I'll admit it, I'm a sucker for five-dollar words and crepuscule has to be one of my favorites. It is a French word referring to the magical hour of twilight. It's also the name for a magical dessert wine. The 2006 Crepuscule Late Harvest Semillon, $90 (375 ml) is a wine from Swanson Vineyards in Rutherford, California. Swanson has made this wine eight times over the past 22 years, needing exactly the right conditions for 'noble rot.' The wine includes some Sauvignon Blanc and is fermented in new French oak with native yeast.

Swanson has made my bottles to bring lists before, their dessert wines are some of the best produced in California and with names like Arsene, Minuit, Tardif and Luminous they are great conversation starters. The 2006 Arsene Fortified Petite Sirah which sells for $75 is a port-style desert wine that would pair terrifically with dark chocolate truffles. The 2004 Minuit Black Muscat, $65 (375 ml) is made entirely of black muscat grapes, vinified in a process developed by Spanish missionaries two hundred years ago, adding brandy to the just harvested juice. The wine's name, the French word for midnight, seems to suggest the ideal drinking time. The 2005 Tardif Late Harvest Chardonnay, $80 (375 ml), is golden wine with a honey nectar flavor, it would be all sorts of wonderful served with a creamy cheesecake. The 2006 Luminous Gewurztraminer Ice Wine, $85 (375 ml) has the classic piercing sweetness of ice wine and expresses the lychee and honeysuckle character of the grape.

For chocolate lovers, the Alexis bonbon, a collaboration between Alexis Swanson Traina and Katrina Markoff of Vosges Haut Chocolate is a must-try. It has a cocoa and cabernet sauvignon center, is dipped in Belgian chocolate and dusted with a delicate curry powder.

Celebrity endorsement is a common thing in sports equipment but not quite so common in the world of wine. Master Sommelier and Master of Wine Ronn Wiegand has collaborated on hew line of wine glasses with German line Eisch Glaskultur. The Ronn Wiegand Signature series of Breathable wine glasses were collaboratively designed by Ronn Wiegand and Eisch. In a press release, Wiegand stated that after a year and a half of using Eisch Breathable glasses on a daily basis on hundreds and hundreds of red, white, and rose wines from around the world he was very impressed. He found that they helped wines taste smoother, fruitier, and more forward. The new line is machine-made, lead-free crystal with a pulled stem and is specially designed to show the best in New World wines. Each piece is produced from a single lump of glass, eliminating the seam between the stem and the bowl. The series includes glasses for Pinot Noir, Cabernet, Chardonnay, Champagne, and an all-purpose Red Wine glass. The Ronn Wiegand Signature line also includes a Tumbler. Prices range from $239.99 to $324.99 for a set of six glasses.

For more than a century, Beemster has been hand-making gourmet cheese on its sustainable farm in the Netherlands. The cheese is matured for a minimum of 18 months and carefully crafted by master cheese makers. Michael Blum, Beemster's resident cheese expert, has some tips for holiday entertaining ranging from presentation to accompaniments and wine pairings:

1. Consume at Room Temperature: Cheese is most flavorful to consume at room temperature. All cheeses are best stored below 7 degrees Celsius/45 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Make the Cut: allow cheese to sit at least one hour at room temperature before cutting. Remove the rind by cutting back into the cheese half an inch before grating. Cut small snack-sized squares for cheese-plates or salads and grate cheese into small slivers for pasta or pizza.
3. Go Nutty: Cheese pairs excellent with nuts. Spruce up your cheese plate by including pecans, walnuts, macadamias or cashews. If you or your guests have a nut allergy, other snacks that go well with cheese are apples, grapes, pears, figs, dates, olives and picles.
4. Old and Sweet: Older cheeses, such as Beemster X-O, pair well with sweeter wines like Rieslings and ports.
5. Get Fresh: Young and fresh cheeses taste best with lighter beers. A good rule of thumb is the more mild the cheese, the lighter the beer.

Many people have discovered prosecco as a pleasing, budget-conscious alternative to champagne when it comes to celebrating festive occasions. Not all proseccos are created equal, however. Finding bottles labeled with "DOC" (Denominazione Origine Controllata) or "DOCG" (Denominazione Origine Controllata Garantita) is a guarantee of quality, meaning that the grape used and the wine making process originated in a specific region. Vigna Dogarina's DOC prosecco comes from the most prestigious prosecco region in Italy, Valdobbiadene, located in the Veneto region and is available in two varieties, Brut and Extra Dry, retailing for $16 to $20 per bottle. Vigna Dogarina Brut has a delicate floral perfume and pleasant notes of wisteria. It is the driest prosecco of the range and the low residual sugar level brings out an appealing freshness and acidity with hints of green apple. The Extra Dry features fragrant floral qualities accompanied by attractive notes of acacia and meadow flowers, wild apples and honey. Its slightly higher residual sugar allows a rounder and softer effect on the pallet and brings out floral and fresh fruit aromas.

The story of Bordeaux's fortunes only seems to get worse over time. The most expensive and prestigious wine has taken hit after hit in the global crisis. Now there are rumblings of a move that could put the future of Bordeaux at serious risk. Global drinks giant Diageo has a division, Diageo Chateau & Estates that dominates much of the sale of wine in Bordeaux. According to a story in the Napa Valley Register says that Chateau & Estates has been selling off a lot of its Bordeaux inventory. The total value of the wine that it holds could be in the $200 million range and the repercussions of the sales could include a deep drop in the prices of Bordeaux. Lower prices could spark consumer interest in the short term but draw down the prestige of Bordeaux over time. The AFP also reports that the news is bad for other wine dealers who have stockpiled vintages of Bordeaux as an investment. As the prices fall, these retailers are struggling with potentially taking a loss on their wines.

At this point Bordeaux has pinned its hope on Asia where there has been a surge of interest in French wine, especially the prestigious first growth Bordeaux. As my colleague Tom Johansmeyer recently reported, wine is selling well at auctions in Hong Kong. The reportedly excellent 2009 vintage can also help boost the reputation of Bordeaux as long as there are still people interested in buying.

For the wine lover who has everything popular California winery Kendall-Jackson has a new service that is a step above their usual offerings. For $30,000 Kendall-Jackson winemaster Randy Ullom will spend three days with a wine lover, doing extensive wine tastings with them, learning their preferences and creating an ideal customized blend based on their tastes and personality. The purchaser will later receive a case of 12 bottles of the wine with a personalized label. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to charity. Those interested in the program should email for more information at customWine@kjmail.com.

There are quite a few wine apps out there for choosing a bottle but the Liberty School WINE DJ app is a unique program combining music and wine. The application builds a playlist of "Music to Match Your Spirits" based on mood, setting and which Liberty School wine is being consumed. The app is available for download free via Apple's app store and on Apple's iTunes.

After launching the app, users are prompted to choose a Liberty School wine (cabernet, chardonnay, etc.) and are shown a series of sliders to adjust variables that correspond with their situation to help determine the mood for the music. With music sourced from GrooveShark.com, the potential for unique playlists are extensive. The app comes with information on Liberty School wines including tasting notes and a map feature that shows the nearest retailers who carry the wine. The WINE DJ Liberty School iPhone app is compatible with several wines within the Hope Family Wines portfolio including Liberty School, Candor, and Treana. I tested this out a few weeks ago and it's pretty fun. The best part is that if you don't like what is playing you can always fiddle with the sliders and get more music.

One of the most prominent businessmen in the Paso Robles wine region of California is facing hard times. David Weyrich owns several businesses in the area including the Martin and Weyrich Winery and Villa Toscana, a luxury bed and breakfast in Paso Robles. The San Luis Obispo Tribune reports that if Weyrich can't come up with $20 million by next week his creditors will hold a public auction at the San Luis Obispo courthouse on November 20 and all of the entities under his Martin and Weyrich Winery LLC could be at risk. Notices of the trustee's sale list assets that also include two tasting rooms, the York Mountain Winery and vineyards in Templeton and the Jack Ranch Vineyard in Edna Valley. Weyrich owes an additional $6 million to creditors and a notice of default has been filed on his home. The six-bedroom home on 278 acres is currently listed for $8.75 million.

I've always liked rosé, but up until a few years ago, its resemblance to wine coolers made people who weren't wine-confident feel uncertain about whether ordering it would make quite the right impression.

No more. Rosé seemed to be everywhere this past summer, and now The CIVP/Provence Wine Council has released statistics that adds weight to that perception. From mid September 2008 to mid September 2009, U.S. retail sales of imported rosé wines priced $12 and above grew 11 times faster by volume than total table wine sales.

The CIVP/Provence Wine Council is extra happy about this, first, because France accounts for more than a quarter of worldwide rosé wine by volume, and Provence is the leading rosé producing region in that country, and second, because consumers appear to be buying more expensive bottles. Sales of imported rosé wines at the $12 level and above grew by 28.4%, seven times faster than the 3.7% increase for total table wine dollar sales in the past year.

(Oh and in case you're wondering, CIVP stands for the Conseil Interprofessionnel des Vins de Provence, which is loosely French for "Provence Wine Council".)

Nothing compares to the perfect pairing of champagne and a cigar. Too often, cigars wind up with dark liquors, their natural partners. Rum, port, scotch and cognac are the norm for an after-dinner smoke -- not champagne. With the holiday season coming, of course, the preferred beverage will likely bubble, so finding the right cigars for the top libation will be crucial.

Fortunately, Vin Lee, CEO of the Beverly Hills Cigar Club, has agreed to help us out. As you prepare for the new year, take a look at the cigar and champagne pairings that he recommends, with both ubiquitous and rare products on the list. Lee says, "In this day and age, not everyone can afford a $50 cigar and a $300 bottle of champagne," said Lee. "Complementing a wonderful glass of champagne with a great cigar for the holidays is something everyone should be able to enjoy."

BHCC's 2010 Top 10 Champagne and Cigar Pairings are:

Wine lovers rejoice. This Friday, Around the World in 80 Sips returns to New York, showcasing the finest offerings from top local wine shops. Brought to you by Bottlenotes, the Palo Alto based company bringing the best of wine to e-commerce, the online wine community unites enthusiasts with customized wine recommendations and exclusive information. (You must sign up on the site if simply to receive their daily e-mail wine tips.)

If you often find yourself wandering around the wine store, not sure of whether to pair that Spanish red or new Portugal white with your penne rigate, then this is the event for you. Sample your favorites and try new countries, as Around the World in 80 Sips presents the best flavors from both new and old world: Argentina, Chile, China, France, Italy, Lebanon, New Zealand, Spain, South Africa, and the U.S. It's a fun, informal setting where you can ask every question you ever wanted to know about wine, while enjoying the Friday night fare. Drink without a conscience, because a portion of ticket sales benefit Robin Hood, a New York non-profit which fights poverty daily.

Click here to purchase tickets for this not-to-be-missed wine gala. And now till Friday, just for our readers enter the code LUXIST to save $10 off tickets.

Friday, November 13 6:30-8:30 PM
583 Park Avenue
New York, NY

This weekend I journeyed along the Dutchess Wine Trail, a popular travel destination for wine lovers out East, which tours local vineyards along the gorgeous Hudson River Valley, just 90 miles north of New York City. To reach the most popular destination, Millbrook Vineyards, you must drive down a dusty road surrounded by fields overlooking the Hudson Valley. The standard wine tasting includes a tour of the grounds, and taste of olive oil imported from the owner's Italian estate Villa Pillo estate.

The highlight of the trail was the smaller Clinton Vineyard, housed in an historic green barn. Specializing in one grape, the seyval blanc, the vineyard offers one particular bottle which makes the perfect present this holiday season: Cassis Wine. Paying ode to the Brits, who put cassis syrup in anything from Guinness to fruit pies, to draw out natural flavors, the cassis wine is a lighter alternative with exponential flavor. The Clinton bottle, which has won Gold Medals and Best in Class at the Los Angeles International Wine Competition, might just be the best cassis liquor available in the States. Add a splash to champagne for a Kir Royal, the perfect end to any meal, or even to a glass of chardonnay, to add a special tartness to your daily glass of wine.

When Miles screamed about not drinking any "#$%@ing Merlot" in the movie Sideways, it started a push toward Pinot Noir and the beginning of California Merlot's fight for its reputation. The battle still continues and Producer/Director Rudolf N. McClain has just released the DVD of his film Merlove. On the cover is a quote from Wine Spectator that says simply: "Take this, Miles."

"Merlove is a documentary I wanted to make in response to the movie Sideways," explains McClain. The movie was filmed in the Napa Valley, Washington State and Bordeaux and combines documentary style filmmaking with an animation subplot centered on a bottle of Merlot wine named "Merlove" which must find a way to fill itself with love when aimlessly tossed into the ocean of mediocre Merlot wine. The DVD contains new animated sequences, music, digital mastering and a director's commentary. The movie Merlove premiered on June 27, 2008 and has been screened at film festivals around the world.

McClain will be on hand to sign copies in the tasting room at V. Sattui Winery on November 14 from 11:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.. The winery is located at 1111 White Lane off Highway 29 just south of St. Helena. The DVD sells for $24.99. At the event you can show your support for Merlot by indulging in a free tasting of the winery's two Merlots, the 2006 Henry Ranch (Carneros appellation) and 2006 Napa Valley.

Whether you live alone and have trouble going through an entire bottle fast enough or find yourself with half bottles left behind after dinner parties or holiday gatherings, every wine drinker has been faced with the conundrum at one time or another of what to do with leftover, no-longer-drinkable wine.

The important thing to note is that although wine that's been opened for too long might not taste good for drinking anymore but that doesn't mean it's unsafe to ingest. You can certainly pour it out (many people do) but why not do some experimenting with it in the kitchen and try using it in some recipes or try your hand at making your own vinegar?

Ideas for using leftover wine:
- Add flavor and body to tomato-based sauces
- Deglaze pans after roasting meat
- Braise vegetables in it
- Cook it down for use as a sauce and glaze base
- Use it in fondue
- Use it as a marinade for beef, chicken, and fish
- Make your own vinegar by simply letting it sit or by following this recipe

Some argue that you should only cook with wine you would also be willing to drink, but much of what makes wine taste good originally gets lost in the cooking process anyway. It's really just about personal preference.

As we noted in our recent report about the just-unveiled 2009 Neiman Marcus Christmas Book, one of the most exclusive gifts on offer this year is a HALL Artisan Wine and Art Experience for $20,000, including a bespoke bottling from the renowned artisanal Napa Valley winemaker. If that's out of your range you can still enjoy the HALL experience this holiday season with wines from their Napa Valley Collection. The collection includes HALL's signature Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon sourced from select fruit from their five estate vineyards encompassing more than 500 acres. The flagship is the Kathryn Hall Cabernet Sauvignon, a "sumptuous wine that is the amalgam of the finest wines of the vintage." The 2006 Kathryn Hall vintage was sourced predominately from the estate's Sacrashe Vineyard and captures the "deep, dusty essence" of its hilltop site, helping to earn a 95 point rating from Wine Enthusiast.

The Kathryn Hall Cabernet has a nose of effusive, high-toned exotic fruits, truffle, blackberry jam and crushed stone minerality, with a lasting richness and dense sweet texture on the palate. The 2008 Sauvignon Blanc is notable for balanced acidity, ripe, vivid citrus flavor and a clean lingering finish, with aromas of pink grapefruit, lemon-lime, gooseberry, orange blossom and guava. The 2005 Napa Valley Merlot features Intense aromatics of cedar oak accented by scents of roasted coffee beans and a hint of violets and roses. An open, textured palate of ripe briar fruit, dusty mocha and black pepper finishes with a surge of plum and soft tannin. The 2005 HALL Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon shows rich, concentrated aromatics of currant, blackberry, and ripe cherry complemented by hints of toasty oak. Flavors of leather and nutmeg coalesce with plum and vanilla in the concentrated mid-palate and settle into a seductive, chewy finish.