Champagne, Wine, and Chocolate. Perfection.

The sound of a Champagne cork popping is the perfect complement to any celebration. Toast the holidays and ring in 2013 with Barefoot Bubbly – the perfect accompaniment to all your holiday festivities. Looking for a classic champagne? Try the Brut Cuvée ($10), crisp with hints of green apple and jasmine.

For a deliciously different wine experience, try ChocolatRouge ($11), a new wine that combines the perfect pairing of red wine and chocolate in one bottle. It comes in three flavors: award-winning ChocolatRouge Milk Chocolate, Sweet Red, and Dark Red.

For a festive and delicious addition to the holiday table this year try The Naked Grape's Harvest Red Blend ($9). This wine is juicy red with rich notes of raspberry and plum - the blend brings together a variety of red grapes, including Merlot and Tempranillo, to highlight the ripest fruit flavors. It’s also budget friendly, fresh, and great for the harvest season!

So, whether you prefer a wine that’s more classic or one that is more daring and has a sense of (sweet) humor, you need look no further. Enjoy—and please remember to drink and serve responsibly.

 

http://www.thenakedgrapewine.com/

 

http://www.barefootwine.com/

Wines to Enjoy

No matter where you are in a relationship, or not, Valentine’s Day is all about a celebration of love. Consider these delicious yet affordable wines - blended twists on varietal favorites:

· For the serious duo…make your statement with Apothic Red ($14), a blend of Merlot, spicy Zinfandel and lush Syrah. We've written about this delight before and now we are writing about it again. It is very nice.

· Want to keep it  lighthearted? Try Barefoot Wine’s newest release, Sweet Red ($7), a deliciously sweet blend of Zinfandel, Pinot Noir, Grenache and Petite Sirah. Make the bottle your Valentine! Tie a note to the necker asking your special someone “Will you be my Sweet Red?” This is also worth another mention. A sweetly (but not too sweet and never cloying) enjoyable wine.

· For the eclectic couple… say, “I love you” with Bear Flag Wine’s new big, bold Dark Red blend ($9), with a wild label to match.

And, no one says you can't just have a glass with friends or just by yourself. Enjoy!

Always remember to please drink and serve responsibly.

Apothical

    

Here is a rich, luxurious wine that will  reward your senses with a velvety mouthfeel and smooth finish. Apothic Red 2008 California's Winemaker's Blend is a mix of spicy Zinfandel with smooth Merlot and lush, dark Syrah. There were lighter yields as a result of well below normal winter rainfall and an extended April frost that reduced quantities in many regions of California. But these conditions  were followed by an ideally mild summer and fall meaning the lighter yields and small berries resulted in exceptionally high quality of grapes of complex, concentrated flavors and aromas. Wine lover's will just enjoy the inspired taste of a truly delicious and thoughtful wine. 

 $14 for a 750-ml bottle

http://www.apothic.com/wine.html

Turning into Spring

    

The winemaker at Turning Leaf, Nicole Hitchcock, has some ideas for pairing wines with Spring repasts.

 
     A light wine such as  Turning Leaf’s 2008 Pinot Grigio  goes  nicely with lamb, poultry [and vegetarian] dishes. Pino Grigio  is refreshing, with aromas of ripe apples and lingering hints of pear. Enjoy with any light fare-from seared scallops with a lemon-butter drizzle to an open-faced, roast chicken breast sandwich topped with sun-dried tomatoes and fresh mozzarella.

    Their 2008 Merlot is a natural with dishes like pasta or ham or just about anything else. This Merlot has a fruity and spicy flavor-- luscious and medium-bodied, with the scents and aromas of blackberry jam and black plums-and just a hint of chocolate.

    Both are equally at home on the dining table or toted along on a picnic. At only $8 a bottle, you can choose a veritable basket of Turning Leaf wines and you won’t break your budget. Enjoy! And, as always, drink and serve responsibly.

http://www.turningleaf.com