For a meatier, heavier bargain red, head south to the sun-drenched Puglia region. Canaletto sources fruit to make a wine that delivers bold fruit, black cherry, roasted espresso bean and moist earth. The wine is aged 12 months in oak to shape a softer wine accented by exotic spice, cinnamon and sandalwood. This is the kind of wine you want on a chilly winter evening at home in front of a roaring fire. ——M.L.(11/15/2006)—— 85

Primitivo is Zinfandel, according to University of California at Davis ampelographers (students of grape DNA), but that doesn’t mean they taste the same, as this medium-weight southern Italian version proves. Dark cherry, leather, coffee and cocoa predominate here, with some nice spice, tar and a slight black pepperiness (maybe that’s the Zin gene) on the finish. ——W.E.(5/1/2001)—— 85