Classic Wines

Summertime is zinfandel time - nothing goes better with barbecue than a rich, spicy California zinfandel. In this week's showdown, though, we'll be tasting primitivo from Italy's Puglia region. rnrnWhy? Because they're actually the same thing. And primitivo's prices, because the wine lacks the same name recognition as its California counterpart, are often cheaper. Check out this week's showdown: The Torre dei Gesuiti 2005 Primitivo Puglia vs. the Feudi di San Marzano 2005 Primitivo Puglia.

Today we explore two wines from Vin de Pays D'Oc, a region of France. These Pinot Noirs are both priced under ten dollars.rnrnSo who will win? The more expesive Georges Duboeuf Pinot Noir or the Barton & Guestier Bistro Pinot Noir.

Prosecco Mionetto Brut vs. Prosecco Moletto There's more ways to enjoy a bottle of bubbly than expensive champagnes. Prosecco's offer a great alternative for any occasion deserving a bottle of sparkling wine. Today, Brian tastes two Prosecco sparklers with two different flavor profiles. Great to pair with food or to celebrate a joyous occasion - see who wins in this week's edition of the Weekly Wine Showdown.

Joseph Drouhin Beaujolais-Villages 2005 vs. Louis Jadot Beaujolais-Villages 2005:rnLet's face it, Beaujolais has a bad reputation. Most people, unfortunately, associate it with that boring, overly-fruity wine that's dumped onto the market every November for Beaujolais Nouveau Day. But the truth is that there's some great wine available from this region south of Burgundy, and some of the best values out there are at the Villages level.rnFor this week's Showdown, Brian tastes two widely available, inexpensive bottles, both from the excellent 2005 vintage. Which one will reign supreme in this juicy throwdown?

Malbec is one of the most popular wines in the world these days, and it seems as if bottles of this South American red take up more and more space on wine shop shelves every year. In this week's Showdown, we taste two of the most popular--and reasonably priced--malbecs from Argentina, the new spiritual home of the grape. Both of these wines are Reservas, and both are from the 2005 vintage. Yet they could not be more different from one another: One of them's a big New World-style red with great concentration and power, and the other shows the unmistakably elegant influence of its French producers. Which one reigns supreme? Click here to find out!

4th of July is a great holiday for experimenting with new food and wine pairings. A hot and flaming grill, produces some amazing flavors - and that's why for this barbecue season we have decided to compare two Cote du Rhones - Jaboulet-Vercherre Cotes du Rhone Chassy 2005 vs. Paul Jaboulet Aine Cotes du Rhone Parallele 45 2005.

When the mercury soars, few wines are more refreshing--or delicious with summertime food--than sauvignon blanc. And with some of the best values these days coming out of Chile and Argentina, we decided to pit two titans of South American wine production against each other in this week's Weekly Wine Showdown. Both the Casa Lapostolle 2005 and the Montes Limited Selection 2005 Leyda Valley showed bright notes of citrus fruit and that telltale grassy aroma. But in the end, the winner was clear, and only one of these two wines reigned supreme.

In the first episode of the 'Weekly Wine Showdown' on TheCWM.com, Brian tastes two Pinot Grigios from mammoth producer Yellow Tail. Is 'The Reserve' really worth $5 more than the regular bottling? Find out in this week's Showdown!