Back with the wine picks 12/01/05

Hedges Family Estates CMS $11.99

Chardonnay, Marsanne and Sauvignon Blanc blend with a gleaming pale gold color. Beautiful aromas of citrus, gooseberry, pear and vanilla are a powerful nose full. All fruit forward with the pear and tropical fruits dominating the palate. A round rich mouth feel and enough acidity to finish crisp and clean.

Pair with oven poached sea bass

Portalupi Wine Company 2003 Dry Creek Zinfandel $25.99

An inky black Zinfandel offers up aromas of sweet, jammy, black fruits, brown spices and smoky oak. In the mouth the extremely full-body and brawny richness shows copious quantities of black fruit, so dense and rich that it would do well paired with robust fare in the middle of winter. There is a magnificent lavishness, as well as an explosively long, full-bodied, luxuriant finish. A terrific zinfandel!

Try with Prime Rib and fresh horseradish