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It's easy to forget that people who don't drink wine, at least not often, generally think the rest of us are bonkers.

You can see it in their rolling eyeballs at dinner parties, even when they're not asking questions like: What bonehead would line up for an hour in winter for a one-bottle limit of something called The Dead Arm? Or, what jackass would spend $100 on a bottle of Jackass Vineyard Zinfandel? Or, what if I do like drinking Yellowtail shiraz with salad and sushi?

They're all fair questions, I suppose. But thankfully I don't have to waste your time trying to answer them. I think it's safe to assume you've come to this column because you're one of us.

Actually, there are more and more of us all the time. It's not just pompous bores who know that “Black Tower” is not English for “Château Latour.” Even people who spend an average of $10 on a bottle of wine are arming themselves with basic knowledge, because the more you know, the less you have to spend.

Which is the main reason this column is about to go forth and multiply. Starting this Wednesday, I'll be filing a second weekly drinks column as part of The Globe and Mail's new daily Life section. The focus, as always, will be on new releases, but I'll often be venturing farther behind the scenes, training the spotlight on the obsessive characters who make the stuff and on the increasingly shrewd folks who package and sell it.

And, intrepid correspondent that I am, I'll be tasting more spirits, beer and specialty drinks, such as sake, than I have in past. If you've got the interest and access to a weekday subscription, please check out my Decanter column in the new food section on Wednesdays, where I'll also be contributing dispatches from the culinary vanguard, from fine dining to fast food. In the meantime, you might want to quench your thirst with one or two of the following.

El Burro Kickass Garnacha 2005 ($12.15, No. 018929). Don't let the irreverent name dissuade you from buying it by the caseload.

This new and widely available permanent listing in Ontario (soon to be available in Nova Scotia and possibly Alberta) is a knockout Spanish value from Guy Anderson, the man who brought us the world's most unforgettable wine name, Fat Bastard, from France.

Burro, of course, is Spanish for donkey, which explains the “kickass” pun and equine sketch on the label. What you may not know is that garnacha is Spanish for grenache, the fruity-spicy red grape popular in southern French blends, such as Châteauneuf-du-Pape and Côtes-du-Rhône.

It's also the most widely planted red variety in Spain, where it can make fetching wines when planted on the right soil and pruned back to produce more concentrated fruit.

Medium-bodied, fresh and silky, this wine shows flavours of cassis, cherry, raspberry and wood spice, with a hint of leather and soft, integrated tannins.

Remarkably balanced and layered for the money, it's a great choice for vegetarian dishes as well as many pizzas, pastas and sausage and chicken dishes.

Another good red from Spain, which was released last month in Ontario, is Rene Barbier Seleccion Cabernet Sauvignon Crianza 2000 ($18.95, No. 014639).

It's not often one gets to buy a seven-year-old red straight off the shelves, and this rich, full-bodied cab is in fine condition and ready to drink.

The palate is rich with ripe black currant and plum, accented by hints of coffee, smoke and leather.

The tannins are soft and nicely integrated. It's perfect for grilled meats or stews.

A good choice for aged cheeses is Nicolis Valpolicella Superiore 2003 ($21.95, No. 023333), released last week in Ontario Vintages stores.

Defying it's mere 12.5-per-cent alcohol, this is a superripe valpolicella from the hot 2003 vintage, almost veering into Amarone territory, with rich, concentrated berry flavour, a nuance of almond paste and just enough acidity and dry tannin to keep it from becoming sluggish or weighty.

It should also be good for rich stews and spicy chili.

Also from the current Ontario Vintages release, it's hard to go wrong with Terra d'Aligi Sangiovese 2004 ($14.95, No. 028084). This well-priced, medium-bodied red from central Italy tastes like a decent, entry-level Chianti, offering up sour-cherry flavour, fine tannins and a slightly spicy, dry finish. It would be a smart choice for pizza or pasta.

More widely available across the country is the excellent new 2005 vintage of Château de Gourgazaud (discounted by a dollar to $11.25 in Ontario until April 29, No. 022384), a medium full-bodied red from the Minervois district of southern France. (The price is $14.72 in New Brunswick; $14.69 in Nova Scotia; $13.55 in Quebec). Soft, supple and stuffed with chewy cherry, plum, licorice and herb-like flavours, it finishes spicy and dry.

Consider pairing it with lamb, chicken stews or dishes in which olives play a big part of the flavour.

And if you do live in Ontario and have a hankering for pinot noir, consider checking out two less-familiar wines released last week through the Vintages premium wine department. François Labet Bourgogne Hautes-Côtes de Nuits 2005 ($19.95, No. 692566) is an attractively priced, old-vines red Burgundy that would pair nicely with grilled salmon, roast chicken or lamb. Also good, though available in small quantities only at larger stores, is Matua Valley Estate Series Pinot Noir 2005 from New Zealand ($29.95, No. 029223), a decidedly fruity, New World style with good balance.

bcrosariol@globeandmail.com