Prunotto 2006 Barbera d'Asti Fiulot

Medium dark red color.

Plum/prune smell, some oak.

Slight petillance, tart plum and prune fruit flavors.

The next day it remains a high-acid juicy bowl of stone-fruit. Tangy!

This proved an excellent accompaniment to a festive holiday lasagna. While I'd hunt for a cheaper version that tasted as good, if none jumped up I'd pay $19.49 for another bottle. Quite nice.

Primaterra 2007 Puglia Primitivo

Inky-dark opaque purple/red color.

Plum and oak smell.

Plum, prune, black cherry fruit flavors. There's oak, but not solely new oak.

The next day same as it ever was.

Ampelographers have determined that Primitivo is the same grape as Zinfandel, though they are have usually been made into different styles of wine. This bottle is, I'm guessing, aware of California Zin. Not a slavish follower of it, but aware.

Tasty wine, a fair buy for $10.99, I'd buy it again to accompany a simple dinner of pasta and tomato. On reflection, if this is meant as an alternative to basic chianti, maybe it is a bit too expensive.

Gloria Ferrer non-vintage Blanc de Noirs

Medium pale amber / copper color, vigorous tiny bubbles.

Smell of cherries and bread dough.

Taste of red berries, sweet red cherries, toast.

As so often is true of New World sparklers, exuberant fruit is expressed in sound winemaking, but there's a finesse that's seen in good Champagne but missing here. Still, this is a remarkable expression of Pinot fruit, and I'd buy it again for $19.99. I still prefer my Bollinger, but the difference in price argues strongly for this.

And Merry Christmas!

Delas 2007 Cotes-du-Rhone Saint-Esprit

Dark red / purple color.

My first thought on opening the bottle was that this smells like Beaujolais, strawberry and red raspberry. A bit unusual for a Rhone wine, but I like Beaujolais, so it's not a disaster.

Flavor bears a resemblance to Beaujolais as well, red berries over a bit of oak.

The next day still the same.

Pleasant simple fruity wine, $10.99 seems an entirely fair price.

Rivola 2005 Sardon de Duero Abadia Retuerta

Inky dark near-opaque purple/red.

Cedar smell, a pencil box inside a hope chest. Can't name anything else in there.

Tannins and oak predominate. There's dark stone fruit under there, but it's well-hidden. I fear splinters.

The next day no noticeable improvement.

$15.49 for Spanish red wine the way I remember it. I didn't use to like Spanish wine. I wouldn't buy it again. It'd be interesting to know if it'll improve with time, but not on my own dime.

Fontanafredda 2005 Piemonte Barbera Briccotondo

Dark purple / red color.

Smell of leather, black raspberry, and plum.

Tastes of prune, plum, black cherry, blackberry, all balanced with tart acid.

The next day largely unchanged.

Simple and pleasant, fruity wine with a bit of complexity, an entirely reasonable buy at $11.99.

Mumm Napa non-vintage Rutherford Brut Prestige

Very pale straw color, tint of green. Vigorous bubbles.

Citrus and melon smells, a bit of just-popped toaster.

Canteloupe, grapefruit, fresh-baked bread, maybe cherry. Brut, for sure, but the end is a bit too sweet for my taste.

I'd buy again for $19.99, but I've got more New World sparklers to try first.

It's not champagne. Even if it's improved by the addition of well-aged reserve wine it's still not champagne but it's quite acceptable fizz all the same.