L.A. WINELINE FOR A TASTE OF D'ARGENZIO, HEAD STRAIGHT TO BURBANK.

Byline: LARRY LIPSON

A small, highly respected Santa Rosa winery called D'Argenzio has a tasting room right here in the San Fernando Valley.

Called the D'Argenzio Enoteca Tasting Room, it is located at 1204 W. Burbank Blvd. in Burbank.

Ray D'Argenzio, the winemaker and co-founder, grew up in Burbank, where his family runs a custom furniture business.

Those interested in tasting his wines in Burbank should call the tasting room at [phone].

For winery and general wine information, call [phone] or visit www.dargenziowine.com.

STREAK OF YELLOW: The No. 1 wine brand in dollar volume isn't Kendall-Jackson, Beringer or any of the other domestic top names, it's an Australian label called Yellow Tail.

With sales of 6.6 million cases, Yellow Tail makes eight regular wines (chardonnay, pinot grigio, shiraz, cabernet sauvignon, merlot, shiraz-cabernet, cabernet-merlot and shiraz-grenache) that sell for $7 or less and five reserve varietals (chardonnay, pinot grigio, shiraz, merlot and cabernet sauvignon) priced at around $11.

As a result of this huge growth, Yellow Tail winemaker and general manager John Casella has made it into Decanter magazine's list of the 50 most powerful people in the wine industry.

ON THE BLOCK: Hey, local collectors, are you ready to spend really big bucks on wine?

Some of the greatest wines of the 20th century and a couple of 19th-century Chateau Haut-Brions (1881 and 1899) will highlight the upcoming Hart Davis Hart fall auction in Chicago on Sept. 17.

Prized Chateaux bottles of '47 and '82 Cheval Blanc, '59 Haut-Brion, '82 Latour, '49 and '82 Mouton-Rothschild and '61, '75 and '82 Petrus will be among the 11,000 offered.

Absentee bidding can be done by phone, fax or through the auctioneer's Web site.

Catalogs ($25) are currently available.

Information: [phone] or www.hdhwine.com.

NEW RELEASES: Petite syrah is part of the blend along with merlot and petit verdot of the just-released 2001 Valley of the Moon Sonoma County cabernet sauvignon ($20). ... Constellation's North Lake Wines division has brought Fernleaf, a 2004 sauvignon blanc from New Zealand made from predominantly Marlborough region grapes plus some fruit from Gisborne and Hawkes Bay, into the United States, where it is being sold for $9.99 per bottle. ... The release of HRM Rex Goliath 2004 Central Coast chardonnay ($8.99) on Aug. 1 follows the May 1 release of Goliath's nonvintage California merlot and cabernet sauvignon, the April 1 release of its 2004 pinot grigio and April 10 release of its pinot noir. These are surprisingly well-made wines by talented Hahn Estates winemaker Adam LaZarre. Information: [phone]. ... Hewitt has released the second vintage of its classy Rutherford Estate Grown cabernet sauvignon. The Hewitt 2002 is said to be more fruit-intense. At $75 per bottle, it's a natural for an impressive gift or a special occasion dinner. Information: [phone] or www.hewittvineyard.com.

SIPS & NIBBLES: Local wine retail specialist Ray Wolkoff is now handling wine room duties at the Enoteca di Bel-Air in the Beverly Glen Marketplace, 2964 Beverly Glen Circle, Bel-Air. Wolkoff has a couple of Spanish wine bargains currently: a 2004 Borsao (Borja) for $6.99 and the 2002 Protocolo (Manchuela) also for $6.99. Information: [phone]. ... Visiting the Napa Valley? An exhibition of the works of San Diego artist William Glen Crooks will run from Sept. 2 through Jan. 15 at Cliff Lede Vineyards in Yountville, Napa Valley, which produces Bordeaux varietal wines. Information: [phone] or www.cliffledevineyards.com.

Larry Lipson, [phone]

larry.lipson(at)dailynews.com