Readers looking for a tasty, value priced red will want to consider the 2007 Primitivo from Vinosia. A juicy, mouth filling red, the wine is loaded with fragrant dark red fruit in a soft, seamless style showing no hard edges. This is a strong candidate for casual, informal drinking and would make a great house wine. Anticipated maturity: 2009-2011. Importer: Domaine Select, New York, NY; tel. (212) 279-0799

Here’s an unexpected surprise from Southern Italy available at an excellent price. This is a deeply concentrated and succulent wine that delivers deep notes of milk chocolate, spice, mature berry and blackberry preserves. The wine is noticeably sweet and ends with a blast of jammy fruit. ——M.L.(12/1/2009)—— 85