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The club is designed for those who like to enjoy wine every day and those who know that wine helps make a party great - no matter what size! But who has time to make that extra trip after work to the wine store, trolling through endless bottles of wine? You should spend your time enjoying the wine, so we pick great bottles at great prices for you. No more guess work!

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Riesling is one of the world’s most elegant wines, yet its acceptance in America has long been hindered by the perception that it is too darn sweet. This perception is enhanced by the sugary sweet Riesling coming out of California. To many, one glance at a seemingly indecipherable German wine label might be all it takes for an American to start reaching for any other bottle that looks friendlier and more familiar. But have no fear, it’s not as complicated as it seems.

In an era when many wine drinkers prefer dry wines, anything hinting at a specter of sweetness can easily be pushed aside. That’s a shame, because many people are missing out on a great wine. Germany makes oodles of blockbuster Riesling that far too many wine lovers know nothing about. To make it easy for you to explore this neglected treasure trove of great wine, here are a few of the most important things to remember.

Germany is best known for its stunning variety of Rieslings, ranging from bone dry to syrupy sweet, at several different quality levels. Top producing regions include Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, Rheingau, Pfalz, and Nahe.  No matter what level of sweetness, Riesling depends on a backbone of tangy acidity. Indeed, Riesling’s steely tang is as much a part of its identity as its potential sweetness and its delicate array of mineral, floral, and citrus/peach/apple notes. As a consumer, your first step should be to make sure you’re buying the highest-quality German wine, distinguished by the words Qualitatswein mit Pradikat, or “QmP” on the label.

QmP wines are categorized by the sweetness of the grapes when harvested. Fortunately, in most instances there’s a strong correlation between grape sweetness at harvest and sweetness of the finished wine. If you’re looking for the driest high-quality German white wine, buy one labeled, Kabinett. In ascending order of sweetness after Kabinett comes Spatlese, Auslese, Beerenauslese, Eiswein, and finally – Trockenbeerenauslese, a rare, stratospherically priced, intensely sweet dessert wine. What virtually all Rieslings of the world have in common, however, is that they are un-oaked, allowing lots of pure fruit to shine through.

Isn’t that great – words on a wine bottle that enable you, the wine buyer, to choose precisely how sweet you want your wine. Not only do you get a balanced, bright, refreshing wine, but you get a bottle that can be paired with many diverse foods. Riesling will flatter chicken, light fish, pork, and ham. Off-dry styles work surprisingly well with salsas, fruit sauces, and Asian fusion dishes. Now get out there, try some German Riesling, and combat the hot August sun.

This past weekend I celebrated my grandmother’s 80th birthday AND the Fourth of July at Disney World. I was asked to bring “White wine that was low in alcohol, and perhaps something to toast with as well.”  In order to kill two birds with one stone, I immediately decided to pick up Italian sparkling wine.  And wanting to be able to please family members who enjoy different degrees of sweetness, I purchased bottles of Prosecco, Asti, and Moscato d’Asti. Everyone enjoyed the bottles, but I continued to hear the same question over and over: “Aren’t Asti and Moscato d’Asti the same thing?” My only response was to suggest taking another sip of each in order to decide the answer. But for you, my audience, I’m happy to go into detail about the wonderful world of light Italian sparklers.

An added benefit of these wines is that they offer a great way to bring a Champagne-esque feel to any occasion without draining your wallet. One reason these wines are less expensive than French Champagne or high-end sparkling wines from other regions in the world is because they’re made by the charmat process, a less time-consuming and labor-intensive process than the more elaborate methode champenoise used to make higher-end sparklers (I’ll save the specific differences between these two methods for another article).

It’s important to not to think of these wines as princely pretenders to the Champagne throne, but rather, more playful and less well-bred knaves with their own brand of charm. While Champagne can be rich and elegant, these wines are frivolous and refreshing. Champagne can be a little dry and little tight-fisted with the fruit, but these Italian sparklers playfully offer it to you in spades. Not to mention the fact that while Champagne is usually around 12.5 percent alcohol, Prosecco, Asti, and Moscato d’Asti are usually no more than 7.5 percent alcohol.

When chilled up nicely, Prosecco, Moscato d’Asti and Asti taste especially great poolside, dock-side or anywhere outdoors as the temperature climbs – such as Disney World in July. And, with their happy bubbles, they’re also shoo-ins for celebrations any time of year, as they offer an expensive yet highly respectable way to bring sparkle to grand occasions, such as holidays, weddings, New Year’s Eve – or your grandmother’s 80th birthday.

The three range in sweetness-Prosecco is generally a little drier than Asti, while Moscato d’Asti is usually the sweetest of the three. They also range in the intensity of bubbles. Asti is fully sparkling (spumante), while Moscato d’Asti is gently sparkling (frizzante). Prosecco can come in either spumante or frizzante styles.

Prosecco is made from the Prosecco grape and most often produced in Italy’s Veneto region. Light, crisp and refreshing, this easy-to-love sparkling wine goes well with many foods. Chicken salad, Eggs Benedict and other light brunch and lunch dishes make for winning combinations. However, like many sparkling wines, Prosecco shines when paired with just about anything, not to mention that it is great for making Bellinis.

Made in the Piedmont region of Italy near the town of Asti, Moscato d’Asti possesses just a hint of sparkle along with peachy flavors that appeal to those who enjoy a little sweetness in their sip. Light and refreshing, it’s usually low in alcohol, making it tailor-made for sipping on a warm day. It pairs especially well with fruit desserts.

You have probably enjoyed Asti under another name; years ago it used to be called “Asti Spumante.” Now it’s simply “Asti.” Like Moscato d’Asti, this sparkling wine also is made near the town of Asti from the Moscato grape; the difference is that it’s a little less sweet and it sparkles more fully. It pairs well with dessert, though anyone who likes sweeter wines like White Zinfandel will enjoy it with their entree, too.

An abundance of high-quality wines hail from France’s Loire Valley.  These wines are light and refreshing, and are great to use for any type of outdoor entertaining. Yet because most Loire wines are named for places within the region, many of these superb sips remain a mystery to wine lovers. Check out this quick guide to help you make sense of them all.

Named after one of the most renowned regions in the Loire Valley, Pouilly-Fume is a world-class aromatic white made exclusively from Sauvignon Blanc grapes. Other regions that produce wonderful Sauvignon Blanc are Sancerre and Touraine.  Remember, when in the Loire section of your wine store, these wines will be listed by region, not varietal, so look for bottles that say Sancerre and Touraine, not Sauvignon Blanc (as they would if produced in the New World).

Vouvray lies at the eastern end of the valley near Tours. Slightly sweet but still delightfully dry, Vouvray wine is made from 100 percent Chenin Blanc grapes. In addition to winsome dry wines, the large Vouvray district also produces excellent sweets and sparklers. If you’re looking for a tantalizing wine to serve with seafood this summer, give Muscadet a look. Some of the most interesting of these come from the sub-regions of Muscadet, which lies at the western end of the Loire Valley. Be sure to check for the words “sur lie” on the label, as these versions offer some of the most intense flavors of all Muscadets.

The Loire also makes fantastic roses that range from slightly, to fully off-dry (that is, a little sweet). Because these roses are lighter versions of red wines such as Cabernet Franc, Pinot Noir, and Gamay, the Loire’s roses make superb introductory sips for those who are new to wine. Some of the best can be found around the region of Anjou, about 200 miles southwest of Paris. Look for bottles labeled Rose d’Anjou.

Second only to the Champagne region as a producer of sparkling wines, Loire sparklers are required by law to be made with the same labor-intensive technique as their sassy competitors to the north. For great quality at bargain-basement prices, sparklers with Vouvray in their names are very hard to beat. There are also sweet wines made from Chenin Blanc grapes which represent the most outstanding incarnations of this varietal and style. As I mentioned above, Vouvray sweets are particularly notable.

A wine-tasting party is a fun and creative way to broaden your wine knowledge. Uncork some bottles and invite your friends over for a night of fun, unforgettable swirls, smells and sips.  Engaging conversation will flow as you and your guests move from wine to wine – just make sure you have plenty of glasses!

When planning how many bottles to buy, a good formula to use is 5 glasses of wine per bottle.  If you pour a “tasting serving” you can bump the number of glasses per bottle up to 10.  You can assume that each guest will drink half a bottle of wine, but remember that you’re having a wine TASTING party and you want to have a little of many different bottles.  You can have an assortment of red and white wine varietals for a traditional approach, or choose different versions of a single varietal such as Merlot from different countries including Chile, California, France, Italy, and Australia.  You could even have a dessert wine tasting party, offering Port, Sherry, Late Harvest Riesling, Ice Wine, Sauterne, and Semillon.

As you sample each bottle, notice how the wine looks, smells and tastes. Is the color light and watery; is it deep and intense?  Did the palate offer bold fruit, or a subtle minerality? Was there any alcohol burn? Were the flavors ripe, juicy, or lush on the palate? Was the acidity balanced? Were the tannins bold or elegant?  Was the finish short or long? Discussing your reactions will enhance everyone’s wine vocabulary. To expand your ability to describe wine flavors, read the article on wine aromas and flavors; you may find something you haven’t been able to put your finger on.

In addition to wine, any good wine tasting party will have water and snacks on hand to nibble on between sips. Start with the perfect pairing that is cheese and wine, but you can also experiment by combining wine with dinner foods.  Impress your guests with a few simple pairing suggestions.

Offer cheeses with a range of textures and flavors in order to provide variety. Consider mixing cheeses from each milk source (cow, goat and sheep). For example, you could serve fresh goat cheese, creamy Brie (made from cow’s milk) and firm Manchego (made from sheep’s milk).  Pair wines and cheeses with matching flavors and mouth-feel. For example, link creamy-textured cheeses with heavy, dessert-type wines such as Sauterne or a Dolce because both wine and cheese will have a thick, rich feel on the tongue. Generally, tangy, fresh goat cheese tastes best with crisp white wine such as Chardonnay fermented in stainless steel, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinto Grigio, or even an Albarino.  Above all, remember that there’s nothing wrong with experimenting. Select your favorite wines and cheeses, and see what different combinations you prefer.

If you’re serving dinner foods at the wine tasting party, remember that heartier foods usually taste better with hearty, full-bodied wines. Pasta and red sauce would pair perfectly with different Italian reds such as a Chianti, Super Tuscan, Ripasso, and Barolo. White meats such as duck, chicken, or pork could be paired with multiple Chardonnay or Riesling from different regions and countries.  Steak or other red meat could be served with a variety of big reds such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec, Shiraz, Bordeaux, and Priorat. The tasting of new wines will introduce you and your guests to bottles that may be out of the drinking “comfort zone,” and may open new doors to new flavors.

To satisfy your sweet tooth, complement a multitude of desserts with an array of sweet wines. Pair an assortment of chocolate with Pedro Ximenez Sherry and Late Bottled Vintage Port.  Serve fruit tarts, creme brulee, mousse, and pastries with glasses of white dessert wine such as Eiswein, Late Harvest Riesling or Sauterne. Be sure to select a wine that is sweeter than the dessert so the wine isn’t overshadowed, and there’s a balance.

Whatever you decide to do, remember that the only bad pairings are the ones YOU don’t enjoy, so feel free to experiment to you heart’s content.

Although it may sound silly, the largest challenge for wine buyers today is figuring out what THEY like, without having to rely on expert opinions and reviews.  Trying new wines is the obvious solution, but continuing to try wines in a category you don’t like may seem like beating your head against the wall.  A wine buyer should have an understanding of the general characteristics of wine varietals so as to know what to expect.  The following is meant to be an introductory guide to point you in your right direction for white varietals, broken down into a four part series.  The red varietal descriptions will come soon after.

Albarino – Extensively grown in the Rias Baixas region of northwest Spain, this grape produces light to medium straw-colored dry wines that are very aromatic. These wines offer flavors of ripe peach, apricot, and orange marmalade coupled with hints of minerality and fresh acidity.  Albarino is also grown in the Vinho Verde region of northwest Portugal.

Chardonnay – One of the most popular and well known varietal, Chardonnay is grown extensively throughout the world’s wine growing regions.  Planted in cool, warm, and hot climates, Chardonnay thrives in soil rich in calcium, but can show a range of characteristics depending upon where it is planted.  It is the classic white grape of Burgundy and Champagne, and has become a major New World wine grown in the US, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and Chile.  In the Old World, its characteristics can range from lemon, green apple, hazelnut, chalky minerality, and high acidity when from Chablis (a region of Burgundy), to the apple/pear, melon, vanilla, and buttery butterscotch when from the Cote de Beaune (another region of Burgundy).  Chardonnay adds finesse and elegance into Champagne, being the sole grape in the Blanc de Blanc style.   New World Chardonnay can range from creamy, to slightly dry, to very dry, and usually displays ripe, fruit-forward characters of lemon/lime, apple, pear, melon, freshly churned butter, and higher alcohol.   New World Chardonnays may also display more characteristics of the oak barrels where it matures.  The addition of wood may produce flavors of toastiness, cinnamon, clove, or even coconut, depending on how long the wine is left to mature and how old the barrels are.

Chenin Blanc – Grown extensively in the middle of the Loire regions on Anjou and Touraine, Chenin Blanc is renowned for producing Vouvray, Saumar, Coteaux-du-Layon, and Savennieres.   Savennieres is a still dry to medium white wine; Vouvray and Saumar can be dry, medium, or sweet and can be still or sparkling; Coteaux-du-Layon wines are medium sweet to sweet and are higher in alcohol.  These Loire wines offer quite a bit of acidity, balanced by lemony citrus, baked apple, and honey flavors, along with minerality.  South African and US style Chennin Blanc exhibit more tropical flavors of melon, and less minerality.

Folle Blanche – Used in the production of Cognac, Armagnac (under the name Picoul), and Gros Plant in the Muscadet region, this grape produces a thin, dry, highly acidic white wine.

More to come in part 2…