29 Dec

New Year’s Eve Sparkling Wine and Champagne for Under $20

Any time is a great time to drink champagne or sparkling wine, but there’s no more festive way to celebrate the New Year than with a beautiful bottle of bubbles. Check out my latest spot on the Today Show where I talk about the best sparklers under $20 from around the world and my favorite splurge champagnes for that extra special New Year’s Eve celebration. Scroll down after the piece for the list.

Codorniu “Anna” Blanc de Blancs, Cava, Spain, $10, codorniu.com

This crisp, juicy winter-white wine makes a stylish statement. While it might be priced like cotton, it drinks like cashmere. The Codorniu family traces its winemaking origins to 1551, but is on the leading edge of creating distinctly modern sparklers.

Mezza di Mezzacorona, Italy, $15, mezzacorona.it

I call this wine “glacial bubbles,” as the juicy, succulent sparkler hails from high altitude vineyards planted in the shadow of the snow-capped Italian Dolomite mountains. A blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Bianco and Muller-Thurgau, this wine is as fun to drink as swishing down the slopes.

Enza Prosecco Extra-Dry, DOC, Italy, $15, enzaprosecco.com

Pull out the punch bowl — it’s party time. Enza’s festive fizz is an ideal choice to use as a base for a punch cocktail. The traditional pairing with Prosecco is peach puree, creating a drink called the Bellini. I pay homage to that classic combination with my Bellini Bowl:

Bellini Bowl

Ingredients:

2 parts Prosecco
1 part peach juice
1 part ginger ale or ginger beer
Sliced peaches or oranges for decoration

Preparation:

Pour peach juice in a punch bowl with ice, sliced peaches and orange slices. Add ginger ale and top with Prosecco.

2013 Rotari Brut, TrentoDOC, Italy, $19, rotari.it

TrentoDOC (pronounced dock) is a world-class bubbly from Northern Italy made in the classic method with the second fermentation happening in bottle. Rotari is a leader in TrentoDOC production and their dry-styled sparkler showcases the purity of Chardonnay. It’s crisp, classy and a tremendous value worth seeking out.

Gratien & Meyer, Brut Rosé, Crémant de Loire, France, $15, gratienmeyer.com

Another sparkling category that is garnering attention for value and quality is Cremant de Loire. This is NOT Champagne, which is bubbly only made in the Champagne region of France. Rather, it’s a delicate sparkling wine from France’s Loire Valley. The historic producer, Gratien & Meyer, has been making wine since 1864. Crafted from the red Cabernet Franc grape, this pretty-in-pink bubbly is a wine you’ll want to buy by the case.

McBride Sisters Collection, Brut Rosé, Marlborough, New Zealand, $19, mcbridesisters.com

Made with primarily Pinot Noir grown in certified sustainable vineyards, this unique Kiwi bubbly is a wine to pour all year long. Rose-petal and red-fruit scented, it’s a refreshingly elegant bubbly that complements savory and sweet fare. As we say in the food and wine pairing business, pork and Pinot are a match made in culinary heaven.

Martini & Rossi Asti DOCG, Italy, $13, martini.com

Hailing from the Piedmont region of Italy and made with Moscato Bianco grapes, Asti is a low-alcohol, slightly sweet and delicately fizzy wine. Martini & Rossi is a producer known for Vermouth, but they have set the standard for delicious Asti. I call it a “magic” wine — it’s so appealingly light and fresh, everyone falls under its spell.

Worth the splurge: Stunners for up to $50

These two superstar sparklers — one from Champagne and the other California — are worth the splurge if you want to part with a bit more cash. They’re great for small gatherings or a romantic evening.

Champagne Taittinger, Brut La Française, Champagne, France, $48, taittinger.com

A classic blend of the three grapes of Champagne, this Chardonnay-led sparkler is aged almost four years in the bottle before release. This gives the La Française the signature creamy smoothness that I look for in a great Champagne. Drink a glass as a holiday gift to yourself.

2011 Roederer Estate, L’Ermitage Brut, California, $48, roedererestate.com

An American icon in the sparkling wine business, Roederer Estate is nestled among towering redwoods in Mendocino’s Anderson Valley. Though California-born, this refined bubbly has a French heritage. Its parent property is the famed house of Louis Roederer Champagne. L’Ermitage is a world-class wine only made in special years and is truly a treat to sip.

Happy New Year!

13 Dec

Ho, Ho, Holiday Gift Ideas sure to please : 2017 Gift Guide

‘Twas just days before Christmas and shopping’s not done?

Alas, these suggestions are second to none

From online to retail, you can spend all your cash

And make others happy with gifts full of flash

Whatever you choose – books, whisky or wine

Your holiday season is sure to shine!

WHITE WINES

These two wines are ideal whites for your holiday sipping.

2015 Flora Springs Dashaway Chardonnay $45

Flora Springs has fun with holidays. Whether Halloween or Christmas, their creative labels and etched bottles always make me smile. The wine inside is delicious, as well. This full-bodied Chardonnay with a wintery potpourri of brown spice aromas, is a white to uncork this holiday season.

2016 Vietti – Roero Arneis $23

Not only are Vietti’s wines world-class, this unique white evokes a feeling of holiday spirit just from looking at the beautiful label. Arneis is a star grape in northern Italy and this crisp white sports savory complexity.

WHISKY GIFTS

Like the perfect novel, the Bowmore Vintner’s Trilogy has the perfect beginning, middle and end.

For that discerning whisky drinker in your life, try the Bowmore Vintner’s Trilogy, a new series of limited edition whiskies that have been aged in a variety of ex-wine, sherry and port casks at Bowmore’s famed No. 1 Vaults. Just in time for holiday gifting season, they are launching two of the three in the trilogy, with the third and final 27 Years Old bottling to be released in Fall 2018.

Bowmore 18 Years Old Double Matured Manzanilla which is matured in both ex-bourbon barrels and ex-manzanilla sherry barrels. It has a suggested price of $127 for 750ml.

Bowmore 26 Years Old Wine Barriques Matured which spent its first 13 years in ex-bourbon barrels before a second maturation of 13 years in wine barriques. This full-bodied whisky has a suggested retail price of $540 for 750ml.

Bowmore 27 Years Old will be released in fall of 2018 and will complete the collection.

Suntory Whisky Toki $35

This beautiful Japanese Whisky is elegant and stylish. With a slightly sweet and peppery finish, this whisky is a perfect gift for that libation lover in your life.

RED AND GREEN

Taylor Fladgate 325 $35

If sipping a smooth Port fireside is your thing, then drinking Taylor Fladgate’s “325” Port is right up your alley. A blend of aged tawny ports, “325” celebrates the 325 years since Jon Bearsely sailed to Portugal to begin his wine business. The rest, as they say, is history.

i Quercioli Lambrusco Secco $11

i Quercioli Lambrusco Dolce $11

These two Lambruscos from the house of Medici Ermete come in both dry (secco) and sweet (dolce) styles. The slightly fizzy nature of the ruby-hued Lambrusco adds a festive sparkle to any holiday party or gift!

SUPPORT NAPA AND SONOMA

With the tragedies of the Wine Country Wildfires this year, it’s important to continue to support the local Napa and Sonoma wineries. Their success depends on your business and support. Try out these holiday wines and gift sets from some of the best.

Flora Springs – Joy to the World Red Blend $65

This blend from the ever-festive Flora Springs, is part of a holiday tradition that began as an exclusive offering to wine club members and has since become a staple of their holiday celebrations. Each year they create new holiday artwork to provide unique, limited-edition Napa Valley wines to use as gifts, share with friends or add to your collection. This red blend is features the Joyful Angel, herald of the holidays.

B.R.Cohn 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Olive Hill Estate Vineyard $58

Celebrate the bounty of Sonoma County with this delicious Cabernet Sauvignon. A ripe, dark fruit and deep flavored Cab, it pairs remarkably well with another one of B.R. Cohn’s finest, their estate olive oil. Get the oil and vinegar set to create the perfect Sonoma County gift basket.

SILVER AND GOLD

Nothing says the holidays like bubbles. But where many think exclusively sparkling wine, I’ve included an decadent beer in this category, as well. And with all of them wrapped in holiday decor, you can’t go wrong.

Martini & Rossi Prosecco $12

An affordable option for holiday gift giving, wrapped up in gorgeous packaging.

Moet Imperial $50

A slightly higher price point but Moët Impérial is the House’s iconic champagne. Created in 1869, it embodies Moët & Chandon’s style.

Le Grand Courtage Blanc de Blanc – Brut $50

Want some bling with your bubbles? Le Grand Courtage comes bedazzled, just for the holiday season.

Rodenbach Grand Cru Red Ale 2015 $11

This Rodenbach Red Ale is a unique Flemish red-brown ale that is matured for 2 years in oak casks.

READING FROM THE VINE

Why not get a bottle and a book for the wine lover in your life? Here are some of my favorite releases of 2017

Red Wine – The Comprehensive Guide to the 50 Essential Varieties and Style- Kevin Zraly, Mike DeSimone and Jeff Jennsen $20

Rosé All Day – The Essential Guide to your New Favorite Wine $18 – Katherine Cole

Cork Dork: A Wine-Fueled Adventure Among the Obsessive Sommeliers, Big Bottle Hunters, and Rogue Scientists Who Taught Me to Live for Taste – Bianca Bosker $30

The Vineyard Years – A Memoir with Recipes – Susan Sokol Blosser $30

Drink Pink – A Celebration of Rosé – Victoria James and Lyle Railsback $12

FREEBIES

Buying for the holidays can get exhausting, and expensive! So one last little gift that will cost you absolutely nothing. Grab this app, some colored pencils and a bottle of wine!

05 Jun

Weekly Wine Picks : Bubbles, Rosés and Blends

Ferrari “Perlé” Brut sparkling wine, Trentodoc, Italy ($35)
As a sparkling wine lover, I’m always on the look out for exciting, high-quality bubbly and this wine qualifies. It’s a beauty to savor with food or on its own. You’ll be considered in-the-know by saying “TrentoDOC” (pronounced dock) like the northern Italians do. A special place tucked into the foothills of the Dolomite Mountains outside of the city of Trento, the wines are made in the traditional method and with the same grapes that grow in Champagne, France including Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. Around 1900, Giulio Ferrari was responsible for bringing those grapes to the Italian region after working in Champagne. From there, one of Italy’s top bubblies was born. The Perlé is made with pure Chardonnay and serves up a sumptuous yet crisp sparkler layered with rich fruit.

2013 J. Lohr “Gesture” Grenache Rosé, Paso Robles, California ($18)
J. Lohr is a winery that has helped put Monterey County on the map. With vineyards in Paso Robles and Napa, as well as Monterey, it’s a California winery with stature and status. Originally conceived to be part of their wine club, the Gesture line focuses on Rhone-style wines such as this appealing pink. Made with Grenache grapes, it’s dry but with succulent red berry fruit flavors and a kick of spice. Don’t worry about pairing it with food (it goes with just about everything), just serve it with special moments in your life.

2012 Doña Paula “Black Edition” red blend, Mendoza, Argentina ($18)
Take a virtual trip to South America for less than $20 with this stupendous buy. Like tango dancers that pair tension with drama, the Black Edition is a red for lovers of sultry blends. Made with a marriage of Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon & Petite Verdot, it has enough structure to age up to five years, but is appealingly smooth and ready to drink now. It partners well with hearty dishes like grilled steak or Portobello mushrooms. Stock up and toast me when you open a bottle.

Tag Archives: bubbles