A classy remodeling, an unpretentious produce department and an exquisite fine wine and spirits department have breathed new life into a DeKalb meat market.

In a short period of time, Inboden’s Meats, 1106 N. First St., has assembled an elite selection of wine and spirits.

Dale Bonk, the wine and spirits manager, has cultivated a diverse wine list, and an eclectic collection of import and microbrewery beers.

The first-rate wine room has an ample selection to meet the prices and palates of any customer, and it was a treat to see a small but burgeoning saki selection.

The wine room is the “baby” of the knowledgeable and friendly Bonk. With a passion and zeal for exploring the choice selections of his vendors, Bonk takes pride in the fact that he has tasted nearly every wine on his shelves.

He is incredibly approachable with customer questions, as I witnessed at a free Saturday tasting the store hosted.

A white Bordeaux, a Viognier, a Beaujoules Villegas, a Sauternes, and a saki made for a quite the tasting list.

The 2008 Conosure Viognier from Chile was the highlight of the selection.

It was crisp and clean on my palate with an incredibly pleasing aroma that made me yearn for a warm spring day. A long-lasting finish would make this the perfect companion to any white fish or crab dinner.

At under $10 a bottle, this is a perfect bargain buy that should fly off the shelves once Mother Nature gets her act together and stops pummeling our every desire to be outside with bitter cold air and snow.

The Clos Labere Sauternes would be the perfect after dinner drink. A warm gold in color, the rich wine was reminiscent of a port, a late harvest Riesling, or even a liqueur like Frengelico.

A mouthful of sugary raisins coats permeates your palate while the honey flavor feels like it sticks to your teeth right before you swallow. This small bottle of wine packs quite the punch and can be laid to rest for quite a while, according to Bonk.

The white Bordeaux was grassy and light, but not particularly memorable.

The Lois Tete 2005 Beaujoules Villegas, an inky light purple, came in an old school bottle without any fancy mass marketing labeling. It smelled of raw, red meat and if I were a steak eater, I could see it being a good companion.

My interest, however, was always with the saki. Incredibly clear, without any visible rice grains floating around my glass, a warm feeling overcame me as I sipped the chilled drink.

Having experienced a saki tasting in California, I knew this was a gem. Full of flavor but not over powering, Star Filled Sky was long-lasting and went through several taste transformations in my mouth.

After an hour and a half of tasting and chatting with Bonk, who said he loves to “de-mystify the wine buying process” for his customers, I headed out into the approaching snow storm, hoping that Mother Nature would soon relent.