, gentle geography are reflected in the special character of Dry Creek Valley grapes and wines.

The Dry Creek Valley is known for its Zinfandels – bold red wines brimming with full-throttle California fruit and touches of spice. Some of the vines in the area are well over 100 years old (the older the vines, the more concentrated the fruit). White-wine lovers need not go thirsty, however, as the Valley also produces renowned Sauvignon Blanc. Dry Creek Vineyard was among the first to plant the zippy grape in the area.

You may be wondering at this point – “do I know any wineries from Dry Creek Valley?” And the answer is, yes you do! For a concentrated sampling of these wineries, tool along and around Dry Creek Road. Here, you’ll find a cluster of easy-to-find boutique wineries where you’re likely to meet the owners themselves. Dutcher Crossing is a family-run spot pouring award-winning Zinfandels, Cabernet Sauvignons and Chardonnays in a tasting room with a welcoming fireplace.

Of course, there is also the award winning Ferrari-Carano Vineyards and Winery. Here, wine drinkers can taste classic wines in the Villa Fiore Wine Shop, or sample reserve and limited release wines in the all-new Enoteca in the underground cellar. And don’t forget to pop your head in to Pedroncelli Winery, who has been making great wine since 1927!

Sample small-production red wines at Yoakim Bridge Winery, set in an idyllic spot with its 1886 Victorian farmhouse overlooking the vineyards. Also visit Passalacqua Winery Tasting Room and Gardens, with its three tasting bars, wine-country gift shop and intimate garden arbors for picnics.

Sometime during your visit, a picnic at a winery is a must – Dry Creek General Store offers totable lunches you can enjoy while exploring the valley.

While vacationing with Laurie’s family in the Bahamas, seafood has been a staple on the dinner table. Grouper, salmon, lobster, and conch have all made regular appearances. On islands like these, where almost everything is imported, the wine prices are outrageous – especially for those bottles with recognizable producer names and varietals. One bottle that I have been recommending (with great success) is Viognier. “Exotic” seems to be the word everyone is using to describe this wine. And not for nothing, but it’s looking like this varietal is going to help the family branch out from their regular white: Chardonnay.

Ranging from pale straw to light golden, Viognier’s exotic profile starts with the heady aromatics – honeysuckle, apricot, orange, and spice. The perfumed aroma is not just a tease, as it leads into generous gobs of melon, apricot, and peach on the palate. With its big fruit and relatively low acidity, Viognier pleases most fans of big, buttery, tropical California Chardonnay. Not unlike Gewurztraminer, Viognier tends to be fleshy and viscous in body. And even though it’s shy in the acidity department, the strength of its fruit helps the flavors linger.

Viognier is native to France’s Rhone Valley, where it is the only grape grown in the tiny appellation of Condrieu. Examples from Condrieu tend to be extremely expensive. Fortunately, however, Viognier is an ancient grape enjoying a growing modern escape from obscurity, thanks to plantings in the South of France, California, and Australia. As new vineyards start to bear fruit, prices should drop and more bottlings will appear each vintage.

Viognier is not especially crisp, but still quite nice when paired with simple chicken dishes, pasta with a creamy sauce, heftier fish (like salmon and Chilean sea bass), lobster, and even pork and ham. For those who just like the wine’s generous fruit-basket of flavors and aromas, Viognier is a great sipping wine to enjoy simply by itself.

If you are interested in trying a bottle or two of Viognier, you should be able to find it at your local wine shop. You may even find that producers are blending it with other white wines – sometimes even red wine too! But before we get ahead of ourselves, allow me to suggest some producers you may be able to find in your area. These bottles show good characteristic of Viognier, but won’t break the bank:

• Bridgman Viognier Yakima Valley
• Sobon Estate Viognier Amador County
• Bonterra Vineyards Viognier Mendocino North Coast

Chardonnay has been America’s favorite white varietal since 1994, but will the real Chardonnay please stand up? There are so many versions, so many blends, so many countries where Chardonnay is grown – it’s difficult to tell what true Chardonnay is really like. Having proven to be very easy to manipulate in the winery, Chardonnay is a moving target, capable of tapping dozens of aroma and flavor buttons along its stylistic stretch, from light aperitifs to big woody monsters.

Chardonnay’s runaway success and popularity in the U.S., along with the fact that the grapes are quite easy to grow, has helped spawn Chardonnay bottlings all over the globe. New waves are coming from Australia, New Zealand, Chile, Argentina, and South Africa. The most celebrated examples still come from the Burgundy region of France.

Chardonnay ranges from yellow to gold; those from France tend to be lighter colored. In its most natural state, Chardonnay flavors lean toward crisp apple and pear; French versions range from light and fresh, to steely and minerally (depending on whether it comes from the Chablis region or not). There are also tropical flavors found in many Chardonnays today: Banana, Guava, Pineapple, and melon are a few of the usual suspects.

However, generally speaking, California Chards are noticeably oaky. That oaky quality may come from French and/or American oak barrels that the wine was fermented in. These barrels can be different ages, and can also be toasted – thus imparting more of a “toasted oak” quality to the wine. The oak used in producing French Chardonnay tends to impart more vanilla tones, unlike California Chardonnay which is more rich and buttery. The buttery character in many California Chards comes from a trick in the fermentation that turns tart malic acid (think green apple) into lactic acid (think butter, cream, etc.).  Chards from other regions such as South America and Australia tend to fall between these two opposite ends of the spectrum. But no matter the region, oak gives Chardonnay a lot of the character and full-bodiedness that wine drinkers have come to expect. Regardless of what oak is used, the effect is essentially the same – it’s as if the winemakers are adding woodnotes like a chef uses spices.

Because of Chardonnay’s rich full-bodied nature, it is the perfect pair with a slew of different foods. Whereby other whites such as Sauvignon Blanc or Riesling are recommended for lighter foods, Chardonnays tend to work well with mild fish, creamier pasta dishes, corn, crab, shrimp, and chicken. This versatility is the reason Chardonnay is the “go-to” wine for many wine drinkers. Sure, I can write dozens of articles suggesting new whites in an attempt to broaden people’s palates. But that doesn’t diminish Chardonnay’s ego, nor does it change the the fact that Chardonnay is the true classic white varietal.

South American wine producing regions such as Chile and Argentina have made great strides in improving the quality of their bottles. It used to be that only a trickle of the wine produced in these countries ever made it into the American market. But now that countries like Chile and Argentina have stepped up their game, they are receiving more of an international spotlight. Today, much Chilean and Argentinean wine is simply too good to be kept secret, and it’s often sold at bargain-basement prices, to boot.

Argentina’s best wine-growing regions nestle up to the Andes, which provide plenty of irrigation water and a high-altitude climate featuring warm, sunny days and cool nights. With a nurturing environment like this, wine grapes simply couldn’t have it any better.

Red wines are by far the most consistent knockouts among Argentina’s offerings. And this shouldn’t be any surprise – what else would you be serving alongside the country’s world-famous beef? For Argentina’s best reds, think Malbec, a southwestern French varietal that actually seems to do better in Argentina than France. Often no more than a minor blending grape in French wines, Malbec becomes rich and distinctive enough to stand on its own when grown in Argentina-particularly when it’s grown in Mendoza, the country’s top region. Cabernet Sauvignon also yields some fantastic wines, either on its own or as part of a blend with Malbec.

Although reds are the biggest stars, the country is also home to a number of winning whites, including ever-popular Chardonnay. Most appealing of all though, might be a somewhat obscure variety called Torrontes. Aromatic, spicy, and light-bodied in style, Torrontes is worth a try when you’re in the mood for something not only unusual, but uniquely Argentinean.

And then there’s Chile. From luscious Cabernets to sumptuous Chardonnays, Chile offers excellent quality – varieties Americans know and love, and prices that can’t be ignored. And that’s just the tip of the Andes!

It’s not only wine drinkers who’ve been attracted to Chile – top foreign winemakers, lured by Chile’s exceptional climate, proven soil, and favorable land and labor prices, see the future of Chilean wine as limitless. Let’s face it, when names such as Lafite Rothschild of France, Torres of Spain, and Mondavi of California get on the Chilean bandwagon, the wine world sits up and takes notice. These companies and others – often backed by centuries of winemaking expertise – have made massive investments in new equipment and technology. This influx of money and know-how can only drive already high Chilean quality standards through the roof.

With loads of sunshine, ocean breezes, and plentiful water from the Andes, winegrowers claim that Chile is one of the easiest places in the world to raise quality wine grapes. Plus, it’s the world’s only major wine region never to have been affected by the vineyard’s number one enemy: the vine-destroying louse, phylloxera. All of this allows Chilean winemakers to experiment with new varieties. Although already justifiably famous for top-notch Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Chardonnay, similar success with varieties such as Pinot Noir, Riesling, Syrah, and many others surely is just around the corner. It could be that in Chile, we’re witnessing the future of wine.

North Carolina has 88 wineries, and the number increases every year. Small farmers who once depended on tobacco are switching to grapes and returning wine to its former position in Carolina’s economy. In the early 1900s, North Carolina had 25 thriving wineries, more than any other state, and led the nation in wine production until 1909, when its citizens voted to go dry.

Wine tourists visiting the Yadkin Valley often begin in Winston-Salem, a city rich in historic and cultural attractions. In this region, where bootleggers outrunning federal agents have been replaced by race car drivers, visitors can find corporate-style modern wine-making facilities, mom-and-pop operations, fruit wines galore, wineries specializing in Native American grapes and even wineries with direct links to NASCAR.

Racing team owner Richard Childress poured a track-full of his NASCAR earnings into Childress Vineyards, creating an Italian wine estate in the Piedmont, which is what North Carolinians call their robust central region. His winery near Lexington is a destination for NASCAR fans, as visitors can view memorabilia of Childress’s years in racing. The winery is also the unofficial gateway to the Yadkin Valley.

From Childress Vineyards, it’s a short hop to RayLen Vineyards on Route 158 near Mocksville, set atop rolling hills and marked by its distinctive crow’s nest rooftop. It’s a down-home spot where visitors relax on rocking chairs and pack the lawn for the Spring Oyster Roast and the Summer Full Moon Band Jam.

Westbend Vineyards, a little farther north on 158, is the region’s oldest winery. A showcase wine estate, it’s particularly large in contrast to the Valley’s smallest winery, Hanover Park, which is a few miles west off Route 61 and is run by former teacher-artist Amy Helton and her husband, Mike, who both fell in love with wine on a trip to France. Hanover Park, which makes fewer than 2,400 cases annually, produces highly regarded Chardonnay and Viognier and Michael’s Blend, a Meritage-type wine.

There are many other wineries along the way, but one fitting final stop is Shelton Vineyards in Dobson, in the northern extreme of the Valley. Here, wine lovers can enjoy the North Carolina version of their favorite grapes: Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Petit Verdot, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Syrah, and Viognier.

The Biltmore Estate, near Asheville, is an attraction to be seen, but should be reserved for another day. It is located in the westernmost part of the state and therefore merits a visit when your travels take you out that way. A magnificent showplace with great gardens and historic houses, its winery is visited more frequently than any other winery in the nation, attracting more than a million wine fans annually.

California wine country is a sight to be seen, and the wine produced there is pretty good too.  North Carolina may be a decade or two behind California in notoriety, but taking a tour of NC wineries is certainly something that any wine lover can enjoy. Of course, the bright Carolina blue skies aren’t bad either.

When it comes to wine, there are many imitators, but only one France. Have your doubts? Then take a look at all of the different wine regions producing some of the best wines in the world. And as you consider all of the wine coming from all of the regions, keep in mind that they are all over France. It would be like saying that instead of the US looking to just the west coast for power-house wines, we could begin considering New York, Texas, and even Florida as prime wine producing regions. And we may get to that point…in another 20 years.

Alsace: Provocative and unique, Alsatian whites are the most significant and well known. Start with Riesling and Gewurztraminer. There are soft, pale red wines made from Pinot Noir, often produced as roses. Sparkling wines known as Cremant d’Alsace are also produced in this region.

Bordeaux: Bordeaux is justifiably famous for its dry reds, but sample the dry whites, too. Red Bordeaux varietals can include Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Petit Verdot, and Merlot. The most popular white varietals are Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc. For dessert, sumptuously sweet Sauternes could be the ultimate.

Burgundy (Bourgogne): Red Burgundies, made from Pinot Noir, are among the world’s most cherished wines, but Chardonnay fans will thank themselves for giving white Burgundy and Chablis a go, as well. If you like fruity reds, you probably already admire Beaujolais and its constituent grape, Gamay.

Champagne: French Champagnes are among the most refined and luxurious sparkling wines in the world. They’re made exclusively from Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and/or Pinot Meunier grapes.

Languedoc-Roussillon: In addition to the Corbieres and Minervois regions, explore the huge range of both reds and whites generally labeled Vin de Pays d’Oc. These wines are often identified by grape variety (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah and Chardonnay are the ones to look for here), and many are underpriced.

Loire: Standard bearers for this important region are Sancerre and Pouilly Fume, both elegant dry whites made from Sauvignon Blanc. Vouvray is also a popular Chenin Blanc-based wine.

Rhone: The northern Rhone is admired for powerful reds – Cote Rotie, Hermitage, and Crozes-Hermitage, all showcasing Syrah. The south offers highly regarded, pricey Chateauneuf du Pape, a famous blend, as well as the easygoing red Cotes du Rhone, also a blend. Roses from Tavel are considered some of France’s finest. When choosing a Rhone, remember the three main red varietals are Syrah, Grenache, and Mourvedre.

In many articles I attempt to draw a parallel from Old World wines to New World Wines. I can suggest Pinot Noir from the Willamette Valley in Oregon, as opposed to Pinot Noir from the Burgundy region of France. I can suggest a Meritage from California instead of a Bordeaux. I could even suggest that lovers of Champagne try sparkling wines from New York State. But for all the different regions you’d have to visit to try amazing New World wine, you don’t have to go any further than France to try just about everything.

Blended wines are hardly new. Bordeaux is traditionally anchored by Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. In Tuscany, Chianti is rarely 100 percent Sangiovese. France’s Chateuneuf du Pape can meld as many as 13 grapes. Consider the unassuming blend of Red Truck, a tangy, berry-rich California red that debuted with the 2002 vintage. Featuring six grapes of disparate origins (Syrah and Mourvedre from the Rhone, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc from Bordeaux, Pinot Noir from Burgundy, and the French hybrid Alicante Bouschet), Red Truck is a veritable kitchen-sink blend.

Similar examples of “splendid blendeds” have been cropping up with eyebrow-raising frequency over the past decade. They are emblematic of a growing trend toward creative, no-grapes-barred blending that is particularly evident in New World wine regions. Indeed, what sets these new-wave wines apart from traditional Old World blends is that the combination of grapes is not driven by agricultural practicality. Back in the day, if you will, the focus of European winemakers was rooted squarely in the vineyard, where producers first had to determine which varietals grew well in their particular soil and climate. Then, if several grapes could enhance one another when blended, so be it.

But in most New World regions, growing conditions are simply more hospitable, so more types of grapes grow well in the same general area. At the same time, modern technology has made the transportation of grapes and bulk wine much easier. Factor in the overload of Chardonnays, Cabernets, and Merlots fighting for shelf space and it’s no wonder that current-day vintners are trying new tricks with old grapes.

California isn’t the only hotbed of crossover blends. Australians stir up crisp whites from half Semillon, half Chardonnay and sturdy Shiraz-Cabs. Italian vintners have found new dancing partners for Sangiovese. But the trend of splendid blended wines is especially strong in California, where it can be seen as a natural step in the state’s rapid evolution. Beginning in the 1980s, California vintners began to imitate the European winemakers, even spawning the nicknames Meritage (for Bordeaux blends) and “Rhone rangers,” for wines using Rhone grape varietals. Imitation, however, has been shifting steadily to innovation, leading to the current upsurge in unorthodox blending.

The apparent laundry list of varietals on these new-wave blends can be misleading. Despite their diverse recipes, the taste profiles of many splendid blendeds priced under $15 are remarkably easygoing. By design, many are inherently fresh and fruity, with little of the earthiness commonly found in Old World wines, and with smooth textures that scream “Drink me now!” Higher-priced splendid blendeds (such as Opus One), however, will usually be rougher in texture, more obvious in structure (tannin and acidity) and more intense. Apply similar logic to creative white blends: lower-priced examples will be loaded with fruit, while pricier ones will deliver more body and complexity.

The bottom line is that for these blends you should expect the unexpected because the synergy of the varietals creates wines whose sum is greater than their parts.