Brad Ballinger

Two more. Just Truffles, in St. Paul, MN (www.justtruffles.com). And for both baking and eating, Scharffen Berger (www.scharffenberger.com)

Before I answer, I have to first discredit the Champagne response. If Andre is looking solely at the large houses, I can possibly see a point since many of them go for a house style. But once you leave the negociants and get into Recoltant Manipulant, and to some extent Cooperative Manipulant, wines, it's an entirely different story. These wines are all about grand cru character, and nearly all represent tremendous values. Nope, hard to call them overrated. I'd have to go with Jim and say Napa, perhaps even extending it to California in general. When there is seemingly little rhyme or reason to what grapes are planted on what parcel of land (to wit: "chardonnay is becoming passe; rip 'em up and plant merlot"), there is little to hold my interest. Compound that with prices that are out of line, and dollar for dollar you'll get better wine just about anywhere else. And that goes for both the $10 bottle and the $100 bottle.

www.winesearcher.com will list current retail prices from sources that have the wines in stock, including auction houses.

IMO, the 1993 should be ready now. Although many houses declared a vintage in 1993, I've found the wines to not have the stuffing of many other declared vintages. I've had several 1985 prestige cuvee bubblies, and all are holding up nicely. The 1985 may not improve anymore, but it will hang on for a while longer.

You really have a lot of versatility here. Riesling goes with so much. 1999 was a ripe and fat vintage in many parts of Germany, so I would expect a bit more fruit in this sekt than in perhaps some others. I would do a poached fish over a carrot-ginger puree with some type of light orange sauce or in a court-bouillion.

Actually, a simple solution for you -- if serving surf and turf side by side -- is to serve two wines. Perhaps that Bordeaux you are thinking of plus something along the lines of a White Burgundy. You can make it fun for your guests by making something of a game of it. Ask them if the white wine goes better with the filet or if the red wine goes better with the lobster. Yes, it may partly depend on how the items are being prepared. But I'm guessing your preparations are going to be pretty straightforward. The one thing about filet mignon is that it doesn't have much flavor on its own (at least compared to a ribeye or NY strip), so it won't need a powerhouse red unless you have quite a flavorful sauce. And a more medium-bodied red won't give the lobster as much trouble.