#chardonnay

#chardonnay

While nonalcoholic wines haven't always been a hit, many brands are challenging stereotypes with their wow-worthy wines, and such is the case with Bolle's Blanc de Blancs. Coming in at $40 for a standard 750-milliliter bottle or $90 for a magnum, this alcohol-free bubbly isn't the most budget-friendly option. It is, however, worth every penny. In a ranking of several non-alcoholic wines, Tasting Table's taste tester dubbed Bolle's Blanc de Blancs the best of the best.

But what if I told you the same can be true for wait for it bold, warmer whites? Common knowledge dictates that we serve all white wine from an ice bucket, chilled to within an inch of its life it's just what we do but in reality that can kill a wine, particularly if it's a powerful and/or aromatic example.

It was a novel way to run a wine competition to have the public, along with professional industry judges, a mix of winemakers, wine shop owners and journalists, tasting the same wines blind and rating them. The 46th annual Mendocino Wine Competition was held Aug. 17 in Hopland at the Brutocao Winery event center, and featured over 100 wines organized by variety.