The secret of sparking wines is the blend whether they are from Champagne or other regions of France. A winemaker’s art, the “ house style” - consistent flavor/taste profile that is made year to year - utilizes grapes from both the north and the south. This bold approach adds finesse structure, and a complex harmony of flavors. Jean-Louis Denois is a sixth generation Champenoise, from a long-established Champagne family. In 1981, he created Charles de Fère, not far from his family cellar. This property is located in Fère-en Tardenois, twenty miles outside of the Champagne region. Jean-Louis has produced remarkable
consistency in this product which has provided the impetus for unparalleled growth and acceptance. Charles de Fère is France’s only premium quality,
bottle-fermented sparking wine that uses grapes grown in different vineyard regions. 100% Chardonnay, Non-vintage. Pale gold color, elegant, delicate bubbles. Distinctive Chardonnay Aromas of toasted bread crusts. Crisp on the palate, well-rounded. Velvety touch of flintstone. Lasting flavor and a smooth finish. Ideal as an aperitif, serve chilled in a champagne glass with shrimp cocktail.

At one minute past midnight on the third Thursday of each November, from little villages and towns like Romanèche-Thorins to big cities like Tokyo or New York, banners proclaim the good news: Le Beaujolais Nouveau est arrivé! "The New Beaujolaishas arrived!". One of the most joyous and animated rituals in the wine world has begun. By the time it is over, over 65 million bottles, nearly half of the region`s total annual production, will be distributed and enjoyed around the world. Georges DuBoeuf, a veteran of the French fashion industry turned wine producer, made the wine a legend by celebrating each release with a new colorful label and staged an international marketing blitz. Nouveau began as a local phenomenon in the bars, cafes, and bistros of Beaujolais and Lyon. Each fall the new Beaujolais would arrive with much fanfare. In pitchers filled from the growers’ barrels, the new wine was drunk by an eager population. It was wine made quickly to drink. Simply put, Beaujolais Nouveau is as about as close to white wine as a red wine can get. Due to the way it is made—the must is pressed early after only three days—the phenolic compounds, in particular the astringent tannin, normally found in red wines, isn`t there, leaving an easy to
drink, fruity wine. This coupled with the fact that it tastes best when chilled, makes for a festive wine to be gulped rather than sipped, enjoyed in high spirits rather than critiqued. As a side note, it makes a great transitional wine for anyone wanting to move from white to red wines.
Fine fare for holiday foods...

In the latter part of the 1800s, Oakley California was a picturesque farming community. Oakley, in eastern Contra Costa County, is equidistant between
Sacramento to the northeast and San Francisco to the west. Situated on the banks of the San Joaquin river at the point where the Sacramento river merges, the two journey west to empty into the San Francisco Bay. At the turn of the 20th century, Oakley was home to a number of Portuguese and Italian immigrants who found many similarities to the Mediterranean climate they had left behind. They planted thousands of acres of orchards and vineyards. A century later, due to the devastation of phylloxera and the encroachment of commercial and residential development, only 600 acres remain. Cline owns 300 of those acres—some of the oldest surviving vines in California. The current trend for all things Rhone-like was not what started Fred Cline down the Rhone varietal path more than twenty years ago. His
leap of faith stemmed from his belief that “magnificent old vines were in my backyard”. Cline Oakley 2006— 5 Reds consists of: Merlot, Barbera, Cabernet Franc, Syrah and Mourvèdre. Full bodied, rich and easy drinking
red, with spicy berry flavors and delicate green olive note. Pepper, blackberry character and a good dollop of nice fruit and bright acidity. Pair with a good steak, Ahi Tuna or pasta with a tomato sauce.

Dubbed the “decanter bottle,” by the owner of Banfi, John Mariani, who spent 1 year developing the old world-style shape, a noteworthy crystal vessel.
Notwithstanding, the red sparkling wine inside comes from a single vineyard estate —La Rosa—around the small town of Acqui. Brachetto d’Acqui D.O.C.G., is the smallest production area in all of Italy. The grape Brachetto grows in calcareous earth, a soil rich in seashells. The result is a red wine with effervescence, rose scented, softer, sweet, with hints of raspberries and lower alcohol (7%) and marries with chocolate exceptionally well—especially dark and bittersweet. On it’s own, Rosa Regale is a elegant
aperitif—it’s fruity character beguiles the heat of spicy Asian and Latino fare, and its gentle acidity is an ideal foil to the piquant richness of goat cheese, especially in a spring mix salads with almonds and cranberries. Quiches, glazed hams, beets, vichyssoise, gazpacho, chowders. Fresh fruit—strawberries, raspberries, blueberries—are enchanted with these bubbles. This vintage 2005 split (375mL) serves just the right amount for two people. Serve chilled in a champagne flute.