With the wonderful selection of wines and...

With the wonderful selection of wines and the low prices at Cafe Morpheus, I was amazed every table didn’t have a bottle or two the night I dined there. Perhaps the wine crowd hasn’t yet discovered the excitement here.

Bargain hunters will be speechless. How about a 10-year-old Cabernet Sauvignon for $18.50? No kidding. The 1983 Chappellet is that price. 1983 wasn’t a very good year in the Napa Valley, but this wine is now getting mature, and its hardness, which makes is suitable with a rich, hearty main dish, can be softened by aeration.

Gerard Marini, who contributed to the wine list at Remi, has done a masterful job here, not only in holding prices down, but in offering a wide array of tasty wines. Here’s a brief look:

Interesting whites: 1990 Lavantureaux Petit Chablis, $24; 1990 Hugel Gewurztraminer, $22; Chateau St. Jean Brut sparkling wine, $18; 1990 Sonoma-Cutrer Russian River Ranches Chardonnay, $22.

Interesting reds: 1990 Antonio Vallana Barbera, $13; 1990 DeLoach Zinfandel, $16; 1989 Guigal Cotes du Rhone, $17.

The list has a wealth of other treasures, including 14 wines by the glass ranging from $3 to $8.50. A Chinon, 1990 Domaine de la Perriere, $18.50, works particularly well with lighter dishes. There is also a reserve list featuring older wines from good vintages.