1) Chateau Lafayette Reneau, Emporer's Blush, year? (Finger Lakes, NY) - I was excited to try this both because it was the first Finger Lakes wine I've found and because they say on the back they mix in hybrids (so it includes grapes native to North America).   The label describes it as ripe strawberries and fresh-cut watermelon.  It also says it's a step up from white zinfandel.  Well, I taste nice strawberry, I don't get any of the melon, and really the whole thing is pretty weak, not much better than a white zinfandel.  And as it warmed it got a little foxy.  So I'm giving this just a 5 out of 10 for low average.

2) Robert Gilliard S.A., Fendant du Valais, 2003 (Switzerland) - A co-worker bought this and told a story about a trip in Europe when he ordered fondue and wanted a beer to go with it and the waiter who spoke little English refused to serve him a beer and instead insisted he needed a Fendant.  Well, he got a beer at the bar.  But the next day he had indigestion and it turned out the beer coagulated the cheese in the stomach.  Fendant on the other hand is intended to go with cheese.  Well, we tried this at work, and admittedly we didn't have cheese on hand.   It actually has a mild cheese taste itself, much like a mild Swiss cheese, so I understand the food pairing although I'm not sure how the wine and cheese enhance each other if they taste pretty much the same.  Frankly it was kind of a weak wine and we weren't too excited about it.  Given the right pairing this is an acceptable wine but in general it doesn't live up to the average modern white.  That's why I'm going 4 out of 10 for below average.  But I'm thankful for the co-worker who brought it in so I got a chance to try it.  And it is my first wine from Switzerland.  Note this is the chasselas grape although the Swiss call it fendant.

3) Alphonse Mellot, La Moussiere, Sancerre, 2004 (Sancerre, France) - This was an economy French wine, around $10 on special I think, and yet I really think it's quality.  It's made in an Old World mellow balanced style, and I think the main grape in it is grenache if I'm not mistaken, with a nice mild but ever present feel of tannins.  Like it to the last drop, and I plan on buying more to share.  I'll give this a 7 out of 10 because I actually think it's a step above average, and a suprising value.