Reliable guide

The letter from A. Robert Young (“Letters,” Jan. 7) overlooks what is most significant about S. Irene Virbila’s Wine of the Week column: its consistent value as a reliable guide to finding interesting and gratifying wines that would often go unnoticed by wine aficionados. Over the life of this column, I have tried at least 80% of the releases that Virbila has recommended. The reviews have been uniformly intelligent, accurate and helpful in discovering terrific products. When the reviews have sought to match quality to price, they have always been on target.

Bruce Polichar

Los Angeles