At any time of year, it's necessary to remember those less fortunate and help out whenever and wherever we can.  We try to teach our daughter that the spirit of giving isn't just for the holidays. I know, though, that it's often easier said than done, and we can get caught up in our own busy lives.  The good news is that there are people out there who make helping others even easier for those of us who are good intentioned but occasionally short on follow through. And if you're a wine lover, it just became even easier!

Charity Case Foundation was formed in 2008 by Jayson Woodbridge.  The Foundation is devoted to raising funds through the sale of small-production, specially crafted wines to support local non-profit organizations and provide services to Napa-area children and families in need. All grapes and juice are donated by Napa vintners and all services are volunteered, from the wines, labels, bottles, corks and storage to shipping and marketing. You can read more about the Foundation and the organizations it supports by visiting www.charitycasewine.org.

This past Sunday night my family had a Do-Over Thanksgiving dinner to welcome my sister back from Washington DC. There were 12 of us for dinner (much smaller than our 40+ person Thanksgiving dinner a couple of weeks ago!). So we decided it was a perfect time to bring out the Charity Case Wines. Family, food, fun and giving thanks. The Charity Case Wine made for a great conversation, as I explained how it came about and their goal. 

We started with the 2009 Sauvignon Blanc. 100% Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc and fermented in new French oak, this was a nicely structured wine with aromas of apricot and lemon. It is full bodied with a nice, creamy finish from the French oak.  We all found it to be a very easy drinking wine and it paired perfectly with our appetizers.

We opened the 2008 Rose with dinner.  This went really well with the turkey (and the pumpkin pie!) and ended up being my favorite of the two. It was nicely complex with aromas of strawberries and a hint of lime. I tasted cranberries on the palate, as well as strawberry, and the finish had a bit of spicy white pepper, which I loved. The wine was great with our meal but I can also see it being a perfect summer wine.  Can't wait to drank more of this one.  

If you're looking for a wine to go with your holiday appetizers or meal or even just to reward yourself for braving the crowds at the mall, why not grab a bottle or three of Charity Case Wine. After all, you'll be doing a good deed and helping others while drinking wine. It doesn't get much better than that! 

Ah, the holidays are upon us. This past weekend we had a houseful of 7-year-old girls.  There was much squealing, giggling and singing of Christmas carols, and surprisingly little whining! The girls did some crafts, decorated (and subsequently ate) a bunch of cookies, watched "How the Grinch Stole Christmas", and generally had a fun time.  They went home happy (hopefully that wasn't JUST the sugar buzz they were riding!).

As nice as it was, it was tiring for us grownups! The volume level alone was enough to drive the dog into hiding and give me a headache.  Once the girls went home, I self-medicated with a glass of 2008 St-Jean-Des-Graves Blanc.  Now, I can hear those of you who know me saying, "Whaaat?"  I know! Although the experiment is still in the infancy stages, I have vowed to expand my horizons and see if I can't find some white wines that I enjoy.  One of my first attempts - the 2008 St-Jean-Des-Graves - was a resounding success.  This is a great value at $14 a bottle.  90% Sauvignon Blanc and 10% semillon, this is a crisp, refreshing wine that also has some personality. It was slightly minerally on the palate, with notes of grapefruit, and - hold on to your hats - I liked it! Best of all, now I'm actually excited to discover more white wines that I enjoy.

We ended the evening with a bottle of 2005 Chateau Pedesclaux Pauillac.  At $40 a bottle, this is the splurge part of the evening. The nice folks at K&L Wines helped me pick this one out.  This is a fifth growth Pauillac. Apparently, it was ranked in the top three in a blind tasting of all major 2005 classified growths, along with Mouton Rothschild and Pichon Baron, and above the other first growths. So really, based on that, it was a bargain, right? Anyway, I took the advice of the salesman and decanted the wine in the afternoon.  When first opened, it had a very intense aroma and was very earthy and minerally on the palate. When we sat down to drink it later, it had opened up and rounded out nicely. It was rich and sweet, with intense black fruit.  As the evening went on, it  tasted strongly of cherry cola.  The one surprise to me was that it had a pretty short finish.  I did enjoy this wine and look forward to trying it again in a couple of years. I'm also even more interested in trying some other Pauillacs now to compare (pocketbook permitting!).

All in all, I'd say that it was a very successful evening of armchair (or should that be wine glass?) travel in Bordeaux.  A votre santé!