Here are a few of my favorite sparklers, all at economical price points:

Champagne: Heidsieck & Co. Monopole Blue Top ($30)
This is “real” Champagne, from France, made in a dry style — so if you’re into the sweeter sparklers, stay away. Otherwise, dive right in. You will be excited with anticipation the moment the wine is poured into the glass, as it will become charged with an abundance of aggressive, tiny bubbles that develop an immediate, full foam (or mousse, as the geeks call it). Clean, citrusy, slightly toasted aroma that also has a hint of mineral. In the mouth, you get very similar flavors as were on the nose, along with a touch of honey and pear, all tightly wound by a stiffly acidic wrapper. It has excellent structure, yet remains elegant and has the perception of being lighter than it really is. You can read a previous post on Heidsieck Champagne here. At around $30, it’s one of best remaining bargains coming out of Champagne, France. Find Heidsieck et Monopole Blue Top Champagne NV at a local retailer via Wine-Searcher.

Cava: Juve y Camps Reserva de la Familia ($15)
If you can’t afford good Champagne, the next best thing is a bottle of Prosecco (a sparkling wine from Italy) or Cava, which is Spain’s version of bubbly. This example from Juve y Camps has lots of fizz, good acidity, is fruity yet dry, and finishes with a nice clean aftertaste. Strong scents of pear and spice in the nose. Good fruit, good acidity and good finish. Nice mousse (bubbles/froth). Not overly dry; hint of sweetness. Elegant. A super bargain. Find Juve y Camps Reserva de la Familia Cava at a local retailer via Wine-Searcher.

Brachetto d’Acqui: Rosa Regale ($21)
To me this is the ideal wine for the holidays because of its festive, bright red color and mild sweetness that makes it a crowd pleaser. It’s not dry by any means, but it has a racy acidity that tones down the sweetness and makes it marry well with food – particularly chocolate. Intense raspberry and strawberry flavors are carried with a soft fizz that is less bubbly than Champagne, but effervescent enough for celebrating. Disclaimer: I work for the company that imports Rosa Regale. Find Rosa Regale Brachetto d’Acqui at a local retailer via Wine-Searcher.

Prosecco: Maschio Prosecco Brut ($12)
In the past I have recommended and enjoyed Prosecco from Riondo, Zardetto, Nino Franco, and Zonin. This year I’m suggesting one that isn’t quite as widely known but is similarly delicious and affordable: Maschio dei Cavalieri. It has a citrusy nose with hints of honeysuckle and toasted Wonderbread that remind me of Champagne. In the mouth it has clean white fruit carried on coarse bubbles, along with a touch of mineral. There is enough acidity to match fairly well with food, particularly spicy Asian dishes, and also with shellfish, Greek cuisine, pasta salads. Disclaimer: like the Rosa Regale, I discovered this wine at my new job working for the importer. Find Maschio dei Cavalieri at a retailer near you via Wine-Searcher.

USA Sparkling Wine: Domaine Ste. Michelle Blanc de Noirs ($12)
Color is a pale orange — more like cooked salmon than pink. Soft, fruity nose of citrus and a hint of raspberry. Pretty good mousse, with persistent medium-sized bubbles. In the mouth it is mostly dry, with maybe a touch of sweetness that is due more to a fun and fruity ripeness than dosage. Finishes completely dry, with a good dose of acidity, which helps with structure and food matching. This runs about $9-12 for a bottle, and at that price it is a steal. Domaine Ste. Michelle is one of, if not the, most respected wineries in Oregon. Find Domaine Ste. Michelle Blanc de Noirs at a local retailer via Wine-Searcher

What cork will YOU be popping for New Year’s?

No, this is not a wine made by the mixed-martial arts fighter — though it is similarly intense and packs a punch.

“Celeste” Crianza is made by Miguel Torres the wine producer — a diverse family-owned company that makes wine in Spain, Chile, and California. This particular bottle comes from the Ribera del Duero region in Spain (the company also owns vineyards in Penedes, Jumilla, Priorat, Toro, Conca de Barbera, and Priorat). Torres has the largest winery in Spain and is its largest producer, exporting to 140 countries.

This wine is the family’s first foray into Ribera del Duero. The name “Celeste” is translated from Spanish as “celestial”, “heavenly”, or simply, “sky”, and refers to the fact that the vineyards are located 895 meters above sea level — in other words, way up in the sky and close to the heavens. To me this 100% Tempranillo wine is more like a modern Rioja than a Ribera del Duero, because it is clean, has upfront juicy red berry fruit, and has a distinctive vanilla oak element. But then again, I haven’t really been “into” Ribera del Duero in a while, so maybe that region is modernizing their wine as well.

The nose has an opulent floral fragrance with ripe red fruits and a hint of cassis. Rose petals, cherry, sweet blueberry, and boysenberry. In the mouth it is ripe and juicy with flavors of blueberry and boysenberry. The texture is creamy smooth. Tannins are mild as is the acidity; this is borderline “fat”. The finish is a bit hot, but that’s what you get with such a ripe flavor profile.

Due to the fatness and heat this is a little difficult to match with food. But, I like it as a “cocktail” wine or “fireside” wine; something to drink on its own.

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Disclosure: I received this wine as a press sample

As it turned out, both wines mildly surprised me — they are easygoing and simple but enjoyable and have enough structure to match with a variety of foods. That’s the nice thing about having no expectations — it’s hard to be disappointed.

The name “Big House” came about because the winery is located “an ankle iron’s toss” from the Soledad State Correctional Facility in Soledad, California (Monterey County). It was founded by Randall Grahm — better known as the founder/winemaker at Bonny Doon — and the brand’s focus is to appeal to the “non-snob” by making wine less complicated and more fun and easy to enjoy (hey, just like this website!). I have to admit the branding is clever and appealing, if a bit corny. But, I’m corny myself and therefore have an appreciation for their efforts.

Big House White is a fruity summer sipper with a faint hint of sweetness that makes a good foil for spicy hot foods. I paired it successfully with Indian cuisine as well as buffalo wings and BBQ ribs. It’s also thoroughly enjoyable on its own, with a good chill. For those who care, it’s made from a “kitchen sink” blend of 22.7% Malvasia Bianca, 15.9% Gruner Veltliner, 15.7% Sauvignon Blanc, 9.2% Gewürztraminer, 7.9% Riesling, 7.3% Chenin Blanc, 6.1% Muscat Canelli, 5.2% Viognier,4.5% Verdelho, 4.4% Albarino, and 1.1% Pinot Gris. If nothing else, all those grapes in there make for a good conversation starter.

Big House Red was similarly friendly with food, but completely dry. It has an attractive, expressive nose full of black cherries and a hint of earth. On the palate there are similar flavors — cherry, red and black berry fruit, mild earth, touch of tobacco. There is plenty of acidity and very mild tannins. It finishes somewhat quickly and with tart, sour cherry. Overall it kind of reminds me a Beaujolais Villages, and is similarly easy to pair with just about anything — particularly lean meats (chicken, turkey, pork), vegetarian dishes, and pasta with red sauce. And yes, this one is made with myriad grape varieties as well: 27% Petite Sirah, 14.5% Syrah, 8.6% Montepulciano, 8.2% Barbera, 6.4% Nero d’Avola, 6.1% Tempranillo, 3.3% Malbec, 2.4% Aglianico, 2.4% Souzao, 2.3% Charbono, 2.2% Petit Verdot, 2.1% Cabernet Franc, 2% Tannat, and 12.5% Other Esoteric Reds. I’d love to know what those “other esoteric reds” might be, and why they’re not listed. Ah-ha! Another conversation starter!

At under $10 for a 750ml bottle, these wines are a steal — but it isn’t the kind of theft that will get you sent to the “big house”. And both wines also come in snazzy, convenient, party-friendly bag-in-box packaging as well.

Find Big House White at a retailer near you using Wine-Searcher, Vinquire, or WineZap

Find Big House Red at a retailer near you using Wine-Searcher, Vinquire, or WineZap

If you want to learn more about Big House and some of their other wines, visit my good friend Charles Scicolone’s site to read about the Big House “warden” Georgette Dune. You can also visit the Big House website and/or follow the brand on Twitter @BigHouseWines

Let me premise this by stating that I don’t like the idea of using the words “Prima Classe” “Rosato” and “Riserva” on a wine produced in the United States. I understand it is Tamas trying to be cute by emulating the terms that might be found on a bottle of Italian wine. However, that marketing ploy only further confuses an already confused wine-drinking public. To be clear: this wine is from the Livermore Valley of California.

That complaint aside, this pink wine delivers juicy strawberry and white cherry flavors on the nose and palate, mouthwatering acidity, and is overall a pleasant, refreshing, and enjoyable quaffer that fits most any budget. It’s nice alone, but better with food. I matched it successfully with roast chicken, BBQ ribs, mild cheese, crawfish cakes, and shrimp/scallop cakes. At under ten bucks, this is a good value. Pick up a bottle while the weather is hot and the wine is still fresh — it’s not something to lay down.

Learn more about the winery at the Tamas Estates website (though, I couldn’t find any info on this particular wine there).

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This bottle was given to me by my friend and colleague Phil Ward, who is on the Board of Directors of the International Riesling Foundation and frequently travels the country as a judge at wine competitions. Needless to say, I trust his palate, especially when it comes to Riesling. So when Phil handed me this bottle, I had to try it.

As it turned out, I wasn’t disappointed.

Immediately from the nose, bright aromas of ripe apricot, candied peach, and bit of banana erupt from the glass, along with the slightest hint of petroleum (but in a good way). The palate flows with fresh fruit salad flavors: peach, pineapple, pear, apple, and grapes. Texture is smooth, the finish is clean. It’s not completely dry — there is some residual sugar here — but it’s not overbearing nor cloying. It was a good match for smoked ham, and even better with spicy boneless chicken wings.

Enjoyable on its own as a refreshing quaffer, I highly recommend it as a match for spicy hot and sweet and spicy dishes — such as might find on an Asian or Indian menu. At around $12-13, this is a good value.

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Instead of spending much more time letting the HobNob website make me feel old and un-hip, I moved on to the actual wines. I tried very hard to like them — I really did — but they just weren’t my style.

That doesn’t mean you won’t like them, of course, because wine is subjective and everyone has different tastes. And thank goodness for that, or we’d all be fighting over the same bottles of wine.

There was a distinct theme running across all four red wines: chocolatey, vanilla oak. Everyone likes chocolate and vanilla, so I understand why HobNob found a way to get that flavor profile into their wines. But for me it was a little too much, robbing the varietal character of the wines. In other words, if the wines were given to me “blind”, I probably would not have guessed which was Pinot, which was Cab, etc. — they all tasted more or less the same. There was a strong oaky vanilla and chocolate flavor in all of them, with the bare hint of the varietal somewhere in the background. Additionally, the structure was out of balance — the wines were on the fat side (meaning, they lacked acidity) and had soft tannins. These attributes are fine for a “cocktail wine” — i.e., a wine to drink during cocktail hour at a bar or party, and without food. And for that purpose, these wines are perfectly suitable, particularly for people who are newbies and moving their palates from thick microbrews to the wine scene. But once food is introduced … well, I’d have to switch to something else.

That’s not to say that Hob Nob wines should be avoided. There is no doubt in my mind that there is a significant portion of the population that will appreciate these wines. The price is right (under ten bucks). And again, I think they are a great bridge from the chocolate stouts and mocha porters. Wines like this are excellent introductions for people who think wine is “sour”, “bitter”, or “sharp”.

Does that make me a snob?

Let me know in the comments … and also, please share your opinion of Hob Nob wines.

Oh and by the way, these wines are from France — Languedoc, specifically. I never would have guessed that based on the packaging and marketing. They seem to be trying very hard to be un-French.

The Hob Nob website

Use the links below to find Hob Nob wines at a retailer near you:

Hob Nob Cabernet Sauvignon
Hob Nob Merlot
Hob Nob Pinot Noir
Hob Nob Shiraz

Why the sudden Carmenere kick? Well, because I was the beneficiary of a selection of Carmenere blends as a result of being included in a “twitter tasting” hosted by the Wines of Chile a few months ago. Yes, I’m sometimes (often?) slow in getting my reviews published to the blog. But hey, better late than never, right? Anyway, on to the wine.

It’s kind of funny that the label explains the wine as a “Limited Selection” — I mean, if it’s so limited how could it sell for under 15 bucks? But as a person in the business of marketing wine I understand the power of such words, ergo the reasoning behind the nonsense. Heck, I’m guilty of promoting similar types of “fantasy” hype on labels, and California wines have been doing it for decades. But I digress …

Beyond the fancy language on the label, we have a very nice wine here — which doesn’t surprise me, as I’ve enjoyed nearly every bottle I’ve Montes I’ve ever tried; they are a “reliable producer” in my book. Bright, open, and expressive red and black berry fruit aromas jump into the nose, with a slight touch of earth and bell pepper. The palate does not disappoint, offering similarly forward fruit that is ripe with red berries, sweet black fruits, and hints of earth, spice, and mild tobacco. Tannins and acidity are both soft, but there’s enough structure to keep the wine from being described as “fat” or out of balance. The finish is kind of quick but that’s hardly a complaint, considering all the juicy delicious fruit at the front end.

I matched this successfully with a smattering of dishes, including chicken pot pie, cheese and potato pierogies, and stuffed cabbage (yes, I had take-out from the Polish restaurant). It’s enjoyable on its own but also completely versatile with a variety of victuals. At around or about $15, it’s a good value.

Find Montes Cabernet-Carmenere Apalta Vineyard Limited Selection at a retailer near you using Wine-Searcher, Vinquire, or WineZap

This is a fairly typical Carmenere from Chile, offering earthy, green and black pepper aromas that you might also associate with Merlot (hence, the confusion for so many years between the two varietals down there). The inky, almost black color in the middle of this wine belies its softness on the palate. Upfront there are juicy black and red berry fruits that move to a mild bitterness (cranberry and tobacco) in the midpalate and finish, which is quick but pleasant and without heat. Tannins are mild, but there is ample acidity for food matching. Try it with lean meats or vegan dishes.

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Generally, a good sake remains — for me — the best match for most types of sushi, particularly if I’m having spicy rolls and/or laying on the wasabi heavily. But, I’m not quite as educated on sake as I’d like, and sushi is as good a reason as any to open up a white wine from my rack.

Recently, I opened up FOUR whites with a selection of salmon sushi (regular sushi piece on white rice, an avocado and salmon roll, and a “double salmon” roll). And, all four worked pretty well — and, I think they’ll work with other types of sushi, such as tuna, raw shrimp, yellowtail, scallop, fluke, etc.

Martin Codax Albarino
$12.99
This is typical Albarino in that it has a distinct mineral quality, good acidity, and white fruit — these elements come straight from the alluvial, granite, slate, and sandy soils of the cool and wet Maritime climate of the Rias Baixas region of Galicia, Spain. The mineral character is an obviously perfect match with just about all seafood. Disclosure: this wine was sent to me as a press sample.
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Woodbridge Pinot Grigio
$7.99
Generally, I wouldn’t have given this wine a second thought, based on principle: to me, “Pinot Grigio” comes from Italy. Further, I usually shy away from purchasing mass-marketed wine brands at a retail shop — not necessarily because I’m a snob, but because there are so many other interesting wines to choose from at a good wine shop, and I have plenty of opportunities to taste wines from the “big boys” at chain restaurants with bad wine lists. But, again, I must disclose that this wine was sent to me as a press sample, so I felt obliged to give it a try. As expected, it doesn’t have the racy acidity nor mineral qualities one would expect from a “real” Pinot Grigio from northern Italy. But, its round, slightly melon-flavored California character is actually a good match for the lean salmon sushi.
Find Woodbridge Pinot Grigio at a retailer near you

Carpineto “Dogajolo” Bianco
$13.99
Like the Woodbridge, Dogajolo is a bit fatter and rounder than an Italian Pinot Grigio, making it a good match for sushi (and other lean dishes). This wine is actually from Italy, but it’s a blend of Chardonnay, Sauvignon, and Grechetto. The Chardonnay gives the roundness, good weight, and a mild ripe pear flavor; the Sauvignon provides some acidity, citrus, floral notes; I’m not sure what the Grechetto brings, since I’ve never had a pure Grechetto. Disclosure: I work for the company that imports this wine (Opici Wines).
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Quivira Sauvignon Blanc, Fig Tree Vineyard
$18.00
This was the most expensive of the four and, not surprisingly, the most complex. Like the Pinot Grigio, its California roots came through — round, good weight, more pear and floral aromas than the green, grassy, “pipi du chat” character you get from French Sauvignon. The flavor was dominated by pear and lime with a hint of spice, and the acidity was mild. It worked very nicely with the salmon sushi, and I think it would work even better with more flavorful sushi such as eel and mackerel. Again, full disclosure: this was received as a sample. If only a sushi company would send me samples as well, I’d really be in business!
Find Quivira Sauvignon Blanc “Fig Tree Vineyards” at a retailer near you

Next time I’ll get a more interesting array of sushi dishes and try more whites. Meantime, what wines do you enjoy with sushi? Share your thoughts in the comments.

Interestingly, I didn’t realize the other day that I’d tasted the Coyam before. More interestingly, when I compared my notes, they were almost identical — and highly positive. The ’07 is not surprisingly slightly more fresh, but both are juicy, complex, and delicious wine — and one of the best I’ve had from Chile. That’s saying something, considering that my company imports some outstanding wines from De Martino.

The blend is 38% Syrah, 21% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Carmenere, 17% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot, and 1% Mourvedre, all from the Colchagua Valley.

The nose exudes typical Chilean aromas, which to me are similar to earthiness you smell in a classic French Merlot — i.e., distinct green bell pepper, dirt, and tobacco — along with ripe red and black fruits and hint of chocolate. Similar flavors flow on the palate: ripe red and black berries, mild earth notes, hint of chocolate — all held together by ripe tannins and ample acidity. On its own, the tannins and acid are slightly too much, but those elements are ideal when pairing with food; I matched it perfectly with a buffalo burger.

According to the label, “coyam” is a Mapuche term meaning “oak” (the Mapuches were a tribe of peoples native to South America, particularly in Chile and Argentina). However, this wine does not have overwhelming oak influence; on the contrary, there is just enough wood to add a lovely, subtle spice component (I think this is where the chocolate element comes from).

This is a very tasty, complex, well-balanced wine that is best enjoyed with lean protein. Match it with the buffalo burgers that I did, or try it with turkey burgers, mildly spiced chili, bean-based dishes, mild cheeses.

By the way, this is also an organic / biodynamic wine, if you care.

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