Kendall-Jackson Vintner’s Reserve Chardonnay has stayed on the top of the U.S. sales charts every year since it was introduced in 1983, but it’s not the same white wine that hit the market 36 years ago.
A Delicious and Organic California Red
Bonterra Cabernet Sauvignon is not only a very fine, complex red wine with nuanced flavors and aromas, but it’s also made from grapes that are grown organically, a true bonus.
Small Winery Nails the Finicky Pinot Noir
Winemakers often will add oak chips, oak powder or oak staves to wine aging in stainless steel casks. As a rule, I’m not a fan of these methods — it seems like cheating.
Winery Perfects Chardonnay in Pinot Noir Country
The 2016 A to Z Oregon Chardonnay is a well-balanced unoaked, versatile white wine that’s good to drink by the fire in winter and on the porch on summer evenings.
A Spanish White Wine from Old Vines
Started in 2002, Bodegas Naia had a straightforward purpose: making high quality white wines using grapes from old, indigenous Verdejo vines. The experiment worked. The winery has succeeded in making some of the best Verdejo in the world, and its affordable Naia is no exception.
A Budget Red That’s Good for the Land
The reasonably-priced Farmhouse red first came to my attention because it was made by a family-owned California producer known for quality wines.
Give Bubbly a Regular Seat at the Table
Sparkling wines are terrific year round, not just for special occasions. Still, there is a persistent belief that the only time to drink sparkling wines is when you’re celebrating on New Year’s Eve or some other momentous event.
Behind a Family Label, a Classic Red
Famille Perrin’s Cotes du Rhone Reserve, Rouge, produced by one of the top winemakers in France’s Southern Rhone Valley, is an excellent wine to accompany a varied holiday feast.
An Alternative to Pricier Chardonnays
Rodney Strong Sonoma County Chardonnay is lightly oaked with subtle vanilla and baked fruit flavors and apple and lemon aromas, a wine with enough fruit-forward character to make it a good companion for most holiday fare.
An Italian Red, By Way of California
Ferrari-Carano 25th anniversary Siena is a dry red blend with complex flavors of plums and cherries and aromas of raspberry jam, maple and bacon (if the tasting notes are to be believed), which makes it an excellent wine to have with Thanksgiving dinner.
