Schramsberg 2009 blanc de noir

A good sparkling wine served as a starter of an evening, served with my summer grilled appetizer - chorizo stuffed jalapeños wrapped in bacon!

Normally we serve this at Sunday brunch with egg dishes.

Schramsberg has the distinction of being the first American sparkling wine served at the Whitehouse for a state dinner!

http://www.schramsberg.com/wines/blancdenoirs.html

2006 Columbia Crest Chardonnay

2006 COLUMBIA CREST "Grand Estates" Chardonnay, Columbia Valley
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The recently released Grand Estates Chardonnay 2006 garnered another 90 point rating from Wine Spectator, and we couldn't agree more. The nose reveals lovely notes of ripe pear, spices and spring flowers, and the palate delivers with nicely balanced orchard fruit, toast and spice, with just the right amount of juiciness to keep things balanced. Drinking well now, we expect that it will be drinking even better in a few months. Grab this one by the case for your spring and summer parties! The Wine Spectator writes... "Light, silky and polished to show off its creamy, spicy pear flavors, lingering on the deftly balanced finish." - 90 Points, Wine Spectator.

And it is only $6.99!

2006 Kim Crawford Sauvignon blanc

This much hyped wine from Austrailia is really good. For $13 it is refreshing during a BBQ or even watching Mary Poppins. From the first glass you will be singing Supercalifragilisticexpealodous!

Nicholas - Christmas 2007

2000 Volpaia Coltassala Chianti Classico Riserva

Another Honeymoon wine from Tuscany. It was a short drive from Florence to our B&B in Volpaia. The wine was the locally made stuff. It was a perfect Chianti. And only steps from our B&B - La Loconda -- http://www.lalocanda.it/ The B&B is now written up in Karen Brown's guide to Tuscany. The place was great and we'll go back soon!

Ah, the wine, about $25 depending on vintage.

2004 Lungarotti Rubesco Torgiano Umbria

When we were on our Honeymoon we stayed at this town - Torgiano, in the Umbria region. Here is a map link http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Torgiano+(Umbria),+Italia&sa=X&oi=map&ct=title. This wine was locally produces and luckily or unluckily they are large enough to have the wine exported to the US. You can get it between $12 and $16 depending on the vintage. They also have a wine museum there. That is how I found it.

It is great little Italian wine. For sentimental reasons I buy som eeach year for our anniversary.

2004 Robert Mondavi Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

At about $17 this has been a great purchase for me. Don't get fooled by the second Mondavi brands like Select or Woodbridge. They are good too, but with this one you can get the true Napa Valley Cabernet at a decent price. Great as a gift, but make sure it gets drunk with friends over the next 3 years!