Though it is summer, there are plenty of reasons to drink red wine — and not just any red wine. I’m talking about California red wine.

The state is often considered to be the home of America’s largest collection of top-quality wineries, and features some really good bottles of wine that offer a lot of favor across a wide range of prices.

The wines range from the perfect bottle for a cook-out, to the top-notch, seriously bold red wine for a big juicy steak.

When it comes to California wine, you can find just about anything you want, and variety is the name of the game in keeping the wines you drink interesting and exciting.

A lot of times you can get stuck in a rut and drink the same type of wine over and over again. This can be OK for awhile if you find something you really like, but it also can lead to dulling the taste buds.

Here are some great wines I have tried recently from a selection of California’s top wineries.

• Robert Mondavi Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 — This is a classic Napa Cab from one of California’s most well-known wineries. It is filled with blackberry, raspberry and herbs, along with many other flavors that evolve the longer it sits in the glass. It should go with a nice steak, but will even pair with hearty pasta or roasted chicken. It should cost about $20, but varies by location.

• Blackstone Sonoma Reserve Merlot 2007 — This wine hails from California’s Sonoma County and is a notch up from the basic bottling from Blackstone. This offers cherry, blackberry and raspberry flavors, as well as hints of mushrooms and even coffee. This would go nice with steak, pizza or chicken. You should be able to find it for about $15, but varies by location.

• Ravenswood Vintners Blend Zinfandel 2008 — This is a great value in California wine, and is a consistent crowd-pleaser year in and year out. It has flavors and aromas of raspberries, cherries, blueberries, spice and a hint of smoke. It should go well with anything from the grill, such as burgers or chicken, and would be great with steak fajitas. It costs about $10, or even a few bucks less at some places.

• Chalk Hill “Estate Red” 2007 — This is a serious wine that will wow you now, but also reward your patience as it will continue to amaze for many years to come. This red wine is a blend of cabernet sauvignon, malbec, merlot, petit verdot and carmenère. It is full of blackberry, black cherry, plum, herbs, spice and tobacco notes. This will pair well with any serious meat dish, including a Beef Bourguignon. This is priced at about $90, but if you can afford the splurge it is well worth the special experience this wine offers.

• Waterstone Napa Valley Merlot 2007 — This is a good wine for a lot of occasions, and offers good fruit flavors of blackberries, cherries and plums, as well as a hint of leather. It would go well with pizza or pasta, as well as a steak. It should cost about $18.

Source: dayton.bizjournals.com