• Best wines under $15 for Easter, Passover

    Ray Isle from Food & Wine magazine shows off a collection of affordable wines you can pair with your Easter and Passover meals.

    Here, Ray Isle, executive wine editor of Food & Wine, names his top picks for wines under $15 to celebrate Easter and Passover.

    Passover Wines under $15
    2011 Barkan Classic Chardonnay ($12.99)
    Barkan, Israel's second largest winery, makes this Chardonnay in a lighter, more Chablis-like style. It's crisp and citrusy, making it an ideal accompaniment to lighter dishes like soups—like Passover matzo ball soup.

    2012 Segal's Fusion ($14.99)
    This Merlot-based blend from Israel is full of lively berry and currant notes.

    Baron Herzog Old Vine Lodi Zinfandel California ($14.99)
    A lot of people suggest Cabernet with chocolate but personally I think if you are serving a dry wines with chocolate, red Zinfandel is a better answer; its juicy dark fruit and plush texture work well with the bitter-sweetness of chocolate. This one is from a prominent kosher wine producer in California, Baron Herzog—it's great with kosher for Passover chocolate macaroons. 

    Easter Wines under $15
    NV Sciarpa Prosecco ($12.99)
    Easter dinner is usually either ham or lamb (at least here in the US), and for my part, with ham—which is salty—I think an affordable sparkling wine is a great choice. Prosecco is hugely popular these days; there are a lot of good ones out there for under $15. One example is this wine from Sciarpa, which is crisp and citrusy, and awfully good for $13.

    2011 Yalumba Y Series Shiraz ($11.99)
    If you're headed towards Easter lamb on your menu, go for red—particularly Syrah (or Shiraz, as the Australians call it). The gaminess of lamb and the peppery richness of Syrah were made to go with one another. Yalumba, an Australian producer that's been making wine since 1849, makes this terrific Shiraz—really juicy and delicious, with lots of blackberry fruit—that's ideal.

    Fonseca Fine Tawny Port ($14.99)
    Finally, you need something sweet for the adults to go with all the candy the kids are eating, or else they'll never be able to keep up with them. My suggestion is tawny port—it has a nutty, candied citrus character, and is ideal for sipping after a big Easter dinner, with or without Peeps or Cadbury eggs. Serve it a little bit chilled.

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  • Skip dessert and try chocolate wine for Valentine's Day

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    Chocolate and wine: Some say it's a pairing you should skip, but we'll admit, we love a chocolate wine when it's done right.

    By Linnea Covington, TODAY contributor

    Pairing chocolate with wine is nothing new, but some wine makers have been pairing them in the bottle. The result, a rich, dessert-like beverage that, when done right, tastes similar to a smooth port – a perfect treat for Valentine’s Day.

    Of course, wine geeks aren’t eager to push this vino.

    “I think it's just as bad as wine coolers,” said Jonathan Cristaldi, a wine educator and consultant at The Noble Rot. “It creates more unfortunate associations for wine. Sweet and chocolate? Who needs this? Drink chocolate milk or Bailey's.”

    Maybe wine snobs don't approve, but hey, some of them taste pretty good. For example, coming out of California is ChocolatRouge, a wine made with chocolate flavors sourced from cacao beans. There, the owners sampled chocolate from across the globe to pick the ones they thought paired best with their wine, and in the end, their Dark Red blend tastes like a slightly sweet velvety dessert wine rather than an overly cloying drink.

    Trentadue’s Chocolate Amore is a delicious port that uses Merlot grapes to create the base, and then, includes a natural chocolate extract to finish the blend. Another port-based option to try is Joseph Filippi Winery’s chocolate-infused Fondante Ciello, which is produced in the Cucamonga Valley in California. Want something more exotic? Try Vinedo De Los Vientos Alcyone Tannat, an Uruguayan wine made from the tannat grape. It’s a perfect fill-in for dessert – it’s rich, smooth and like drinking the center of a molten chocolate cake.

    There’s also chocolate wine that looks and tastes like chocolate milk. New Jersey-based Opici Wines produces their Cocoa di Vine, which when served chilled, tastes like a Nestle drink with a little buzz. Unlike its dark counterpart, this vino is made with the Pedro Ximenez grape, or Spanish sherry.

    Owner Don Opici writes on the website that, “We tried several different chocolate formulas using a red wine base and didn’t find an appealing flavor profile. It wasn’t until we combined the chocolate with a white-wine base that the delicious aromas and flavors jumped out of the glass.”

    Of course, you can always skip the bottled combinations of chocolate and wine and instead enjoy them separately. Cristaldi says that the combination generally doesn’t go well together because “the sweetness and bitterness and acid of chocolate tends to heighten the same characteristics in the wine.”

    He isn’t alone in this assertion. At Lakewood Vineyards in New York’s Finger Lakes wine region, winemaker Chris Stamp said he has struggled to find the right pairings for the annual Seneca Wine Trail’s chocolate and wine event happening at around 30 wineries this coming weekend.

    “It took me a lot of long and hard searching to find these, but I have been surprised a few times that some things can go together,” he said. “You want to use higher cocoa and less sweet chocolates, and try to pair with a fruit that has some acid.”

    Juliette Pope, beverage director at Gramercy Tavern, shared her tips for pairing the two.

    "If you have chocolate with berries or other fruit, go for a vintage port," she said .

    She suggests trying Dow’s Vintage Port 2007, or, for a less expensive option, their ruby port. For a more exotic and expensive option, Recioto della Valpolicella is a good bet.

    "If [you’re eating] chocolate with nuts and/or caramel and/or anything else in that vein, go Malvasia from Blandy’s or Leacock’s, or a sweeter style of Oloroso sherry," Pope added.

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  • Champagne, cava or prosecco? Choosing the right bubbly

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    Whether you choose cava, prosecco or traditional Champagne, you can't go wrong if you pair New Year's bubbly with the right nosh.

    By Jason Stahl, TODAY contributor

    New Year’s Eve is finally here and with trendy clubs and bars overcharging for a single glass of sparkling wine and frozen and flavorless hors d’oeuvres to ring in the New Year, there’s no shame in partying at home. Pop the cork on your favorite bubbly and make your own tasty bites.

    While Champagne, France is best known for its production of the world’s most famous fermented libation, Italy and Spain offer delicious (and less expensive) alternatives with their respective prosecco and cava.  

    But what’s the difference between these three sparkling wines?

    The major difference is in the process of fermentation (the “bubble making process”). Champagne goes through a second fermentation in a sealed bottle. For prosecco and cava, the second fermentation is done in a large vat, also known as the Charmat method. The three wines are also made from different grape varietals: Champagne from chardonnay, pinot noir and pinot meunier grapes; cava from macabeo, parellada and xarel-lo grapes and prosecco from glera grapes.

    Each wine has different amounts of fizz, either frizzante or spumante. The easiest way to determine how much fizz your bubbly will have is to simply compare the corks. If the cork has a string attached to it, you’ll have light fizz (frizzante) and if you notice a wire – traditional for Champagne – then you’ll have heavy fizz (spumante).

    And in general as far as taste, Champagne is rich and complex, while cava and prosecco are lighter and slightly fruitier.  

    Now that the science is out of the way, this New Year’s enjoy a pairing of a Champagne, prosecco and cava with a simple dish that is sure to add sizzle to your sparkle.

    It is said that “Champagne goes with everything.” Perhaps that is because notes of citrus, apple and pear balanced with crisp acidity and a soft and creamy mouth feel are a perfect pairing for cheeses, delicate fish and foul alike. One of our favorite festive pairings with Champagne is East Coast Beausoleil oysters. These petite, black-and-white-shelled bivalves from New Brunswick are briny, delicate and salty, complementing the rich flavor of white currant in Billecart-Salmon Brut Reserve ($50). Comprised of all three Champagne grapes, this bottle is worth the price as it is from one of France’s oldest Champagne-making houses.

    Italy does so many things right when it comes to food and drink, and their prosecco and cured meats are no exception. While figgy pudding may no longer be on holiday menus, fresh figs and prosciutto make an easy and delicious appetizer to execute and serve at New Year’s Eve parties. Choose the subtly sweet Prosciutto di San Daniele that hails from Italy’s northern region of Friuli-Venezia-Giulia, and pair it with Nino Franco Prosecco di Valdobbiadene Rustico ($15). This classic, off-dry sparkler has notes of tropical fruit and a bone-dry finish.

    Recipe: Make a Spanish cava cocktail 

    Spanish Cava is growing steadily in popularity. Llopart "Leopardi" Cava Brut Rosè Reserva 2008 ($15) from the Catalonia region is made from the grapes of Mouvedre and Garnacha. This cava is a great match with a cheese course. This pink sparkling wine offers a wonderful bouquet of cranberry and wild red fruits underscored with lovely minerality. Choose a trio of cheeses from each of these countries – garrotxa (a semi-firm goat milk cheese from Spain), a hearty hunk of aged parmesan (hard cow milk cheese from Italy) with a drizzle of ten-year balsamic vinegar and a creamy brie (cow milk cheese from France).

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  • Toast the New Year with top sparklers for $20 or less

    Gloria Ferrer Sonoma Brut hails from California but is made in the traditional Champagne style.

    By Kara Reinhardt, Cheapism.com

    The shouted countdown, the popping corks, the clinking glasses, the strains of “Auld Lang Syne.” In the symphony of a New Year’s celebration, Champagne has long played a crucial part. Many cheaper sparkling wines hit similar notes, however. A California sparkling white, Spanish cava, or Italian prosecco may not come from France’s storied Champagne region, but it can make for an equally festive and much more affordable toast.

    Below are Cheapism’s top sparkling wines for $20 or less.

    • Roederer Estate Brut (starting at $20) comes from a California producer owned by the famed Louis Roederer, maker of Cristal. Reviewers call this bubbly nectar crisp, full-bodied, and surprisingly complex -- an excellent value. (Where to buy)
    • Gloria Ferrer Sonoma Brut (starting at $13) has earned high marks from critics for its flavors, which the winemaker’s tasting notes identify as apple, citrus, and toasted almond. This California sparkler is made according to the méthode Champenoise used in France. (Where to buy)
    • Freixenet Cordon Negro Extra Dry (starting at $9) is a cava from Spain that incorporates different grapes and tastes sweeter than the other two sparkling wines on this list. At the same time, experts say, it’s fresh rather than cloying, with a pleasing finish. The label on the distinctive black bottle reads metodo tradicional, which indicates that the winemaker uses the traditional French method. (Where to buy)

    Champagne and other sparkling wines go through two stages of fermentation. According to French tradition, the second stage, wherein the wines develop their trademark fizz, must take place in the bottle. Other inexpensive sparklers ferment in large tanks -- a cheaper, faster method that actually better suits prosecco. Some of the very cheapest sparkling wines are artificially carbonated, like soft drinks.

    Producers add sugar to nearly all sparkling wines just before the final corking. Most often it amounts to no more than 12 grams per liter, which classifies the wine as brut. Ironically, brut wines are actually drier (or less sweet) than those identified as extra dry. That descriptor applies to wines with 12 to 17 grams of sugar per liter. Those make good selections for revelers who want something a little sweeter than usual. Sparkling wines labeled sec (the French word for dry), demi-sec, or doux are even sweeter and less common.

    The abbreviation NV, which accompanies many sparkling wines, stands for non-vintage. Producers often make still wine using grapes from a single harvest and identify the wine according to that year -- a 2009 Bordeaux, for example. Winemakers produce vintage Champagne only in exceptionally good years and charge a premium for it. Non-vintage sparkling wine has the advantages of being less expensive, more widely available, and consistent from year to year, with the top producers aiming to cultivate a signature taste and style.

    To get the most out of a sparkling wine, the Comité Interprofessionnel du Vin de Champagne, the industry trade organization, recommends chilling the bottle on its side for at least three or four hours before serving.

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  • Cocktails, vino to spark Valentine's Day romance

    Leslie Sbrocco, author of "The Simple and Savvy Wine Guide," show the best ways to toast to love this Valentine's Day, with fun twists on a gin-and-tonic and the classic Manhattan cocktail.

    By Leslie Sbrocco, ThirstyGirl.com

    With Valentine's Day fast approaching, head Thirsty Girl Leslie Sbrocco treats Kathie Lee and Hoda to retro-chic drinks ideas packed with romance. From the classic glamour of a sparkling cocktail to hearty red wines to pair with chocolate fondue, these ideas will take you from cocktail hour through dinner to end-of-the-night gift giving in style. 

    Cocktails to kick off the evening
    Cava Twist
    This is my modern take on the classic champagne cocktail, which pairs bubbly with brandy and sugar. Instead, I use rose cava from Spain and infuse it with a dash of lightly sweet, elegant Chamomile liqueur:  

    • Villarnau Brut Rose Cava, Spain $16 
      Deep garnet in color, this is a beautiful bubbly over which to gaze at your lover. Scents of red berries are followed with a crisp, dry finish in a wine that goes from the beginning of the meal to the end of dessert. 
    • Montanaro Liquore di Grappa alla Camomilla, Italy $60  
      This unique spirit is made with grappa infused with chamomile flowers. Honey and floral aromas jump from the glass while a hint of sweetness rounds out the finish. This luscious drink is calming and curative and can be served alone, over ice, or with a dash of tonic or sparkling wine.  

    Ruby G&T (gin & tonic)
    Taking one of the standards of the cocktail world, the gin and tonic, I've turned it into a Valentine’s night sip. Use top quality tonic and gin then add pomegranate seeds frozen in ice cube trays to add the ruby color:

    • Bloom London Dry Gin, $30
      Made by the first female master gin distiller in the world, triple distilled Bloom is an aromatic and refreshingly smooth gin. Using chamomile, honeysuckle and pomelo as botanicals, this gin captures the essence of nature in a bottle. 
    • Q tonic, $8 for (4-pack)
      This artisan tonic is made from hand-picked quinine from the Peruvian Andes and is sweetened with organic agave making it less caloric and sweet-tasting than other tonics.

    Moving from drinks to dinner is easy if you head back to the 70’s and warm up with fondue.

    Fondue brings back memories for many of us of Friday nights at home dipping frozen fruit draped in chocolate. Well folks, fondue is back. I recommend a dark chocolate called BRIX, made to pair with wine. Instead of using only sweet bites to dip in chocolate, add savory tidbits to your offering. Skewer sliced figs and bacon chunks then pair with dry-styled red wine. 

    • 2008 Numanthia "Termes" Toro, Spain $30
      A sexy Spaniard is always a Valentine's night treat. The region of Toro is home to some of the oldest grape vines in the world and Christopher Columbus is said to have brought wine from this area when traveling to America. Numanthia is a leader from Toro and their intensely seductive red made from Tinta de Toro grapes is ideal with foods from steak to chocolate. 
    • 2009 Clos de los Siete Malbec, Mendoza, Argentina, $18
      Cupid would enjoy sipping this sultry red. Wines made from Malbec are perfect paired with dark chocolate, and this complex version is an affordable luxury. 

    End the night with a little vino and gift giving. These fun, holiday-appropriate wines are affordable allowing you or your mate to spend more money on flowers, lingerie, chocolates or other gifts…whatever your heart desires.

    • 2009 Simply Naked Chardonnay, California $10
      Go ahead, get naked. This zesty, snappy white with the hot name refers to the wine being made without using oak barrels. If you think you don't like Chardonnay, give this one a try. 
    • 2010 Red Knot Shiraz, McLaren Vale, Australia $13
      Their motto is “Get Knotty” and that goes without saying on Valentine’s day. Spicy, smooth Shiraz from one of Aussie’s top regions, McLaren Vale, makes for a lovely wine to sip or give as a gift. By the way, the knot refers to the knots in the wood of the local gum (eucalyptus) trees.  

    Leslie Sbrocco is the author of "The Simple & Savvy Wine Guide" and founder of ThirstyGirl.com. 

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