Let’s face it, not many of us venture outside when the ambient air temperature descends to single digits. This is an exceptionally bleak time of year when the only product selling more than adult beverages is anti-depressant medication. So what can you do to lift your spirits and alter your mood without a prescription?

How about this: create your own bacchanalian extravaganza this weekend. Just fire up the grill, put a pot of chili on the stovetop or put together a huge pan of lasagna or baked pasta with Italian sausage, peppers and a couple of pounds of mozzarella! Then wash it all down with your favorite beverage. I know , to some hop-heads it’s almost un-American to drink anything other than that foamy malted beverage with the menu suggestions above -- but I suggest you uncork a few bottles of wine instead.

The only time I plan on leaving the house this weekend will be to smoke a brisket of beef that I will have dry-rubbed first with copious amounts of crushed garlic, black peppercorns, ground cumin and kosher salt. I’ll then prepare a sweet and sour barbecue sauce or “mop” to pour over the sliced brisket before serving it with a baked macaroni and (four) cheese casserole that’s flavored with chopped chipotle peppers.

So what wine goes with such hearty fare? If you guessed full-flavored reds, you’re right, and in a moment, I’ll make a few recommendations. But how about trying a big ‘ole Alsatian Pinot Gris or Gewurztraminer? That’s right, I’m talking white wine made from grapes grown along the Rhine River in eastern France.

Before you send the guys in the white jackets to my house, give me a chance to state my case. Go to your favorite wine shop/grocery store and look for Pierre Sparr or Trimbach – both widely available Alsatian producers that make exceptional Pinot Gris and Gewurztraminer in the $15 to $20 a bottle range. What you’ll find is that both these wines are surprisingly full-bodied and rich. Pinot Gris will give you pear and melon flavors underlain with hints of minerals. It has a wonderfully long finish that just keeps on, keeping on.

Gewurztraminer has a unique floral aroma and very exotic, spicy flavors that go particularly well with highly seasoned food. Both wines hold up well with heavier dishes that you would generally associate with red wine. Speaking of red, you can certainly use Zinfandel or Syrah (Shiraz), but I’d suggest Pinot Noir. This grape, made famous in Burgundy, is really doing well in North America, and is excellent with spicy and fuller-flavored foods. While different regions can produce specific taste nuances, most Pinot Noir possesses black cherry, leather and earthy flavors. And the wine almost always has lively acidity that allows it to pair particularly well with fuller-flavored

The 2004 vintage of Pinot Noir in both Oregon and California is superb, and I recommend the following wines for your sipping pleasure: from California, try Alexander Valley, Fess Parker and Robert Sinskey; in Oregon, A To Z Wineworks, Elk Cove and Bethel Heights are three of my favorites. These wines range in price from about $18 to $30 a bottle.

So this week, warm your body, lift your spirit and adjust your attitude with some hearty food and really good wine!

We've reached Episode 4 in the WineBoy webcast series "The Five 'S' Words of Wine.'" In this one you finally get to -- 'S' word! -- sip. John Brown also serves up an affordable and classy Chardonay recommendation plus his signature off-the-wall, free association commentary. To view prior episodes: Episode 3: 'Sniff' Episode 2: 'Swirl' Episode 1: 'Sight'

I know you’re just itching to get to the wine shop this weekend to spend a little hard-earned cash on some serious vinous elixir, so take a look at what I ‘m suggesting below.

2005 Melville Estate Pinot Noir ($30): Melville is a small producer in the Santa Rita Hills area in the cool, Pacific Ocean- influenced Santa Ynez Valley. You may recall this area from the movie “Sideways” or from your own personal experience with the delicious Pinot Noirs produced here. The bright red color of the ’05 Melville may mislead those expecting a lighter-styled version of Pinot Noir. However, once you put the Pinot Noir in your mouth, you realize this is a much more complex wine with layers of flavor. The nose is a combination of cinnamon spice with nuances of caramel and the flavors are of black cherries, spice and just a hint of earth. This wine begs for roasted pork tenderloin in a slightly sweet sauce made from dried cherries or cranberries.

Cakebread Chardonnay ($40): This Napa Valley Chardonnay is the essence of power and finesse in a grape that can sometimes be abused in the winemaking process by producers who err on the side of too much oak, alcohol and richness. The 2005 Cakebread is a very balanced wine with a yeasty, toasty aroma and bold, ripe apple flavors with just a hint of vanilla from new oak.over the next two years. This is a wine that would shine with a dish like chicken cordon bleu or Chilean Sea Bass pan sautéed in a little butter. I know something about the 2005 vintage, because I actually made 20 gallons of Chardonnay from a vineyard in the Carnerous region of southern Napa and Sonoma. While I would not dare compare my finished product with this world-class Chardonnay, my wine exhibits some of the same balance and finesse that is a characteristic of this excellent vintage. 2005 Rock Rabbit Sauvignon Blanc ($11): This Central California Coastal wine has an herbal-grassy aroma very typical of Sauvignon Blanc grown and produced in California. In the mouth, the wine explodes with bright fruit notes of melon and citrus. Try this is an aperitif or with an oven roasted cod or other delicate white fish that is flavored with dill. Great value!

2004 Earthquake Zin ($28): This Lodi District appellation Zinfandel is produced from very low-yielding old vines. Right out of the bottle, the first thing that is apparent is a sweet new oak aroma masking just about everything else. Once the oak aromas blow off, the blackberry and dark fruit flavors are surprisingly soft and approachable. This is a serious mouthful of wine and at 15.9 percent alcohol this baby needs some serious food. I’d try this with roasted Italian sausage with sweet red peppers and onions over a marinara sauced -pasta dish.

"WineBoy" episode 5 is now online-- click to watch. Host John Brown wraps up his introductory series, "The Five 'S' Words of Wine" with one that counts the most: 'Swallow.' The four-minute web show's setting includes John Crihfield's food stall at the Capitol Market, a wine recommendation from Down Under where they name their wines funny, as well as John Brown's signature off-the-basement-wall antics.

Watch for a new 'WineBoy' each Thursday morning online at thegazz.com (peek in Wednesday afternoon and it's likely to already be online). The next one -- online Sept. 4 -- features a Bridge Road Bistro wine and food pairing. Executive chef Paco Aceves shows off a new dish from the recently revised menu at owner Robert Wong's restaurant, paired with a white wine from a fresh new wine list by general manager Amy Sue Gates. You'll be both thirsty and hungry after viewing.

Guys, trust me on this: women take Valentine’s Day very seriously! Hey, I’m no Dr. Phil (and I’m certainly not Dr. Ruth), but I do know that there will be serious consequences if you forget to do something special for your significant other on February 14.

I learned this the hard way a couple of decades ago when I arrived home after a hard day at work to find a candle–lit dinner table with a carafe of red wine, soft-jazz on the stereo and a Hallmark card the size of an armadillo waiting for me when I walked through the door. There was also a heart-shaped gift on the kitchen counter,and the wonderful smells of freshly baked bread. Was I in the right house? Was I in the Twilight Zone?

No, I was in the home of a romantic woman who just happened to be my wife -- and I had completely forgotten that this was Valentine’s Day.

To my wife’s credit, she seemed to understand and accept my heart-felt apologies as we enjoyed the fruits of her culinary skills. However, for the next several weeks, there was a distinct chill in the air at home, particularly in certain rooms. I now know how difficult it must be to live a monastic life.

You can avoid a similar fate by simply remembering this special date and you can actually win favor by giving the gift of wine along with the more pedestrian card, candy and flowers. Wine is an especially good choice if you plan to 'cook in' for Valentine’s Day. I plan on seasoning a couple of beef filets with kosher salt and black pepper and grilling them over charcoal. I’ll accompany the beef with sautéed mushrooms and shallots in a little butter and the same red wine I’ll have with the meal. A baked potato and some steamed asparagus will round out the meal. For dessert, I’ll cheat and buy a tray of heavenly pecan bars from the fine folks at Charleston Bread. For you chocolate lovers, I recommend the wonderful offerings at Holl's Chocolates at the shop on Bridge Road or at the Capitol Market.

Wine suggestions for Valentine’s Day: For an aperitif to set the mood before dinner, open a bottle of Domaine Chandon Blanc De Noirs (photo above) which is a slightly rose- colored sparkler from California ($20). For the main course, a good Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon such as 2002 Provenance ($27) or a Bordeaux like the 2002 Chateau Gruaud Larose ($44) would be excellent choices. For dessert, I’ll accompany the pecan ditties with a Robert Pecota Moscato ($14). Those of you having chocolate might want to try Warre’s Tawny Port ($20), or just save a little of the Cabernet or Bordeaux and experience a real treat. Ensure your love life – remember Valentine’s Day.