I've been doing some "spring cleaning" of my own when it comes to the wine cellar. Often times we forget about bottles or worry too much about "waiting till the right time" to open and enjoy. I am still more of a wine drinker rather than a wine collector but even I forget about some of the bottled goodness gathering dust in my basement. Or maybe I am just an expert at ignoring the dust. Last week I had the chance to share a number of bottles with friends, both old and new. The wine AND the friends. It was a perfect pairing. Here are a handful of the favorites.

2009 Dry Creek Vineyards, Cabernet Sauvignon, Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma County-An earthy, dry red that has aged gracefully. Still offering splendid notes of black cherry, milk chocolate and black berry. Full rich finish.

2010 Dry Creek Vineyards, Cabernet Sauvignon, Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma County-Another well made wine that continues to offer full on pleasure in the glass. Delightfully chewy, rustic tannins were still full of life. Bold but integrated notes of black cherry, plum, black pepper brought empty glasses to all.

2013 Los Rocas Garnacha, Spain-I love Spanish wines and this one is another affordable, available bottle to share. Charmingly spicy notes of cranberry, plum, currant on the nose and the palate. Rich yet refreshing. Perfect red for backyard BBQ.

Barefoot "Refresh" Summer Red-Chill it and swill it! Barefoot continues to make quality wine at bargain prices. You can find it everywhere and its a screw cap. How much easier can it get to add a fresh, frisky, semi sweet blend of moscato and pinot noir to your spring drinking line up?

Virtue Hard Cider, "Cidre Nouveau" 2013 Harvest, Fennville, Michigan-crisp, dry. Lovely notes of asian pear and golden delicious apple. Delightful! Michigan wines are outstanding and now you can add hard ciders to the list.