Smith-Madrone is a low-key winery than never seems to burn hotly under the spotlight. Yet their wines, since 1971, are gems from high atop Napa Valley's Spring Mountain District. Brothers Stuart and Charles Smith recouped this vineyard land first planted in the 1880's. The wines are never boring and speak to a very specific and real terroir. Get to know them.

 

2007 Smith-Madrone Chardonnay, Napa Valley $30 suggested retail price
    Bright, sunshine-saturated nose of Springtime herbs and stone fruits. The freshness factor cannot be overstated. Spreadable, lush citrus compote sensations. Mouth watering flavors of lemon, spicy apple and lingering sprightly fruit. Nimble acids keep its richness in check and its refreshment front and center. A beautiful, memorable wine for Cod, lemon chicken or a Couscous salad.
92/100 points

Petite Sirah (Syrah) is an often misunderstood hybrid, created in France in the late 19th century. It simply glows in Californian soil with a rich grapey flavor and solid as a rock texture that's a perfect foil for mid-Winter fare. Golfer Greg Norman's foray into California wines has created a beauty.

2007 Greg Norman Paso Robles Petite Sirah  $15 suggested retail price.
Heady vinous bouquet of super-ripe plum, violet and spicy black fruit. Explosive and penetrating. Rich flavorful buckets of fresh, just picked fruit flavors. Non-complex but soul satisfying and lip-smackingly joyful. Great for spicy meat or Lentil-based dishes. 91/100 points

Rodney Strong was a professional ballet dancer who knew that age would eventually catch up. I "could not be an old dancer, but could be an old winemaker"! Fifty years later, this winery is still making outstanding wine at affordable prices.

2007 Rodney Strong, Sonoma County, Cabernet Sauvignon  $19 suggested retail price
    Alluringly deep black cherry on an earthy, tarry, charcoal-tinged nose. Long, smooth flavors display optimal ripeness. No acidic bite, yet it spicily refreshes and lingers long. Textbook Sonoma, this is a wonderful bottle from a great vintage.  90/100 points

Just because the holidays are over, a great bottle of Champagne is never out of season. Pol Roger, year in and year out, produces one of my favorite non-vintage Champagnes. The art of blending wines from multiple vintages and sources is perhaps more important, and difficult, than creating a vintage bottling. The most recent incarnation of their white capsule Brut will bring in the New Year exquisitely, without the need for food.

Pol Roger, Non-Vintage, Brut Reserve Champagne
$44 suggested retail price

Brilliant straw-yellow color. The nose is pinpoint citrus, with a fresh, focused minerality. Austere in a good way,there's lightly honeyed brioche on this characterfilled bouquet. Baked apple and pear inhabit an impeccably balanced flavor profile. Crisp. refreshing and completely satisfying. 91/100 points

Sonoma County's Lancaster Estate produces a separate wine that stands proudly on its own. Seemingly made just as lovingly as its big sister, this wine sees 18 months in French oak and always rewards its drinkers with lavish body, texture and presence.

2006 Roth Cabernet Sauvignon, $40 suggested retail price

Made from hillside Alexander Valley fruit, its sweet, ripe berry scents with pepper and tobacco notes inhabit a subtly graceful bouquet that seduces rather than overpowers. Substantial, mouth-filling flavors of spicy dried cherry and a smooth, creamy finish. Supple and rich, this would love a Dijon-roasted leg of lamb. Drink now through 2011.
90/100 points

Frankly, when it comes to Champagne, I gravitate towards rosés. Not only are they more food friendly but, even standing alone, I tend to prefer bubblies that have Pinot Noir headlining the blend. Naturally there are magnificent exceptions, but here is a rosé that will please the palate and warm your heart.

Nicolas Feuillatte Brut Rosé  $48 suggested retail price
    A light Salmon color, it offers an active, pinpoint bubble with roses, wheat and spiced strawberries on the nose. Refreshing citrus-like flavors contain a smoky, brisk aftertaste filled with yeasty goodness. Hard to imagine it being anything but a true Champagne, this from a splendid, consistent producer.  91/100 points

Ed Sbragia is duly famous for his many years as Beringer's chief winemaker. His Reserve Cabernets and Chardonnays were among the best to come out of Napa Valley. He now plies his trade at his eponymous estate in Sonoma's Dry Creek Valley and he hasn't missed a beat. His most recent Chardonnay release would make an ideal gift for your friends or yourself.

2007 Sbragia Family Vineyards Chardonnay, Home Ranch, $26 suggested retail price
    Beaming with vanilla, butterscotch and graceful yet enormous spiced apple and pear scents. A wow wine. The flavors are smooth, polished and long with just enough requisite acidity to keep it lively yet luscious. For those who love an old style, "grab you by the collar" Chardonnay, this is it. 91/100 points