More From the Mailbox

What does that group of adjectives mean about the kinds of wines (e.g., country of origin? varietals?) I should look for without having to read every label/review in the store?

-- Susan Smith-Knoblauch, Great Falls

The bad news is that the only way to know for certain what a wine tastes like is to taste it. The good news is that an increasing number of wine books classify wines by flavor profile or style, which, for those who know the profile of what they like to drink (as you clearly do), is much more useful than traditional books that list wines by geographic origin.

One of the best is "Wine Style: Using Your Senses to Explore and Enjoy Wine," by Mary Ewing-Mulligan and Ed McCarthy (Wiley, 2005). The authors divide wine into a dozen styles, four of which categorize red wines. On the lightest end are "mild-mannered reds," such as inexpensive Bordeaux, followed by "soft, fruity reds," such as Beaujolais. More intense are "fresh, spicy reds," such as Italian Dolcetto, and most intense of all are "powerful reds," such as California cabernet sauvignon.

You'll no doubt find your preferred flavor profile in wines on the more intense end of the spectrum. The Best Cellars retail store chain was a pioneer in organizing wines by style (you'd probably like their "smooth" or "big" red offerings) instead of country of origin, and in the dozen years since its founding, other wine stores have followed suit.

Cabernet sauvignon often has notes of green bell peppers, and you can find black pepper notes in petite sirah, shiraz/syrah and zinfandel. Those tobacco notes you enjoy can often be found in Italian Barbaresco and Barolo. In fact, as a rule of thumb you might find the earthy flavor profile you're seeking more often in Old World wines (those made in France, Italy and other regions with long winemaking traditions) because New World wines (those made in the United States, Australia and other newer players on the scene) tend to have a fruitier profile.

I'm a red-wine drinker. Please suggest reds to drink with spicy foods such as Tex-Mex, Chinese, Cajun, etc.

-- Larry Theriot, Reston

It can be just as helpful to know which red wines to avoid with spicy foods: You'll want to stay away from those that are high in tannin (such as big cabernet sauvignons and tannats) and alcohol, both of which will "fan the flames."

Opt instead for fruitier reds, such as Beaujolais, pinot noir, shiraz/syrah and zinfandel, which will help take the edge off lots of spice. And don't be afraid to chill reds before serving; that will help tame the heat, too.

Andrew Dornenburg and Karen Page, authors of "What to Drink With What You Eat" and the forthcoming "The Flavor Bible," can be reached through their Web site, http://www.becomingachef.com, or at food@washpost.com.