1) Korbel California Champagne, Brut, year? - I've heard about this brand all my life, it's very famous, so I bought a bottle of this to try over Christmas.  It's classy enough, tasty enough, really a quality product for $15.  My only complaint is I think they fudge the rules.  First, I don't know how they get the right to call it champagne, I thought only the French could do that.  Second I don't see a year anywhere and I don't think that's right for a classy champagne.  Third it has a slight sweetness to the taste which i personally like and probably most Americans do too but brut is supposed to be totally dry.  I looked it up and the classifications of champagne from dries to sweetest goes a) extra brut, b) brut, c) extra dry, d) sec, e) demi-sec, f) doux.  There's no way this is one of the driest champagnes out there, and I bet Americans don't know that but choose it anyway for that slight sweetness.  Maybe scientifically they can claim somehow it falls within the 1.5% residual sugar range, but my senses say this is just a clever marketed wine.  6 out of 10 for upper average, but with an asterisk indicating I think they fudged the rules.

2) [yellow tail] Pinot Noir, 2006 (South Eastern Australia) - This was a 3rd gift from a co-worker and I'm really grateful for it.  Nancy took initiative to try this and really liked it alot (as did I) so clearly there is a universal appeal.  It's a quality basic pinot noir, light bodied with strong but not overdone flavors.  And although I see this brand everywhere I have yet to see their pinot noir on sale in the stores.  Thanks very much.  7 out of 10 for above average.

3) Las Rocas de San Alejandro, Vinas Viejas, Garnacha (Calatayud, Spain) - I loved the first $10 Las Rocas I tried, and I had seen pictures on the net of a different Las Rocas bottle (a burgundy style instead of bordeaux) and this review is of the burgundy-styled.  Although I still thought this was a very good quality wine it is only marginally better than the $10 version and this one was priced for $21.99 (on sale for $16.99).  Clearly you can save your extra cash and just go for the value version.  I'm even dropping the rating point from 9 out of 10 to 8 out of 10 on this one.

4) Tiffau's Villanyi Portugieser, 2006 (Hungary) - A co-worker brought this back from Hungary so it was a rare opportunity.  This was very nice, light bodied like a pinot noir, balanced, with a touch of pepper,  and a hint of plums.  It formed long thin beautiful tears on the glass.  All in all this was a different and very good quality wine.  6 out of 10 for upper average.