Classic Wines

Part 1: Two of wine's biggest personalities go head to head in this Sommelier Smackdown, hosted by The Wine School of Philadelphia. Gary Vaynerchuk of Wine Library TV and Brian Freedman of Classic Wines TV engage in a four-part food and wine pairing competition. These two experts do their best to win over a panel of educated wine judges and come out on top.

See the rest of the videos from this Sommelier Smackdown series: Parts 1 thru 4.

At the Old Field Vineyards in Long Island we learn how they use the traditional French method of making champagne. Brian Freedman talks with Ros Baiz about the Blanc de noir champagne method sparkling wine that they produce and the careful steps it takes to make such a wonderful wine.

For those of you who enjoy Champagne, but not to incur the cost - today we are tasting a perfect alternative. If you are going to get a Sparkling Wine, why not get one that's as close to the terroir of Champagne.rnrnToday, we taste two Sparklers from Burgundy - a Grand Reserve Brut and a Blanc de Noirs.

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?