For the July edition of Wine School I reduced the case price to $185.62. All of the wines were purchased at Young's Fine Wines & Spirits (no relation) in Manhasset. I cut the case price this month, because I would like July's Wine School to be about comparing two different styles of wine side-by-side. That means you will have to open two bottles each session (poor you). You may not be able to finish both bottles in one sitting, which brings up the question; what is the best way to store unfinished wine?

The goal is to reduce the oxygen to wine ratio in the bottle. You are left with a bottle that is half full with oxygen and half full with wine. These are some options to reduce the oxygen.

Keep all unfinished wine in the refrigerator (red and white) for up to two days maximum. Pull the reds out an hour or so before you are going to drink them.

I will use a consistent legend throughout my selections:

1. GrapeVariety
• ProducerWinery
• FantasyName
• PlaceName
• Vintage
• Price

1. Prosecco (Sparkling)
• Bellenda Brut
• "San Fermo"
• Conegliano, Veneto, Italy
• 2006
• $13.49

1. Chardonnay, Pinot Noir (Sparkling)
• Roederer Estate Brut
• Anderson Valley, California
• N.V.
• $16.19
• Prosecco is what sparkling wine from the Veneto in Italy is called. Prosecco is also the name of the grape variety used to make this wine. This is an example of a single varietal wine as opposed to the Roederer which is a blend of two grape varieties. Single varietal wines tend to be more straight forward and linear, where blends tend to be more complex and have layers. You will notice this when drinking them side by side. Sparkling wine is unique in that it undergoes two fermentations. The first fermentation is to produce the alcohol; the second is to produce the bubbles. With the Prosecco the secondary fermentation takes place in large tanks and then the wine is transferred to the bottle and corked. The Roederer is made in the traditional style of sparkling wine making, modeled after Champagne in France, where the secondary fermentation takes place in the bottle that you are drinking from. You will notice that the bubbles are smaller in the Roederer and the foam (mousse) holds up longer, making it a bit more complex as well. These are both great sparkling wines, made in two different styles. The Roederer is what I call a "drink and think" wine, and the Prosecco is a "drink, drink and drink more" wine.

1. Sauvignon Blanc (White)
• Villa Maria
• "Private Bin"
• Marlborough, New Zealand
• 2006
• $11.69

1. Sauvignon Blanc (White)
• Mason
• Napa Valley, California
• 2004
• $14.39
• These two wines side by side should show you how a warm climate versus a cool climate effects a grape. Both wines are made from 100% Sauvignon Blanc. The Mason is grown on the warm Napa Valley floor. The Villa Maria is grown in New Zealand. I need you picture a grape being 50% acid and 50% sugar. In a warm climate (like Napa Valley) the sun will bring out more of the sugar, and cut back on some of the acid. In a cooler climate their will be less sugar and more acid. This is not to say that warmer climates make sweet wines. Remember the yeast eats all the sugar to make the alcohol. What you will see in these two wines is that the Mason shows tropical fruits and a fuller body, where the Villa Maria shows citrus fruits and a bright acidity. A good rule of thumb is cool climate = crisp and refreshing with low alcohol, warm climate = more fruity and full bodied with higher alcohol.

1. Chardonnay (White)
• Lenz
• "White Label"
• North Fork, Long Island
• 2004
• $10.79

1. Chardonnay (White)
• Chateau St. Jean
• Sonoma County, California
• 2005
• $11.69
• This tasting is about oak verses no oak. Again, both wines are 100% Chardonnay. The Lenz from Long Island is aged in stainless steel and never sees an oak barrel. The Chateau St. Jean is aged in French oak barrels for 5 months. With the Lenz you will witness a lighter bodied style and crisp green apple flavors. In the Chateau St. Jean you will notice a fuller body and more ripe fruit, accented by butterscotch, vanilla, and caramel. These are the flavors that oak barrels add to wine, as well as giving the wine more body.

1. Pinot Noir (Red)
• Kim Crawford
• Marlborough, New Zealand
• 2006
• $14.39

1. Pinot Noir (Red)
• Ponzi Vineyards
• "Tavola"
• Willamette Valley, Oregon
• 2005
• $22.49
• What I would like to show you with these two wines is the difference between a small boutique winery, and a large production winery. Kim Crawford has taken the States by storm with its Sauvignon Blanc. They have built incredible brand recognition and brand loyalty among wine drinkers. Pinot Noir has become the new hot red grape variety since the release of the movie "Sideways". New Zealand, because of its cool climate, can make some incredible Pinots. Kim Crawford needs to make a lot of Pinot Noir to meet the demand that has built due to its success in the market. If you compare this to Ponzi Vineyards, which is a small family run winery in Oregon making only 2,734 cases of this wine, you may notice some differences. It is not that one is better than the other, just different philosophy's behind the wine. Each of these wineries set out with a different goal, and ended up with a different style of wine.

1. Cabernet, Merlot, Sangiovese
• Falesco
• "Vitiano"
• Umbria, Italy
• 2005
• $8.99

1. Nero d'Avola, Merlot, Syrah, Cabernet Franc
• Planeta
• "La Segreta"
• Sicily, Italy
• 2005
• $12.59
• This is my example of cool climate versus warm climate with red grapes. Both of these wines are blends, and both are from Italy, but the Vitiano is from the cooler Northern part of Italy, and the La Segreta is from the hot Southern portion. I think in the Vitiano you will notice a lighter bodied more fruity wine, and in the La Segreta and fuller bodied more aggressive wine. The sunlight and heat bring out more sugar, the yeast eats all that sugar to create more alcohol, and the alcohol is what gives the wine its weight.

1. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot
• Chateau Liversan
• Haut Medoc, Bordeaux
• 2003
• $17.99

1. Cabernet Sauvignon
• Montes Alpha
• Apalta Vineyard, Colchagua Valley, Chile
• 2004
• $16.19
• You may hear the terms "Old World Wines" and "New World Wines" thrown around in wine lingo. "Old World" means places that have been making wines for centuries, France, Spain, Italy, and Germany to name a few. "New World" refers to relative newcomers to the game, Australia, New Zealand, Chile, Argentina and the U.S. New World wines have a reputation for being very fruit forward and full bodied. Old World wines are said to be more earthy, complex and lighter in style.

This month you get to witness for yourself some unexpected variables that effect wine. Manipulation in the winery, the climate, amount of oak treatment, the winemaker's philosophy, the regional traditions and style. Some people believe that labeling wines by their grape variety is the most consumer friendly way. I disagree, and I think after tasting these wines side by side you will too. There is much more to wine then the grape from which it was made.