La Marca Prosecco

By Chris and Sherry Hardie

Ringing in the new year with a sparkling wine is a holiday tradition, but that doesn’t mean it always has to be champagne. This prosecco from Italy is made from glera grapes with the charmat method, which is when fermentation is done in a large pressurized container rather than in individual bottles like champagne. 

The wine is fresh and sparkling, with an orchard fruit bouquet and citrus flavors. A light, fun choice for the holidays.

Sherry: “Flavors of pear, light lime and a soft, dry, nutty almond finish.” Three-and-a-half stars

Chris: “Flavors of peach, pear and citrus.” Three stars

Available locally for about $13.

Coming next week: Barefoot Pink Moscato

Chateau Ste. Michelle Indian Wells Red Blend 2010

By Chris and Sherry Hardie

A Christmas or holiday dinner deserves a special wine. This new blend from Washington’s founding winery is an excellent choice.

Domestic red blends are popular, and sales have grown faster than any other red variety, according to AC Nielsen. Merlot is the main grape in this wine (60 percent) with syrah (28 percent) and smaller amounts of grenache, malbec, cinsault and mourvedre. The wine is aged for 14 to 16 months in oak barrels.

It’s a well-rounded wine with nuances of red fruit flavors laced with hints of cocoa. It would pair nicely with beef, lamb or even a Christmas goose.

Sherry: “A delightful blend of plum, cherry, coconut and chocolate.” 3-3/4 stars

Chris: “Flavors of cherry, strawberry and cocoa.” 3-1/2 stars

Available locally for about $15.

Coming next week: Lamarca Prosecco

Fetzer Crimson Red

By Chris and Sherry Hardie

Fetzer, one of California’s better-known wineries, has been making wine since 1968 and is the nation’s sixth-largest producer.

The winery was recently sold to a Chilean owner and launched two new blends in the past year — a white called Quartz and this red called Crimson.

The wine is a blend of syrah, zinfandel, cabernet sauvignon and petite sirah and is made for the masses in mind. Winemaker Dennis Martin calls it smooth, sociable, well-blended and slightly nontraditional. In that spirit, the wine was launched with a social media campaign.

The wine is very approachable with a distinct and jam-like fruit flavor that flirts with sweetness to make it appealing to even beginning red wine drinkers.

Sherry: “Bright fruity cherry and strawberry flavors with red licorice.” 3-1/2 stars

Chris: “A chocolate bouquet with flavors of raspberry, strawberry and cocoa.” 3 stars

Available locally for about $8.

Coming next week: Chateau Ste. Michelle Indian Wells Red Blend

D'Arrigio Pinot Noir

By Chris and Sherry Hardie

The discussion among pinot noir fans inevitably will include debate about Old World vs. New World style, with the general consensus that American pinots tend to emphasize more fruit.

While the Burgundy region of France remains the cradle of pinot, this selection from the Veneto region of Northern Italy is a fine example of what the Italians call pinot black.

The winemaker says he pays attention to terroir – the environmental influences on the grape. It’s made in a true Burgundy style with initial notes of dry earth and spice followed by red fruit. It’s a complex pour to be enjoyed.

Sherry: “Dry and full-bodied, with elements of cherry, rose and leather.” 3-3/4 stars

Chris: “Candy apple and spice bouquet followed by strawberry, cherry and a dusty finish.” 3-1/2 stars

Available locally for about $9.

Coming next week: Crimson Red

Kendall-Jackson Avant Chardonnay

By Chris and Sherry Hardie

Kendall-Jackson Avant Chardonnay 2010

The winemaker who put California chardonnay on the map has come up with a new version of America’s top-selling grape variety.

Kendall-Jackson’s Avant (from the French word for “before) is created from two separate blends – one fermented in stainless steel and the other fermented in used oak barrels — which then are mixed 50/50 and bottled.

The result is a fresh, crisp wine with stone fruit and tropical flavors that has nuances of spice and vanilla from the oak.

We favor the very oak-influenced chardonnays, but Avant is smooth, medium-bodied and strikes a very nice balance that is a pleasant compromise between the chardonnay styles.

Sherry: “Vanilla, light butter, a bit nutty and a lime finish.” 3-1/2 stars

Chris: “Pear and pineapple flavors with a creamy feel and a hint of lemon.” 3-1/2 stars

Available locally for about $11.

Coming next week: D’Arrigio Pinot Noir

Manyana Garnacha

By Chris and Sherry Hardie

The price of wine has gone up, but there are still some excellent wine bargains to be found. This Spanish wine fits that category admirably.

Garnacha, also known as grenache, originated in Spain and is widely grown in southern France. It’s commonly used as a blend because it is high in alcohol and has lower tannins.

But there is no shortage of red berry flavors in this wine, which comes from the Carinena region. The yield is lower, but the grapes are full of flavor. The wine is fermented with various techniques, bottled within one year and meant to be consumed young.

Sherry: “Medium-bodied and very smooth with strawberry and raisin flavors.” 3-1/2 stars

Chris: “Floral notes with flavors of blackberry and strawberry.” 3-1/2 stars

Available locally for about $6.

Coming next week: Kendall-Jackson Avant

Robert Mondavi Zinfandel

By Chris and Sherry Hardie

The American holiday of Thanksgiving is a perfect time to serve the wine that America made famous — zinfandel.

Genetic research shows that the grape originated in Croatia, where it is called Crljenak Kasteljanski. Try saying that with a mouthful of turkey. It found a home in California, where the zinfandel grape has thrived.

The dark meat of turkey and dressing pair nicely with the fruit and spice of this zinfandel, which also won’t break the bank if you’re buying for a large table. We recently did a blind tasting of zinfandels, and this scored as one of our favorites, even against higher-priced offerings.

Sherry: “Full-bodied and bold, with flavors of peppery black cherry and chocolate.” 3-1/2 stars

Chris: “Black cherry and raspberry, with a red licorice finish and a hint of cocoa.” 3-1/2 stars

Available locally for about $8.

Coming next week: Manyana Garnacha

Stag's Leap Merlot

By Chris and Sherry Hardie

In honor of the deer-hunting seasons in Minnesota and Wisconsin, we’re featuring a wine that pays homage to the great stag every hunter covets.

Stag’s Leap is named after the legend of a stag leaping from the mountains to escape the hunters. It’s also the name of a small appellation in Napa Valley where the grapes for this wine are sourced.

Make no mistake — this is not a hunting camp chugalug wine in either price or presentation. This is a serious merlot that would pare well with venison tenderloin. Forget the fruit bomb, and prepare for a dry but balanced wine with exceptional layers of fruit and spice.

Sherry: “Smoke and leather with blackberry, raspberry and black cherry.” 4 stars

Chris: “A bouquet of cedar and licorice with raspberry, cherry and raisin.” 4 stars

Available locally for about $29.

Coming next week: Robert Mondavi Zinfandel

Le Grand Noir Moscato

By Chris and Sherry Hardie

Muscat (also called moscato) is one of the world’s oldest grape varieties, and it’s riding a wave of resurgence.

Thanks to the popularity among younger wine drinkers and promotion through the hip-hop scene, moscato sales are soaring. It is now the No. 3 white wine in the country.

The grapes for Le Grand are sourced from a French wine cooperative in the Minervois area, where they are grown in limestone and clay soils with a Mediterranean climate.

Moscato is traditionally sweet and lower in alcohol at the 7 to 9 percent range, which makes it a good choice for entry-level wine drinkers who are looking for something better than white zinfandel.

Sherry: “Slightly astringent with flavors of lime and honey.” 2-1/2 stars

Chris: “Honey and pineapple bouquet with flavors of pear and apricot and a citrus finish.” 3 stars

Available locally for about $7.

Coming next week: Stag’s Leap Merlot

Four Vines Maverick Zinfandel

By Chris and Sherry Hardie

It’s not easy being a grapevine, particularly when you’re more than 100 years old and planted in dry volcanic soils.

But it’s some of those old vines, grown in the Sierra Mountains foothills of Amador County, Calif., that are the source for this delicious zinfandel.

Winemakers believe that the finest grapes come from older vines with less production but more intense fruit. Other vines that were a youthful 40 years old also were sourced for this wine.

The result is a very lush and intense wine with plenty of fruit but nicely balanced with earth and spice. It’s probably the best zinfandel we’ve had in a while.

Sherry: “Smooth and fruity, with flavors of black cherry, rose, licorice and coconut.” 3-3/4 stars

Chris: “Notes of cedar and spice with flavors of raspberry, blueberry and vanilla.” 4 stars

Available locally for about $15.

Coming next week: Le Grand Noir Moscato

The Seeker Pinot Noir

By Chris and Sherry Hardie

There’s always a certain cachet with French wine because you’re buying into the notion of that country’s rigorous appellation standards.

Then you translate the term Vin de Pays Vignobles de France on the bottle and realize you’ve just bought a wine that can come from any vineyard in the country. There goes the almost mystical concept of terroir so loved in France, where the earth and the climate have a unique influence on the wine.

Then you sample and discover cherry, clove and mineral traits that all good pinot noir possesses, and you realize that The Seeker has found a very nice wine.

Sherry: “Dry and fruity with an herbal raspberry and licorice flavor.” 3-1/2 stars

Chris: “Strawberry and black cherry with hints of licorice and smooth tannins.” 3-1/2 stars

Available locally for about $11.

Coming next week: Four Vines Maverick Zinfandel

St. Francis White Splash

By Chris and Sherry Hardie

St. Francis is a California winemaker that has made some classic varietal wines since 1971. Recently it has climbed onto the blend bandwagon by launching two new labels: Red Splash and White Splash.

White Splash is a blend of gewürztraminer (26 percent), viognier (25 percent), malvasia (25 percent) and pinot grigio (24 percent) that is a lively, fresh and zesty pour. The grapes are blended and the wine is aged in stainless steel to preserve the fresh taste. It also undergoes partial malolactic fermentation for a softer texture.

Look for sweet orchard fruit flavors, and serve alone or with a salad or light meal.

Sherry: “Light-bodied with lime, lemon and pineapple.” 3 stars

Chris: “A nose of honey and peach, with flavors of pear, apricot and honey.” 3 stars

Available locally for about $9.

Coming next week: The Seeker Pinot Noir