Whenever you're craving winter-ready comfort fare, be sure to have this on hand

Whether "winter weather" means highs in the 30s (as it does for my brother, a resident of Denver since June) or in the 60s (as it does for me in Placentia, a town eight miles north of Disneyland), it's likely that many of us have a big-time hankering for comfort fare at this time of the year. If you're craving the likes of meat loaf, pot roast, stew, chili, chicken and dumplings, pork chops, cheesy casseroles, mac 'n' cheese, or mashed potatoes these days, take heart: There's a wide array of hearty, savory, and affordable wines that pair effortlessly with your homespun culinary favorites. Here's one that my husband and I especially enjoy:

VICOMTE BERNARD DE ROMANET '06 CABERNET SAUVIGNON/RHONE: $19.99 (A PRP WINE EXCLUSIVE)

It's no secret: I love unpretentious reds with plenty of easy-going, peppery rusticity -- in other words, anything with that appealing Cotes du Rhone vibe. Similar to the recently reviewed Cabrini Cabernet Sauvignon from Mendoza in its warmth and spice is this approachable Cab. Even though this red's grapes are sourced from Saint-Jean-d'Ardieres, a village that straddles northern and southern Rhone, its casual and spunky soul are undeniably southern. Its lovely tawny-garnet color and intense nose of ripe currants, plums, grilled meat, and peppercorns entice, while flavors of dry blackberries and currants join essences of cloves, nutmeg, pepper, and smoke. Firm but nicely integrated tannins add structure to the wine's supple, medium-sized body, as well as a mellow, peppery finish that lingers for minutes. And even though the Romanet Cab would be a slam dunk with any time-honored comfort-food entree, don't even think of wasting a wine of this caliber on a bowl of SpaghettiO's.