If your experience with Riesling has mainly to do with a certain nun dressed in blau on the bottle’s label, then now is the perfect time to explore the variety and complexity of one of the world’s most underappreciated grapes—through August 1^st, it’s “Riesling Week” co-sponsored by the European Union and Wines of Germany.

However, here at Just Grapes, every week is Riesling week, and not just German Riesling. We offer top bottles from five different countries, making Riesling one of the truly “global” grapes worth celebrating all year long, and one of the most versatile wines to pair with food too. Its high acid and clean flavors—floral, spice, fruit, and more—are a perfect match for meats like pork, as well as the incredibly complex ingredient combinations of Asian cuisine.

You can start Riesling Week right by making it a “habit” to go beyond the blau, and expand your palate with some of these favorites:

2008 Maryhill Riesling, Columbia Valley, Washington [$8.79]
Aromas of brewer’s yeast, overripe pear, honeycomb, and faint petroleum jelly follow through on a silky entry to a fruity medium body with spicy peach sorbet notes and drying, mineral accent on the finish. Complex and food friendly; try with grilled shrimp.

2007 Rocky Gully Riesling, Frankland River, Western Australia [$12.39]
90 pts – Stephen Tanzer
Pale yellow. Vibrant, sharply focused lemon, lime and quinine aromas like a platonic gin and tonic. Clean, sharply focused and pure, offering energetic citrus and green apple flavors and a late note of anise. Very refreshing Riesling, with excellent finishing lift and length.

2008 Kuentz-Bas, Riesling, Alsace, France [$13.99]
This Alsace Riesling is dry, rich and strong, with nuances of mineral and flowers. It combines delicacy with elegance. A wine with a lot of character. Well-balanced and long in the mouth, it is a gastronomic wine par excellence that displays all its charm and originality when served with fish, seafood and all local dishes that demand a dry and fruity wine.

2001 Riesling Olberg Spatlese, Library Selection, Rheinhessen, Germany [$19.99]
Aromas of candied limes, smoky slate, and white pepper are found in the explosive nose of the 2001 Riesling Spatlese.

2007 Riesling Smaragd “Steinriegl”, Schmelz, Wachau, Austria [$37.59]
94 Pts – Steven Tanzer
Light green-yellow; fresh fruit nuances reminiscent of tropical fruit like maracuja and pineapple, hints of apricot and bloom honey; fine-rayed on the palate, yet very complex and racy, appealing by its lemony touch; highly accessible, and in the end it wins you over with delicate flavors of tangy peaches.

Ginger, Mary Ann, the Professor, Gilligan—they could only dream of cruising Lake Michigan and the Chicago River with Don Sritong and the Just Grapes crew, supplied with a storehouse of handpicked summer wines to sip and explore.

It’s a dream you can easily experience though! Join us tomorrow, Saturday, June 26, for the Just Grapes Food & Wine Cruise along Lake Michigan and the Chicago River aboard the 90-foot private yacht, Anita Dee I, from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. (Click Here For Tickets.)

Oh… don’t call it a booze cruise. There will be several amazing summer wines poured, paired, and pored over, but that’s combined with unique views of the Windy City skyline, delicious food, and a bit of wine education too. Here are some of the bottles we’ll be enjoying:

187ML Heidsieck Blue Top, Champagne, France [$9.59]
A non-vintage bubbly from one of the most prestigious Champagne houses, Heidsieck & Co. Monopole. Blue Top was the official champagne aboard the ill-fated Titanic. When you pop open a bottle of this super premium sparkler, you’ll know why the world has been singing champagne’s praises for centuries.. Elegant and expressive, this delivers floral, pear and toffee flavors matched to a creamy texture. Beautifully integrated, this lingers nicely on the mineral finish.

2008 Big Woop Chardonnay, Viognier & Pinot Gris White Blend, South Eastern Australia [$11.99]
The color of this wine is like a faint ray of sunshine. Pineapple and lemon on the nose. Nice acidity on the palate, with a hint of pear, strong lemons finish of lingering, palate cleansing acidity.

2004 Dassault, Merlot, St. Emilion, Bordeaux, France [$15.99]
89 Pts – Robert Parker
Since being purchased by Bordeaux’s well-known aircraft manufacturer, Dassault has gone from strength to strength. The fruit-forward, supple-textured 2004 offers abundant amounts of plum, black currant, and cherry fruit, medium body, silky tannin, low acidity, and an undeniably charming, sensual style. Drink it over the next decade.

A few days ago, we highlighted some of our favorite reds to pair with heartier grilled meats, fish, and fruit. But if you’re flaming lighter fare, like shrimp, chicken, whitefish, or vegetables, they’ll scream for a chilled white to balance, not bulldoze the flavor. Here at Just Grapes, we think these pairings can help you master your Memorial Day menu:

Grilled Shrimp +2007 Brooks “Ara” Riesling, Willamette Valley, Oregon [$23.99]
Served at the White House state dinner honoring the Prime Minister of India!
The Ara Riesling shows immediate aromas of green apple, minerals, raspberries, and citrus. Later chestnuts, honey, slate, lime and mint also make an appearance. The mid-palate is concentrated with stone and honey. Truly classic in every sense, an incredible value. Vineyard sources: Eola Hills, Hyland, Yamhill, and Territorial.

Grilled Chicken + 2006 Chateau Fuisse Chardonnay, Burgundy, France [$23.99]
Light gold. Spicy tangerine and anise aromas are deepened by sweet butter and fresh hazelnut. Juicy citrus flavors offer impressive cut and energy, picking up a stony character on the finish. Youthfully taut but very well-balanced.

Grilled Mahi Mahi or Halibut + 2008 La Cana Albarino, Rias Baixas, Spain [$14.39]
The 2008 La Cana Albarino is the first release of the collaboration between the Gil family of Jumilla and importer Jorge Ordonez. Their intention was to make a more austere style of Albarino. Light gold-colored, it reveals an attractive perfume of pear, lemon-lime, and pineapple. Vibrant on the palate with excellent natural acidity, this racy Albarino will drink well for another three years. It is an excellent value. 89 Pts – Robert Parker

Vegetable Skewers + 2009 Huber Hugo Gruner Veltliner, Austria [$9.99]
Pale green-yellow. Juicy apple and mango aromas complemented by subtle blossom honey. Vibrant, light and flavorful, in a round, easy-drinking style. Finishes with savory notes of celery and pepper.

The weather is scorching here in Chicago, which is a great primer for Memorial Day weekend, and the official return of outdoor grilling in the Windy City. Whether you’re the grillmaster executing the perfect menu for your friends and family, or you’re stuck at someone else’s party with a blowhard who confuses burning with barbecue, you can improve any meal by matching the perfect wine to food that’s been flamed. Here are four of our favorites at Just Grapes:

Steak and Burgers + 2008 Flor De Pulenta Cabernet Sauvignon Mendoza, Argentina [$14.39]
If you find yourself addicted to California Cabs, why not give this a try from Argentina? I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised by what this wine has to offer. A nice big, jammy Cab with some interesting earthy smoke and baking spice notes. Throw a steak on the grill and sip this while you’re cooking… then try it with the steak. So much fun! – Maggie’s Staff Pick. 88 Pts – Robert Parker

Barbecued Ribs + 2008 R Wines “Southern Belle” Shiraz, McLaren Vale, South Australia [$19.99]
The 2008 Southern Belle Shiraz was aged in seasoned oak including some ex-bourbon barrels. A glass-coating opaque purple, it displays a nearly room-filling nose of smoke, game, incense, and blueberry that leaps from the glass. Opulent and full-bodied on the palate, it lacks only complexity. Drink it over the next 6-8 years. It is an outstanding value. 90 pts – Wine Advocate

Grilled Salmon + 2007 Bird “Old Schoolhouse Vineyard” Big Barrel Pinot Noir, Marlborough, New Zealand [$19.99]
The 2007 Old Schoolhouse Vineyard Big Barrel Pinot Noir fulfills its promise out of barrel last year, this has a great sense of transparency on the nose with cranberry, raspberry and redcurrant fruit with understated use of oak. This is how Pinot should be. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannins and quite peppery on the entry, leading to rounded red-berried fruit. There is raspberry and cranberry with a peppery/spicy edge reappearing toward the finish. Nicely balanced, very pure and utterly charming. 90 Pts – Robert Parker

Grilled Fruit Skewers + 375ml 2005 Fonseca Quinta de Panascal Portugal [$19.19]
Structured, complex wine that is only just beginning to hint at considerable depth of powerful, rich flavors. The structure is dry, a little lean, but with dense tannins. The fruit, rich plums and stone fruits is just coming through. 91 Pts – Wine Enthusiast

When KFC released its Double Down sandwich, I all but went into cardiac arrest thinking of the insane sodium/caloric nightmare (or Atkins dream) that is this “sandwich.” There’s meat, cheese and… gasp!… deep-fried chicken-buns! Cue Chef Jamie Oliver and an army of medics.

Though I have no desire to ever let the sandwich cross my lips (ok, maybe a little), it did make me curious as to what wine to pair it with. I mean, come on, right? Wonderfully classy vino with The Death of America Once And For All Sandwich?

I’m ready to meet that challenge head-on. To that end, here are some pairing suggestions. Let me know what you think; one day soon, I may decide to go all in against the Double Down.

NV Varichon and Clerc Blanc de Blanc, Savoie, France: If I’m going to die eating this thing, I may as well celebrate the life unlived, right? Right. Hey, who knows? The balanced lightness of this wine may act as a delicious foil to the sodium-loveliness of the KFC non-wich.

2006 Michelot de Montmeix Chardonnay, Burgundy, France: If there ever was a bastardization of chicken cordon bleu, this chicken-cheese-bacon–then-repeat monster is it. Why not pair it with an incredibly oaked Chardonnay? There’s potentially enough oil in the Double Down to balance the buttery intensity of this accessible and inexpensive white Burgundy.

2008 Evodia Grenache, Calatayud, Spain: KFC’s Original recipe has just the faintest hint of “spice” (or whatever they choose to call it) in their over-processed chicken. Evodia would meet this spice head-on with its smooth woodiness and light tannins. Even better: it has enough light smokiness to pair against the bacon found in this monster.

While very few welcome winter with open arms, there is something undeniably charming about softly falling snow, the tiny white lights glittering from trees lining the streets, and the general warm fuzziness of family and friends around the holidays. In Chicago especially, there are tons of wintry events going on to keep the holiday cheer at full throttle, and we at Just Grapes have wines that go with winter goings-on of all kinds, from shopping to skating to snowball-throwing.

Now is the ideal time to grab someone you don’t mind falling over in front of and partaking in the free ice skating at Millennium Park, where you can lace up your skates and practice your triple axles in the center of the ice to the awe and admiration of a rink full of onlookers (or, more likely, clinging desperately to the wall at the edges like I do). Either way, good times are had, and they’re made exponentially better by warming up with a post-skate bottle of the toasty 2004 Laurel Glen Cabernet Sauvignon. This big, dense Cab is like chocolate, cherry and black jelly beans rolled into one deeply complex and delicious wine. It even displays notes of coffee and something that reminds me of dried leaves. Bottom line, this yummy Cab is sure to bring some warmth after a day at the rink.

What’s December without cookies? Pretty lame, I say. Whether it’s gingerbread men, meringues or just plain ol’ sugar cookies, decorating those babies with everything from traditional sugary snowflakes to (my favorite) icing caricatures of your best friends make sweet-and-silly gifts. And what goes perfect with gingerbread? Tempranillo, of course! The ripe, red berries of our 2005 Solabal will compliment the gingery cookie, while the notes of baking spices in this gorgeous Rioja with underscore the spiciness of the confection. Que delicioso!

Physically, mentally and emotionally, holiday shopping is on par with running a marathon. In heels. As a Sumo wrestler. The stress of picking out the perfect gift for a listful of loved ones, wrestling the savage crowds at department stores, and coming to terms with the fact that your credit card has melted into a warm, pliable version of itself before your very eyes is enough to drive anyone insane. So after a long, hard day of mall-hopping, why not crack open a bottle of 2008 Andrian Pinot Bianco? This crisp white with its peachy, apple, and honeyed pear notes will leave you refreshed and ready to tackle the 6AM Best Buy lines.

Cooking for a family of five is work enough, but when aunts, uncles, cousins, in-laws, and everyone’s boyfriend or girlfriend comes along, preparing a holiday feast can be downright laborious. Our lovely 2009 Maquis Calcu rose is sure to ease some of that tension. With touches of strawberry and ripe berries, along with a little bit of spice, this crisp and citrusy rose is just enough to take the edge off without mixing up the salt and the sugar.

The Chicago Loop Alliance’s Winter Wonderloop is sponsoring the Merry Mistletoe Gallery. Holiday elves will be roaming the Loop for the month of December dangling sprigs of mistletoe over unsuspecting Loop-goers. Their resulting smooch will be displayed on their online gallery for all of Chicago to see. Grab some of our Rosenblum Desiree dessert wine to make your kisses that much sweeter. This chocolately Zinfandel blend is jam-packed with vanilla, cherry and a smidge of coconut. Surprisingly light-bodied, this dessert wine is a perfect way to end an evening.

There’s tons to do around the city during the holidays, and Just Grapes has the perfect wine to go with it! Stop in the shop to see the other wintry wines we have in stock.

Tis the season to give Wine Club!

Wine truly is the ultimate gift–who doesn’t appreciate having an extra bottle or two on hand? Especially as we near the winter months, few people feel like trudging back out into the cold night because they arrived home from work to find nothing drinkable on their wine rack.

But many Just Grapes’ customers approach me with concerns about buying wine as a gift, even for a friend whose tastes they think they know. “I think she hates Chardonnay… or maybe she loves it?” or “I don’t want to spend too much but I don’t want him to know that I didn’t spend that much” or–and this is the most terrifying for some–”She knows EVERYTHING about wine and I know NOTHING.”

Just Grapes has the solution to all of your wine gift-giving worries and woes: Our Wine Club.

Unlike other wine clubs (some retailers only pawn wholesale items off on their wine club members, while vineyard wine clubs are limited to one label), Just Grapes’ four different wine club packages use the same items you love to buy in-store. Each month, we choose great wines directly from our shelves and package them for our Basics ($25 a month), Adventurous ($35 a month), Global ($50 a month), and Points Palates ($75  a month) clubs.

Each of our four clubs includes the following: one white wine and one red wine, extensive tasting notes and food pairing suggestions, and the opportunity to customize frequency and pick-up. Want to receive wine club once every three months instead of once a month? Fine! Want to only send wine club to your parents in December as a Christmas gift? Fine! You can select store pick-up or pay to have it shipped to the recipient’s homes. We’ll even include a card if you’d like!

How do you choose the right wine club for your gift recipient?

The Basics Wine Club is intended to help people learn more about wine. Predominantly, this club will offer an intimate look at the “Big Six” grape varietals (the most popular in the U.S.): Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon. This makes an excellent college graduation gift or 21st birthday gift, or a great gift for someone who knows that they “love Riesling” or “love Merlot,” but is ready to expand their knowledge and their palate.

The Adventurous Wine Club is personally my favorite. For people who like to meander off the beaten path of the “Big Six” and try something new, like crisp Gruner Veltliner or funky Cabernet Franc, this is perfect. You get exposure to some wines you’ve never heard of, some that you have but may not know much about, and all the information you need printed right on the tasting notes. These make excellent wedding gifts, birthday or holiday gifts for wine lovers who are open to tasting new things.

The Global Wine Club features the wines of the world, so if you know someone with a hankering for Spanish or South American wines, or who always orders the European wine flights when you’re out for drinks, this is for them! Even the six basic grape types take on neat and different characteristics from region to region. An Argentine Malbec and a French Malbec taste completely different! Great for globe trotters and ethnic food aficionados.

Finally, the Points Palate Wine Club is for the wine lover who seeks the highest-rated, most reputable wines. The $75 price point ensures that the wines are of exceptional quality, and all of our Points Palate wines are rated 90 points or higher by Robert Parker, Wine Spectator, etc. This is a great wedding gift, as many of these wines will age gracefully enough to be drank on a fifth anniversary (or beyond!). Excellent for someone building a cellar or corporate holiday gifts.

You can start or stop wine club whenever you’d like, so long as you notify us by the fifth of the month. Wine club ships or is available for pick on the 25th of every month. The purchaser is responsible for the shipping costs, if applicable.

This holiday season, why not start out some of your wine loving friends with a month or two of wine club? If they like it, they can continue the program themselves and they may even reciprocate someday! You can sign up online today (http://www.justgrapes.net/wineclub.asp). Feel free to mention that you read about wine club here on our blog… we love learning about how you’re learning about us!

Good things come in small packages, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, don’t judge a book by its cover, blah blah blah. Looking beyond outward appearances is nice, but what if you want something that not only seduces the taste buds but dazzles the eye (and makes you look cool at the same time)? What if you want your wine to have both brains and beauty? We’ve got you covered; Just Grapes has quite a few wines that not only taste delicious, but tote labels that look awesome too.

It’s pretty much common knowledge that anything black with sparkles equals sophistication. Therefore, Musva and Brun Terres Dorees FRV100 are the classy lassies on the block. Musva has slight floral and candied nectarine notes, and the nose of FRV reminds me of a cherry Jolly Rancher. I see both of these sparklers being quite the hot commodity as the holidays and New Year’s Eve roll around.

It could be because it’s October, or because she’s green, but the diva on 2007 Gunderloch “Diva” reminds me of a witch–a good witch, clearly, as this light, peachy riesling is incredibly refreshing. Despite that coy, calculating look in her eye, this Diva is actually someone to get to know.

2008 Saint Cosme “Little James’ Basket Press,” white blend depicts Little James having various wine shenannigans with his trusty barrel, like stamping some grapes and taking a quick dip in a barrel of wine.  This melony, mango-y blend finishes crispy and with a little mineralness.

The 2006 Bon Bon Rosé label is undeniably adorable; colorful, Kauai-style flowers bloom and cascade down the front of the bottle–it’s the kind of bottle that makes you feel good on the inside by just looking at it. This 100% Shiraz Rosé is juicy berries with a hint of spice would go perfect with a Girls’ Night In John Hughes movie marathon. Or Monday Night Football with the boys if you want to be ironic.

Our 2007 Undone is the ; ) of our Pinot Noir section. Featuring the loosened laces of a lady’s corset, bringing this baby to dinner date shows you’ve got one thing on your mind: a flirty, fruit-forward Pinot Noir that is sure to please.

When perusing our Grenache section, it’s our darling 2008 Bitch that usually catches a Savvy Sipper’s eye–the powder pink, the cut-out hearts, the whole curse-word-on-a-wine-bottle thing–it’s all very sweet. But 2007 Evodia, with its smoky, slightly-metallic blue label and silhouetted tangle of vines, is chicly understated and just plain pretty. The juicy, easy-to-drink wine inside will impress as well.

Our Shiraz/Syrah section is jam-packed with awesome labels, from 2006 Under the Radar to 2007 Boom Boom to 2007 Juno. My favorite one of all, though, is our 2007 Luchador Shiraz. Paying homage to Mexico’s lucha libre, this hefty Shiraz features blackberries, licorice and vanilla. Even cooler? Each vintage has a set of four different luchadores–it’s like collecting prizes at the bottom of the cereal box, pero más padre.

The 2006 Temptation Zinfandel is just in time for Halloween and the Day of the Dead; it’s spooky orange label features a skeleton gentleman seducing a flesh-and-blood lady with just a bottle of vino and his cold, vacant gaze: Scandalous! But it’s not only the label that tells a story; this Zin is all cherries and raspberries with a little peppery finish. Temptation, indeed!

So there’s a round-up of some of Just Grapes’ most attractive offerings. We’re always getting new, exciting wines in, so be sure to stop by and see what catches your eye.

Ooh... sparkly!

There’s something spooky around the corner… Halloween! Whether you’re planning on spending October 31st answering the door for trick-or-treaters, dressing up for a costume party, or simply watching scary movies at home, you deserve a treat of your own, and Just Grapes has the perfect line-up of sinister spirits and sips for you.

Something wicked and bubbly this way comes, and it rhymes with “witch”… the makers of the popular Bitch Grenache have released Bitch Bubbly, a blend of Shiraz and Grenache, in both full-bottle 750 ml and “baby Bitch” 178 ml sizes! The mini-Bitches ($5.99) make perfect treats to tuck into any grown-ups pumpkin bucket, and the sweet candied strawberry flavors make other Halloween treats seem like duds. And the price is sure to make you scream.

If you’re looking for something a little darker, so twisted that the label is actually upside-down, try Evil Cabernet ($12.49) by R Wines (the makers of Bitch). Or, allow yourself to be tempted by the creepy skeleton beckoning from the label of Temptation Zinfandel ($14.49).

Dressing up as a demon this Halloween? Forget the pitchfork and make Diablita Red Blend ($16.49) your accessory–sure to bring out the devil in any of us.

If Halloween is a special occasion for you–a dinner party, an anniversary, a partner’s birthday–pick up a bottle of Return of the Living Red, a blend of 68% Cab Sauvignon and 32% Touriga, which  “promises to be thicker than blood, hold more body than a city morgue and more tannin than a mouthful of fish hooks.”

Whatever your plans, make a stop at Just Grapes… if you dare! And stop by between 4 pm and 7 pm on Friday, October 30, or between 2 pm and 4 pm on Halloween for a complimentary Halloween tasting!

Return of the Living Red... if you dare!

I love fall more than any other season. I love sweater weather, I love the changing leaves, the sight of pumpkins on door steps and the influx of apples in the produce aisle. I love baking pies and making stews and the ferocity of the windy autumn rainstorms. I’m ready for coats and boots and leggings and Thanksgiving.

I am not, however, ready to give up white wine.

It isn’t love for warmer weather that keeps me firmly rooted in my craving for all things Chardonnay. And Chardonnay isn’t strictly a warm-weather white. Bigger-bodied, creamier-textured Chardonnay can be (and, in wine-savvy establishments, often are) served slightly warmer than your Pinot Grigios and Sauvignon Blancs.

As I’m unwilling to relinquish my Chardonnay, my usual fall food line-up is experiencing some unusual pairings. Late September is when I start making stew twice a week (the leftovers last far longer). I make shredded pork stew (click link for recipe), chicken noodle stew, hearty beef stew, and spicy Spanish-style seafood stew. I even make chicken pot pie from scratch, though it’s certainly not as pretty as the one I regularly order at Charlie’s Ale House.

Because stews (and I’m talking homemade, not Dinty Moore) are loaded with subtle flavors–rosemary, thyme, potato, veggies, cooking wine… whatever floats your boat–I’ve never used gigantic reds for pairing. I’ve always kept it in the Garnacha/Grenache family. In my house, the 2007 Evodia Garnacha (we routinely sell out of this spicy $11 gem  in-store, so if you see that bright blue label, grab it before it’s gone!) and $8 2008 Vina Borgia Garnacha are stew pairing favorites. I like the pepper and baking spice notes in these wines. Cote du Rhone wines, with their elegant blends of Syrah, Grenache, Carignan, Cinsault and Mouvedre, are also ultimate stew wines.

But this year, I’m experiencing new sensations so-to-speak. The contrast of hot stew and cool Chardonnay on the tongue is absolutely delightful. The apple notes in an unoaked Chard, like the 2007 Vincent Girardin “Vieilles Vignes” Pouilly-Fuisse, Burgundy, pleasantly complement a succulent shredded pork stew. An oaked Chard, like the 2007 Errazuriz Chardonnay Aconcagua Chile, can bring out interesting notes in a chicken stew–the woodsy rosemary and thyme. And creamy Chardonnays–those aged in oak or sur lie (we’ll talk about that more in a moment)–can offset the burn of that too-hot first mouthfull of broth.

One of my girlfriends, a culinary school student, isn’t crazy about super oaky wines, namely oaky Chardonnay. When she made an outstanding Bouillabaisse (a French shellfish and seafood stew) for a mutual friend’s birthday, she asked us to bring wine to share. I scoured the Chardonnay section of Just Grapes looking for something with the texture to hold up to the stew and a bit of creaminess but none of the woodsy oak qualities I knew the chef couldn’t stand.

I went French, with the 2008 Novellum Chardonnay from Rousillion, France. This delightful Chardonnay with its tropical fruit notes and elegant minerality sees no oak, but has a perfect creaminess to its texture. Now some of you may be asking, “I thought Chardonnays got their buttery, creamy texture from oak?” Not so in the case of Novellum and other Chardonnays aged “sur lie” (pronounced “sur lee”). Lees are the remaining yeasty residue at the bottom of a barrel after fermentation. Lees aging, or aging “sur lie” is the process by which the wine continues to age on its remaining lees, and is bottled directly from that barrel as opposed to being racked (filtered). This gives the added creaminess and yeasty quality that you detect in wines aged sur lie.

My friend who often avoids Chardonnay was really pleased with the Novellum, which worked very well with the Bouillabaisse. It was creamy enough to take the heat and acidity in the broth, subtle enough to not overwhelm the white fish and mussels. And it was only $13, which we can all appreciate.

Another fun option for fall whites is a sparkling Chardonnay, like the 2007 Familia Zuccardi Vida Organica Sparkling Chardonnay from Argentina. This is a great precursor to any Thanksgiving meal. Or, stick with Champagne–Chardonnay is one of the three grapes (Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier are the other two) approved for use to make France’s most famous bubbly.

And of course, there are those nights when I love to curl up in front of the fire (okay, fine radiator. I live in a condo, after all) with a glass of oaky, golden Californian Chard and watch Hollywood’s tribute to Chardonnay: “Bottle Shock,” a movie that I find a thousand times more entertaining and more inspirational than “Sideways.”  And ladies, if you like the hunky Chris Pine (the new Captain Kirk from summer’s “Star Trek” blockbuster), he’s got the starring role. But I digress…

There’s a Chardonnay for any season, and this fall, I hope you find your new favorite.

Just because even white wines are drinking the "Fall's for Red" Kool-Aid doesn't mean you have to! Painting by Kestutis Kasparavicius