2000 Chappellet Old Vine Cuvee, California

For the last decade, Chappellet has been making a marvelous Chenin Blanc from vines planted in 1962 on the steeply terraced slopes of Pritchard Hill. Aged in small oak barrels, it has the heft and weight of a Chardonnay but a character all its own. Extravagantly perfumed with citrus, its taste is complex and alluring, with a tart minerally finish. Serve it chilled, with seared scallops, fried shrimp or trout sauteed in butter. It has enough verve to stand up to lobster or crab too. It’s so good with food, in fact, that it’s easier to find on restaurant wine lists than in a retail shop.

-- S. Irene Virbila

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Quick swirl

Region: Napa Valley

Price: About $15.

Style: Lush and aromatic

Food it goes with: Seared scallops, grilled shrimp and other seafood, Asian dishes

Where you find it: Sepulveda Wine Company in Manhattan Beach, (310) 318-9080; Wally’s in Los Angeles, (310) 475-0606; Wild Oats in Long Beach, (562) 598-8687; the Connoisseur in Rolling Hills Estates, (310) 265-7277.