N/V Schramsberg Sparkling Wine Brut Blanc de Blanc and Blanc de Noirs Napa, California
Champers, shampoo, bubbly, stars, whatever you want to call California Sparkling wine, go ahead, but never ever call it champagne ‘cause it ain’t and never will be. It’s from California, it’s wine, and it has bubbles, right? It’s like this: French stuff is from France and cannot be reproduced exactly the same way here in the states. METHODS can be used, but when your grapes are firmly rooted in Napa, California, your wine will be Californian no matter what name you put on it. Champagne is from just northeast of Paris in France in the region of the same name: Champagne. Blanc de Blanc, means white wine from white grapes, usually chard, blanc de noirs means white wine from dark grapes, usually Pinot Noir. Since the pulp of most grapes is clear this should be an easy concept to grasp if you remember that the color in wine comes from the skins. No skins, no problem. Gently pressed juice shouldn’t have much, if any, color. Now remember that good things come from California, and excellent SPARKLING WINE is made there. The Davies family have it down. They aren’t trying to duplicate the French, they have found the heart and soul of California Sparkling Wine by employing French methods and using California grapes and relying on the California sun. Help our economy and toast American!

2007 Marquis Phillips Grenache Southeastern Australia
Xmas in a glass! They’ve mastered Syrah, but with winemaker Chris Ringland on board Grenache is King. There is something about Ringland and his deft hand with this red grape that hails from Chateauneuf du Pape and eastern Spain. The deep dark cherry core is indicative of the Grenache varietal, but with careful selection in the vineyard and a gentle touch in the winery, Ringland nails down the gingerbread, cinnamon, clove, allspice, and truffle aromas that can be coaxed out of this complex grape. Throw in the Southeastern Australian climate and one juicy, yet graceful behemoth is born. Catch it if you can!

2007 Hugh Hamilton Verdelho "The Trickster" Mclarenvale, Australia

The Black Sheep wines as they are called occasionally, include this vinous application of the PITA grape known as Verdelho. It's origins are from Madeira, Portugal where it's almost unforgivable acidity makes it a great candidate for fortification and long term ageability- the backbone for some Madeira's longevity. Not so Down Under! In Australia, this Verdelho can get wild on you with overly tropical mango and lychee flavors if the grower is not careful, for the acidity all but disappears when it begins to over- ripen. This little grape needs to be handled and harvested for ACID not SUGAR... get it? Indeed, this is oyster, scallop, shrimp, sharp cheese, salted nut, cut through the olive oil kind of white wine here. Racy? Snappy? This wine has the acidity to make a person drool and coo with pleasure. Think about verdant or citrusy things like lime, tarragon, chervil, meyer lemon, kiwi granita, orange, and white cranberries! More fun and refreshing than some New Zealand Sauv Blancs... 'nuff said.

Endless Summers

2006 Summers Winery Estate Charbono Napa Valley, California

Charbono was originally thought to be the Italian grape Barbera by Italian immigrants arriving in California during the late 1800’s, but as it turns out it is actually French in origin. Charbono as a wine is exclusively produced in California, and Summers winery is by far the champion of this rarity. Inky purple in color, and jam packed with a lush berry– cherry quality that remains vibrant on the palate. A difficult wine to procure outside of California, unless of course you are reading this and are familiar with our “taste it, gotta have it” take on excellent, hard to find wines! This wine is sourced from the only 80 acres of Charbono that are grown in California. The estate vines that Summers uses are located in the northern Napa town of Calistoga, 40 acres of very old vines are located. The land up in Calistoga is spotted with hot springs and rugged hillsides, which make prime growing conditions for grapevines. It really shows through in the wine, because the more rustic the growing conditions, the more delicate and concentrated the wine can be. If you love graceful wines, and are waiting to find the perfect Cal– Italian type of wine, this is most definitely it. The top pick for the Holiday feasting is Summers Charbono!