1995 Ridge California Bridgehead Mataro, Contra Costa County ($18)

Ridge’s fifth vintage of Mataro is a big guy with plenty of muscle, a robust, deep red wine of ripe, plummy flavors. Its flavor is so concentrated because the grapes come from the 100-year-old vines of Bridgehead vineyard in Contra Costa County. They were planted about 90 years before Mataro became better known as the Rho^ne varietal Mourvedre.

The grape is such an old-timer in California--and so little known, really--that it’s like drinking a little piece of history. It would be great with barbecue, a piece of red meat, grilled sausages or any foods with bold, exotic flavors. Next time you shoot a wild boar, break out a bottle of Mataro.