Break out of your red wine rut and chill with the Chardonnay of your choice. Chardonnay is a delightful choice for summer sipping—somewhat lighter, softer, and often lower in alcohol content. The three Chardonnays featured here are within the 12.5% to 13.4% range of alcohol by volume. And Chards should be served cold; just so you know.

Starting off big and bold, I selected the Heavyweight Chardonnay 2009 (85% Chardonnay, 10% Dry Chenin Blanc, 5% Marsanne), featuring “Champ” Frankie the Flash on the label. A sip or two of this rich, full-bodied Chardonnay “separates the pretenders from the contenders” proclaims its tasting notes. Filled with light lemony flavors and subtle floral aromas, there’s a delicate touch of oak for palate-pleasing pleasure. Heavyweight is vinted and bottled by White Stone Vineyards, Lodi, California; available at CataVinos Wine Shoppe & Tasting Room in Tucson for under $15/bottle.

Rich and elegant, the Woodbridge 2010 Chardonnay by Robert Mondavi (76% Chardonnay, 18% French Colombard, 3% Viognier, and 3% Proprietary blend of aromatic varieties) displays notes of delicious tart green apples and a gentle floral undertone. Nuances of apple pie with autumn spices weave through the fruity aromas and flavors, ending in a light creamy oak finish. Smoother than most Chardonnays I’ve enjoyed, its mouth-filling richness is balanced with natural acidity—the oak aging enriches this wine’s texture and adds just a hint of sweet vanilla and spice. Woodbridge Chardonnay is the perfect choice for sitting and sipping with friends or to pair. Be creative—if you like the food, go for it, there are no rules. Available retail for about $8/bottle.

For a totally different Chardonnay, try the Big House Unchained Naked Chardonnay 2010. No oak here! It’s described as “naked as a jaybird” without the confines of oak barrels. Big House veered off the California standard by using stainless steel tank fermentation, allowing the true fruit character of the Chardonnay grape to explode. Green apple and hints of pear on the nose is followed up with vibrant, “criminally” crisp and bright tropical fruit.  Perfect with goat cheese or poultry, this unoaked Chardonnay would pair well with scallops, pork tenderloin, roasted chicken, or fresh pasta primavera.  Available in both 750ml bottle ($10) and an eco-friendly premium wine cask (equivalent of four bottles) for $22.

Check out an earlier Pour Me Some Grapes blog on flipflop Chardonnay—a medium-bodied winner with creamy, toasted oak notes.

As you can see, Chardonnays can be all over the board with aromas, tastes, and finishes—what better time than these sizzling summer evenings to explore chilled Chards.

Cheers (and keep cool)!

Holidays call for celebration, and celebrations call for champagne, sparklies, and bubbly. Whether you’re toasting to the past, a person, the future, or just fun times, I’ve got four great choices for expressing the sentiment.

If you’re looking for a top-choice French champagne that won’t break the bank, Gerard Bertrand Crémant de Limoux 2007 is your ticket. This beautiful bubbly is golden with green lights; the taste is crisp, lively, and elegant. Its nose is rich with aromas of a delicate blend of white flowers and pear. As you taste, the wine develops hints of hazelnut, slowly revealing subtle toasted flavors, making a lively attack on the palate; you’ll linger with long lasting bubbles. Crémant de Limoux is a rich, balanced wine, ideal as an aperitif. I’d serve this with salads, fish, and poultry. You can buy this wine at CataVinos Wine Shoppe in Tucson for less than $15 per bottle.

Jaume Serra Cristalino CAVA is a fine Spanish sparkling wine made using the traditional method in which secondary fermentation producing a sparkling wine’s bubbles occurs in the bottle. Its fresh, toasty nose, beautiful citrus, green apple and mineral flavors, supple, lively mouth-feel, and clean, crisp finish make this the ultimate celebratory wine. Enjoy it on its own and with sushi, seafood, fried foods, and Asian dishes. Cristalino is a blend of 50% Macabeo, 35% Parellada, and 15% Xarel-lo – grapes from the Vineyard Can Suriyol (Alt Penedés), El Padruel, Spain. Suggested retail price is $10.00 per bottle.

Mumm Napa Brut Prestige is a complex collection of primarily Pinot Noir (51%) and Chardonnay (46%), with the balance from Pinot Meunier and Pinot Gris grapes. This California Brut opens with gorgeous layered white blossom aromas, followed by creamy vanilla, citrus, stone fruit, and melon notes. With elegant acidity and crisp structure, this medium-bodied sparkling wine displays a rich, lingering finish. Crispness and ample fruit character make this one a superb food wine. The $20 per bottle price makes this a top-shelf choice – maybe a gift for that very special friend?

The Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi Brut is 100% Chardonnay. It’s crisp and refreshing, a good choice for mimosas. This Brut California sparkling wine displays green apple, ripe pear, and bright citrus notes with a toasty finish. Robert Mondavi believed that great wine was not just for special occasions, but to celebrate the joy of every day. Priced at less than $10 per bottle, that is indeed possible.

Speaking of mimosas, consider using cranberry or some other juice in place of the traditional orange juice for a refreshing new toast. Salud!

Great Arizona Grape Stomp 5k Fun Run in PHOENIX

The final stop in the Great Arizona Grape Stomp 5K in Phoenix on Saturday, October 30, 2010, beginning at 8:00am. The race kicks off the first-ever Arizona Wine Week. The run starts at Parkway Church, 1751 E. Maryland Ave., Phoenix, in North Central Phoenix, and will take place along the Arizona Canal. Runners will receive a free wine glass that can be used for discounted wine tasting at two after parties – The Duce and the Phoenix Public Market, both in downtown Phoenix. Bring your friends and family for a good time! Sign up online or print the entry form and mail with payment before October 25, 2010.

Buy wine, support Breast Cancer Research

October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, a time to raise awareness for a disease that takes the lives of an estimated 500,000 people each year. Several vineyards have taken extra steps to support the cause, offering a portion of their wine sales to the cure.

Arizona Stronghold Vineyards is not only run by rock star Maynard James Keenan, lead man of Tool. They also feature a rock-star quality promotion, donating a portion of all proceeds from sales of their Dayden Rosé during the month of October to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure® organization.

ONEHOPE wine is a result of college buddies uniting to craft a cause-brand after their fellow friend was diagnosed with cancer. The company partnered with Robert Mondavi Wines to craft the ONEHOPE Chardonnay, with 50% of its profits dedicated to the National Breast Cancer Foundation. During the month of October, ONEHOPE has a goal of raising over $100,000, covering the costs of 1,000 mammograms for women in need.

Budge Brown is a man who was devastated after losing his wife to breast cancer back in 2005, but he turned his grief into producing a very benevolent wine. His Cleavage Creek brand out of Napa Valley dedicates a portion of all proceeds to the fight against breast cancer all year long. To date, Cleavage Creek has donated over $72,000 to various breast cancer research groups. Each of their wine labels features a different woman that has fought and won a battle against breast cancer.

Pour yourself a glass of rosé and don’t forget to flaunt a pink ribbon in support.  Know it’s going to a worthy cause.

6th Annual Certified Local Fall Festival

The Certified Local Festival, is set for Saturday, November 13, 10:00am – 4:00pm. It will feature food from some of the Phoenix valley’s best restaurants, over 40 vendors, live music, and a bounce house and obstacle course for kids. The fun takes place on the grounds of Duck and Decanter, 1651 E. Camelback Rd. in Phoenix. Local First Arizona will host hourly raffles for prizes including free dinners at locally owned restaurants. An auction with tons of items from Local First Arizona’s members will be held. The first 500 people to arrive will receive free gift bags.

Equine Voices Rescue & Sanctuary hosts Wine and Dine Gala

The fourth annual Equine Voices Wine and Dine Gala is scheduled for November 7, 2010, at the historic Arizona Inn, Tucson, Arizona. The event sells out each year and is among one of the prestigious wine tasting events in the Southern Arizona region. The event will consist of a live auction hosted by Cowboy Bob with live music by Becky Reyes, wine tasting from local wineries and micro brews, hosted bar, hors d’oeuvres, as well as a three-course sit-down dinner.

Located in Green Valley, Arizona, Equine Voices Rescue & Sanctuary has been dedicated to rescuing mares and foals used in the production of the drug Premarin, a hormone-replacement drug made from pregnant mare’s urine (PMU). Over the past three years alone, Equine Voices has saved 49 PMU mares and foals from Ranch One, a Canadian Premarin farm that is no longer in business because they lost their contract with the pharmaceutical company.

This year, Equine Voices Rescue & Sanctuary hopes to raise much-needed funds to purchase a security surveillance system to help protect and monitor their land. Green Valley is only 30 miles from the Mexico border, and with horses being stolen at a rapid rate by Mexican drug runners the system is needed to protect the horses and staff.

Sponsors and auction donation items are being requested from local Arizona businesses, as well as national corporations, for the gala.  For information, call Sarah Workman at 602-692-8456, or Karen Pomroy at 520-398-2814.

Celebration of the Arizona Growers Reception

At the Celebration of the Arizona Growers Reception, Friday, November 5, 2010, 6:00 – 8:00 pm, guests can meet and mingle with winemakers from across the state, including Arizona Grower’s Cup and Winemaker’s Medal award winners. The casual celebration takes place at Quiessence Restaurant at The Farm at South Mountain, 6106 S. 32nd Street, Phoenix, Ariz. Enjoy hors d’oeuvres prepared by Executive Chef Greg LaPrad, and sample the top scoring wines from the 2010 competition. This event is part of Arizona Wine Week.