Solaire wines, developed by famed winemaker Robert Mondavi, offer sophistication at an affordable price. The Chardonnay from Santa Lucia Highlands is crisp, with bright, clean flavors of citrus and pineapple; the eight months it spends aging in 100-percent French Oak is represented by a soft, smokey note. The Cabernet Sauvingnon is rich with fruit — currants and blackberries, mostly, with a hint of ripe plums — making it reminiscent of a full-bodied Red Zinfandel. (The vintners say that it will cellar well for the next six to eight years).

About $15; to find a store near you, visit Solaire.