Acacia- 2007 Red Blend

Since 1979, Acacia wines have been producing wines from the Carneros region of Napa Valley, California. Known especially for their Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, they have recently branched out to blends and specialty vintages.

This week's favorite: 2007 A by Acacia Red Blend
$12-14, local fine wine store

This wine is delicious! While its fragrance is much like a Pinot Noir, it has bold fruit flavors of plum and berries, and notes of rich mocha. It finishes dry with generous amounts of warm spiced flavors.

This wine is perfect with a rich dish, like wild mushroom ravioli with a red wine reduction sauce. Serve with sides of garlic mashed potatoes and a warm salad topped with smoked bacon and blue cheese crumbles.

Riverina Estate - 2009 Chardonnay

The Riverina Region of Southeast Australia accounts for 15% of all the country's wine production a year. Although it is a hot and dry region, wine production was started here around the early 1900's, and really found its mark in the 1950's when the area became a haven for Italian descendants. The wines followed suit, and to this day, rival some of Italy's best vintages.

This week's favorite: 2009 Riverina Estate Chardonnay
$8-12, online or through large wine suppliers

This Chardonnay was remarkably similar to the homemade white wines found during my travels to Italy. Unlike the buttery and fruity Australian Chardonnay wines we find so often, this one was bright, with flavors of apple and pear. It is dry and crisp, and very refreshing, very much like an Italian white table wine.

We served this wine with light appetizers at a cocktail party. It was delicious with the spinach and cheese puff pastries, fruit salad, and tomato caprese. Enjoy!

Charles Smith - 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon

While the name Charles Smith may not mean much to you right now, it feels as though soon enough, the entire wine world will know his name. He was, after all, just named Food and Wine Magazine's 2009 Winemaker of the Year for his wines originating in Columbia Valley, Washington. He started his K Brand wines with a true Washington Syrah, and has ventured into a new brand, Charles Smith Wines, with unique names, and fabulously decorated bottles. What is best about his wines are that they are made to be enjoyed right after purchasing.

This week's favorite: 2007 Charles Smith Cabernet Sauvignon
$15-20, online here or here

This wine is a wonderful and true Cabernet Sauvignon. I found that it did not need to "breathe" at all, and was delicious from the first sip! It starts off with really earthy, woody tones, and delicately intermixes licorice and currants. It has a long, smooth finish.

This is the perfect wine to enjoy by itself, or with light appetizers after a long work day. Serve this with warm pita bread and red pepper hummus, or a prosciutto wrapped pears with chunks of blue cheese. But, no matter what you serve with it, the wine will surely be the highlight to your day!

Chalk Hill - 2006 Chardonnay

The Chalk Hill Winery is located between the Russian River Valley and the Alexander Valley in beautiful Sonoma, California. Vineyards were planted there in the late 1860's, and because of the range of soils and minerals in this area, Chalk Hill Winery was able to grow many different varietals in one place. Chalk Hill got its name from the layer of chalk-colored volcanic ask that lies just beneath the topsoil, providing rich minerals to the vines.

This week's favorite: 2006 Chalk Hill Chardonnay
$15-20, local grocery or fine wine store

Chalk Hill Chardonnay is one of my father's go-to Chardonnays. While he usually likes them heavy on the oak, this one is a perfect balance of fruit, oak, and rich butter flavors. It starts off clean with bright flavors of lemon and pear, and then transitions to the warm, buttery flavors. It finishes clean with a strong, but not overpowering, woody oak flavor.

This wine would be perfect with a twist on a classic dish- Shrimp Alfredo. In a large pot, bring 6 bottles of regular beer to a boil. Add 4-6 Tbsp of Old Bay seasoning for a kick, and boil 2 pounds of large shrimp for 3 minutes. Remove shrimp from beer and add to linguine and Alfredo sauce. Top with fresh Parmesan cheese and serve. The spiciness of the shrimp will enhance the butter flavor of both the wine and the Alfredo sauce. Enjoy!