We continue to taste-test wines from all over the world, and today bring you some from France, Italy and different regions of California. Some were great buys for both taste and price; some were fairly pricey. Most can be found locally.

Bold: I’ll buy Crimson & Clover again

2009 Concannon Conservancy, Crimson & Clover, Livermore Valley, Calif. (Total Wine, $11.99)

The label says “red table wine,” but this is mostly petite sirah, and I was happy about that. In fact, I was really happy about the entire experience with this Crimson & Clover blend. It has some cabernet sauvignon and zinfandel there, so the entire Bold family of preferred tastes came together beautifully. It’s a pretty purple wine, not opaque, but close to it. The nose is deep cherry and very fragrant.

On taste, it’s a big, chewy wine with a fruity blast. It’s got a smooth mouthfeel and was yummy from the first sip with cola, blackberries, a bit of leather and more dark fruit (cherries, currants). Quite a good wine, especially for the price. It’s on my “buy again” list.

2009 Redmond Ranch Syrah, Amala Springs, Sonoma, Calif. ($10 online)

This was a pretty garnet wine that promised light cherry on the nose. Unfortunately, the palate was a bit harsh; there was some light raspberry there, but the finish was extremely tannic and not pleasant. I corked it, stored it and tried it again the next night, hoping that it would have lightened somewhat, but I wasn’t rewarded.

2008 Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, Calif. ($39.99, Total Wine; $42.99, ABC Fine Wine; $49.95, Crown)

The nose on this dark purple wine has dark fruits mixed with some leather undertones. It’s a pleasant, deep wine, and also tastes of dark fruits (blackberries), bing cherries and a little brambly. It’s a bit tart on the medium finish, but in a tasty way. I aerated this wine, and it needed it.

It was smoother and fuller when drinking the second night, so the more open, decanting time, the better. This was great with aged cheeses: some smoked gouda, some blue/brie and crackers. And it went very well with the steak meal after the cheeses, too. A very nice food wine, albeit a bit pricey for the taste. I was expecting a wow wine.

2006 Annika Syrah, Livermore Valley, Calif. ($75 online)

This is a wine from golfer Annika Sorenstam, in conjuction with Wente Vineyards. While the majority of the grapes used were syrah, the rest were cabernet sauvignon. The bottle is simple, stylish and very pretty. I decanted it for a couple of hours.

The nose was of sour cherries, musty, very “barrel-y” and the wine was aged in oak, so that came through. On taste, there were dark cherries and blueberries, with a little pepper and smokiness. It is a big wine, with big alcohol (14.5 percent), but for the price, I was underwhelmed.

2010 Georges Duboeuf Moulin-A-Vent, Beaujolais, France ($14.95 online)

This is made from the gamay varietal, hand-harvested in France. It’s a light red and very pretty wine in the glass. On nose, it has a bit of sour cherry.

It seems slightly effervescent on taste, with a light cherry and grassy component. This is a light, fruity wine that’s very pleasant to sip and would be very good with anything from pizza to light cheeses and crackers. A nice way to start a meal, in fact!

Earthy: A good pairing for Italian fare

2008 Feudi di San Gregorio Rubrato Aglianico, Campania, Italy (online starting at $15)

Aglianico is considered a noble and important grape variety in southern Italy. This dark cherry-colored wine bursts with juicy cherry, raspberry and vanilla aromas. It’s a very dry and dusty palate, yet the finish lingers with red fruits.

Tannins and acidity provide a firm body but they aren’t overwhelming. Once I let the wine open up for an hour or more, it was softer and very pleasant to drink. Think classic Italian dishes and hard, aged cheeses with the rustic aglianico.

2010 Les Charmes Macon-Lugny Chardonnay ($10.99 Total Wine, $13.99 Crown)

With a pale, corn-on-the-cob yellow hue in the glass and light citrus on the nose, this white Burgundy from Mâconnais should please both oaked and non-oaked chardonnay drinkers. Although it’s vinified in stainless steel and not aged in oak at all, it still has a creamy mouthfeel.

Its medium-weight body has a great balance of fruit and acidity, with fresh, lively citrus flavors and a hint of minerality. I’m not typically a chardonnay fan, but even I enjoyed sipping on it as an aperitif. Better, though, would be to take advantage of its acidity and versatility, and pair it with chicken, pork or fish without heavy sauces.