New Year's Sparlking Wines

It's New Year's again, can you believe it? This year, to make sure you bring a champagne or sparkling wine to start the new year off right I've created a list of some true crowd-pleasers. Here are some recently available wines (and some old classics) that will help you enjoy the night in style.

Domaine Chandon Brut Napa-Sonoma Counties Reserve NV 90WS $18
"Rich and deliciously yeasty, showing aromas of pear, fig, and cinnamon, with flavors that are layered and complex. Nice lingering finish. Drink now through 2010, 6,000 cases made. -- J.L." Domaine Chandon consistently brings high-quality wines year after year. Known almost exclusively for their sparkling wines (although they do offer some traditional still wines as well) Domaine Chandon is almost always a great choice. I think this wine is a fantastic traditional sparkler, although they do have some very special wines which are only available at the winery in Napa which I highly recommend.

Gloria Ferrer Brut Sonoma County NV 90WS $18
"A delicious mouthful of bubbly. Smooth, rich and creamy, revealing layers of black cherry, vanilla and ginger, with a hint of lemon drop. Finishes with a long, refreshing aftertaste of mineral and fruit. Drink now. 93,500 cases made. -- J.L." Gloria Ferrer has recently created a mini-sensation for themselves winning some prominent Californian wine competitions in recent years. This particular wine is widely available and consistently pleasing.

Domaine Ste. Michelle Brut Columbia Valley NV 87WS $12
"Smooth and generous fizz, appealing for the lime and tangerine accents to the pear and toast flavors, lingering well. Drink now. 195,000 cases made. -- H.S." I agree that this is a well made wine, although it was fairly rated below the others I've mentioned. I didn't feel that it finished quite so well, although it's an excellent value.

Duval-Leroy Brut Champagne NV 93WS $35
"A big, full-bodied bubbly, featuring graphite, toast, lemon and nut aromas and flavors. Balanced with an assertive finish. Will improve with a few months of cellaring. Drink now through 2009. 35,000 cases made. -- B.S." Another excellent wine and an amazing bargain. This is easily a $75 champagne selling for under $40. This wine also made it onto the Wine Spectator's top 100. My champagne of choice this year!

Mumm Napa Brut Valley Reserve NV 90WS $25
"Complex, with austere apple, pear and pleasant earth and mineral flavors that are firm and vibrant, finishing with a cleansing aftertaste. Drink now through 2009. 8,000 cases made. --J.L." Mumm is a great winery, and one of my favorites to visit. They are a division of a larger french company (Pernod-Ricard) and make a sparkling wine very true to the French tradition, with notable Californian flavors. I like this particular wine for its sincerity and traditional Champagne taste (although it's not from Champagne). An excellent wine all things considered.

Bollinger Brut Champagne Special Cuvee NV 93WS $45
"A beautiful Champagne. Complex and elegant, evoking ginger, jasmine, citrus and honey aromas and flavors, accented by a biscuit and grain component coming as much from barrel fermentation as yeast aging. Very firmly structured and long. Enjoy with Asian foods or Parmesan cheese. Drink now through 2006. 9,500 cases imported. -- B.S." Bollinger is well known as the Champagne of choice for James Bond. But Secret Agent or not, you're sure to enjoy it yourself as it presents some wonderfully consistent flavors (due in large part to Bollinger's tradition of adding some Champagne from magnums stored from particularly good vintages to Non-Vintage releases).

Happy New Year's! Please drink responsibly.

Wine Enthusiast Top 100 Best Buys

In addition to their annual top 100 wine list, Wine Enthusiast publishes a list that's dedicated to the best values of the year. This phenomenal list offers some fantastic suggestions for wines that shine at a weekday price. As I've only been able to review a few, I strongly encourage you to read the entire list at: Wine Enthusiast's Best Buys. Below I've commented on some of my favorites:

#1 Columbia Crest 2002 Grand Estates Shiraz, Washington, Columbia Valley / $11 Red:
"Very fruity, youthful and packed with brambly berry flavors. Tart, tangy and loaded with berries and cherries, this racy, snappy effort shows surprising depth and weight for its modest price point. There's a nice lick of vanilla in the soft, lush finish." My notes: Columbia Crest has a wide range of offerings, but I found this wine to be surprisingly well structured for the price. Shiraz has a tendency to pair well with strongly flavored meats and full-bodied dishes. This wine will pair easily with a wide variety of dinners.

#8 Domaine de la Guicharde 2003 Cuvée Genest, France, Côtes-du-Rhône Villages / $14 Red:
"This is wonderfully fragrant and spicy, filled with scents of garrigue, baking spices and anise, yet at the same time it shows plenty of ripe, mouthfilling fruit. Elegant, complex and a fantastic value. Multiple U.S. importers." My notes: Côtes-du-Rhône reds are often a pleasure, and this is no exception. This wine was a pleasure to drink even on its own, but paired extremely well with lamb chops.

#10 Ballentine 2005 Pocai Vineyard Old Vines Chenin Blanc, California, Napa Valley / $14 White:
"The vines date to the early 1970s, and the vineyard is on the valley floor near Calistoga. Winemaker Bruce Devlin worked at Boschendal, South Africa's first winery to barrel ferment Chenin Blanc. Dry and crisp, this wine shows wildflower and citrus flavors, and a sweet, green-pea note with an edge of toasted wood. Not only is this an elegant table white, it should evolve over the next five to seven years." My notes: Chenin Blanc is often a graceful white as it's mineral backbone balances with citrus acidity. I've enjoyed Chenin Blancs that have lasted over fifteen years. This one probably won't last that long, but I encourage you to tuck a bottle away and try it in a few years. The few white wines that age well are always an experience to drink, and at this price, you can't go wrong.

#12 Quinta da Aveleda 2005 Vinho Verde, Portugal, Vinho Verde / $8 White:
"One of the markers for Vinho Verde, this brand gets better and better. The 2005 is a new blend, with 10% of Alvarinho from the Aveleda estate. It is ripe and rich, with great solid full fruits in the mouth, tropical but with some citrus character. It's bone dry, with fine finishing acidity. Imported by Aveleda Imports." My notes: As I mentioned before, anyone who hasn't tried the lightly sparkling Vinho Verde is missing out. Although clearly not a "glamour" wine, Vinho Verde can be an excellent refreshing treat on a hot day. This particular wine is a great deal, and ready to drink immediately if you can't hold off till the summer.

#16 Torres 2005 Malena Garnacha, Spain, Catalunya / $10 Red:
"Purple in color, with a sweet, fragrant bouquet featuring mostly plum and strawberry but also a touch of rusticity. Bold and full of cherry-cola flavors, while the feel is downright plush and proper. A very nice (and new to the market) wine from Torres; and there's no knocking its value qualifications." My notes: Spain is offering some incredible bargains lately, and this wine is no exception. This is a very flavorful wine and a great wine to experiment with if you are trying to pick out specific aromas and flavors, as it has quite a few to find.

#31 ElvenGlade 2004 Pinot Gris, Oregon, Yamhill County / $15 White:
"Round, ripe and polished. The pear and apple flavors are bright and sassy, lined with skin flavors, persistent and well defined. This wine is balanced, harmonious, penetrating and beautifully crafted. It's a template for all that is good about Oregon Pinot Gris." My notes: Another fine example from Oregon's Yamhill region. Mark my words, this region will be the new Napa as these winemakers continue to refine their style and as the vineyards come of age. This sophisticated Pinot Gris would go exceptionally well with a mild flavored fish such as halibut.

#89 Toscolo 2004 Chianti, Italy, Chianti / $11 Red:
"Always a solid value contender, Toscolo really nailed it in 2004. This wine is clean and ripe, with familiar raspberry and strawberry aromas. It's not heavy at all; in fact, it's light, bright and clear, with pure cherry and raspberry flavors that are sure to please. A pizza wine to the max." My notes: Although Chianti often has a rustic and unsophisticated reputation, Italy's trademark wine makes an excellent accompaniment to many, many foods. This is a true table wine that can be enjoyed with or without food.

Wine Enthusiast's Top Wines of 2006

Wine Spectator get's a large amount of attention each year as they release their top 100 wines towards the end of each November. Less well known is Wine Enthusiast's list of top wines which are released in early December. I always find wonderful selections from each list, however this year Wine Enthusiast has made some excellent picks. (See their complete list at www.winemag.com/top2006) Of particular mention are:

#7, Château Lagrange 2003, France, Saint-Julien / $30 Red:
"A dark, dry, brooding wine, which has flavors of blackberries and red plum skins, which is not at all dominated by wood. This is a classic wine, with Saint-Julien's elegance and 2003's power. Imported by Diageo Chateau & Estates." My notes: French reds differ in style and presentation from Californian reds which are typically readily more available in the United States (and usually less expensive as well). This is a good example of a lesser-oaked French wine that is strong, yet unusually supple, and not as forward as the Californians you may be used to.

#16, Yangarra Estate Vineyard 2004 Shiraz, Australia, McLaren Vale / $25 Red:
"Good as ever, this vintage of the Yangarra Shiraz doles out plenty of juicy blackberry and blueberry fruit accented with fresh but subtle vanilla bean notes. Full and bouncy on the palate, and long on the finish. Winemaker Peter Fraser just doesn't know how to make bad wine. Imported by Yangarra Estate Vineyard." My notes: We've recently seen some excellent wines out of McLaren Vale, and Peter Fraser is leading the pack. You will likely find that Australian wines are similiar in style and presentation to wines from California, as these regions share similiar climates (albeit at different times of the year) and have younger wine regions, comparitively.

#19, Le Cadeau Vineyard 2003 Pinot Noir, Oregon, Willamette Valley / $40 Red:
"What a spectacular effort. Dense and precise, it explodes from the glass with pure varietal scents and crisp, layered flavors. The mix of red fruits seamlessly weaves into barrel flavors of coffee, toast, caramel and buttered nuts, then adds licorice and spice to the long, clean, lifted finish. A tour de force." My notes: I am consistently impressed with the development and quality of wines from Oregon's Willamette Valley. This selection is proof to Oregon's perfect Pinot Noir climate, and exemplifies what a highly skilled winemaker can coax from this particular grape. Although Pinot has exploded in availability and price since "Sideways," here at least, is one that is well-worth every penny.

#22, J. Bookwalter 2005 Riesling, Washington, Columbia Valley / $16 White:
"Continuing its string of outstanding Rieslings, J. Bookwalter once again has produced an exceptionally fragrant wine absolutely brimming with scents of sweet blossom, citrus, peach, mango and pear. The mix of fruits is marvelous; equally impressive is the racy acidity that keeps the wine poised, balanced and right on the fence between dry and sweet." My notes: Although frequently not given the same attention as Oregon and California, Washington's wines have been coming along quite nicely. This Riesling was exceptionally balanced and is a great example of a white wine with fabulous depth of flavor. Look for this winemaker to continue to release some truly fantastic offerings.

#30, Anselmo Mendes 2005 Muros Antigos Alvarinho, Portugal, Vinho Verde / $16 White:
"Mendes specializes in Alvarinho in the far north of Portugal. With this powerful, intense wine he shows how good the grape can be and how good the 2005 vintage was. It's full-bodied and intense, with just a touch of mineral and spritz. Imported by Aidil Wines & Liquor Inc." My notes: Although frequently relegated to a lesser class of wine, Portugal's Vinho Verde can be a pleasant and refreshing wine when made well. Pick up a bottle of this selection and save it till a hot summer day. You won't be disappointed with it's fresh citrus flavors, mineral backbone, and lightly sparkling presentation.

#43, Sebastiani 2002 Merlot, California, Sonoma County / $17 Red:
"This is an awfully good wine. It's a great example of a coastal Merlot from a good vintage, lush and sweet in cherry, cassis and cocoa flavors, yet completely dry, and the tannins are rich and smooth. There's a complex velvety softness that caresses the finish." My notes: Merlot has gotten a bad name recently (again, no thanks to "Sideways") but I like to remind people that the most expensive wine in the world (Petrus) which goes for well over a thousand dollars a bottle, is in fact, Merlot. Keep this in mind and give it a try. I'm certain you won't be disappointed.

#72, Hess Collection 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon, California, Mount Veeder / $40 Red:
"Here's an outstanding Napa Cab, notable not just for its lush black currant and mocha flavors, but the outstanding tannic structure. Firm as two-by-fours, yet soft as velvet, the tannins lend this wine a great internal architecture. Drink now through 2010." My notes: This is why California Cabernets are so highly revered. Body, structure, depth, and strength are balanced with finesse in this excellent example of the Cabernet Sauvignon. I disagree slightly with Wine Enthusiast and think that this particular wine can go another 10 years (to 2016). There's only one way to find out...

There are plenty of fine wines from this list, but I have emphasized some that I believe are reasonably priced, ready to drink, and sure to be enjoyable. Salut!

New Wine Blog!

I love wine, as many do. Unfortunately, many people are still unsure when shopping for wine. What's good? Do I need to age this bottle? Is price indicative of quality? This blog has been designed as a resource for finding good wine that you can be proud to serve, share, or enjoy yourself. Consider it a shopping list of sorts. Allow me to keep you updated on the hottest wines as they are released and reviewed. Salut!