Imbible

By Carole Buia

Choosing the right bottle of wine can make a novice's head spin, even before anyone has taken a sip. We asked three wine experts--Ronn Wiegand, publisher of Restaurant Wine; Andrea Immer, author of Great Wine Made Simple; and Tim Kopec, wine director at New York City's Veritas--what they would serve on the following occasions:

An afternoon picnic in the park (less than $15)

WIEGAND Trefethen Riesling, 2001 IMMER Cavit Pinot Grigio, 2000 KOPEC Chivite Gran Feudo Rose, 2001

A dinner for business associates ($30 or so)

WIEGAND Cabernet-based De Toren Fusion V, 2000 IMMER Cakebread Chardonnay, 2000 KOPEC Domaine Ramonet Chassagne-Montrachet White Burgundy, 2000

A proposal of marriage ($100 limit)

WIEGAND Domaine Dujac Gevrey-Chambertin Aux Combottes Burgundy, 1999 IMMER Gosset Rose Champagne, nonvintage KOPEC Chateau Calon-Segur Bordeaux, 1995

--By Carole Buia