The Best Low-Calorie Wines, from Cabernet to Rosé1. Kendall-Jackson Lower Calorie ChardonnayBEST OVERALLKendall-Jackson is a California winery that makes affordable wines and regularly racks up awards, including a winery of the year award in 2017. They also have a line of low-calorie wines, such as the Avant Chardonnay. It has just 85 calories and 3 grams of carbs per serving.

The Truman and Brooks names are from small Clarendon vineyard border roads and Hickinbotham 2019 Trueman Cabernet Sauvignon has 14.5% alcohol, is deep garnet and shows berry pastille aromas and vibrant blackberry front-palate flavour. The middle features Maraschino cherry, spearmint, briar and vanillin oak and a finish of chalky tannins.

This expressive, 14.5% alcohol, Hickinbotham 2019 The Revivalist Merlot shines brick red and has scents of violets. The front palate shows fleshy mulberry flavour, middle palate bramble jelly, mint, herb and mocha oak elements and a finish of earthy tannins.

With deep purple hues, 14.5% alcohol and scents of raspberry and cinnamon, the Hickinbotham 2019 Brooks Road Shiraz has intense, ripe plum front-palate flavour. The middle palate displays cassis, spice, truffle, dark chocolate and savoury oak and minty tannins play at the finish.

No additions of any kind here, not even sulphites. It's deeply coloured with a wonderfully vibrant, sweet raspberry and blackberry nose, with some spice. The palate shows dense fruits, with a touch of blackcurrant jam.

Dark fruit notes with hints of black licorice,olives and leather. Grapes from high elevation to render a medium body but serious merlot.

Also made by Chris Carpenter but using grapes from Mt. Veeder, this merlot is lusher with forward, concentrated black cherry and cassis flavors with hints of cedar. Very delicious.

Winemaker Chris Carpenter takes advantage of the Howell Mountain fruit to craft a bold merlot that is blended with a bit of petit verdot and tannat. Although it shows promise for a long and illustrious future, the wine has approachable plum and blackberry fruit character. Nice dried herb aromas and long finish.

Since its beginning in 1977, this Sonoma County winery has been crafting award-winning wines. Some of the earlier vintages were crafted by the great Merry Edwards and the legacy continues on today. The winery is located in Sonoma's Bennett Valley and is known for their Sauvignon Blanc and Merlot. The 2019 is showing awesome now and will be a real crowd pleaser. Aromatics of passion fruit, white peaches and jasmine notes fill the glass. Succulent flavors of honeydew melon, ripe pears and hints of spice coat the palate. The wine has mouthwatering acidity and excellent balance.

Matanzas Creek, founded in 1977 in Sonoma County’s at-the-time remote Bennett Valley, built its reputation on merlot and sauvignon blanc. Presently, the winery releases five separate bottlings of each of those grape varieties, as well as a bit of chardonnay, cabernet sauvignon and pinot noir. Since October is Merlot Month (#MerlotMe), I’ll focus today on the Matanzas Creek Merlot 2018, Alexander Valley. The wine aged 533 days (!) in French oak, 32 percent new barrels. I’ve never seen a producer list length of aging in days, a device that seems counterintuitive. Anyway, the color is opaque ruby-purple with a transparent magenta rim; florid aromas of ripe black currants and raspberries are permeated by notes of iodine, mint and graphite, lavender and bittersweet chocolate; a few moments in the glass bring out touches of woody spices like cloves and allspice; the wine is quite dry, animated by keen acidity for a lively mouth-feel, and juicy with black fruit flavors, abetted by hints of blueberry and pomegranate; dusty, velvety tannins provide support and lend some austerity to the finish. 13.8 percent alcohol. Now through 2024 to ’26. Winemaker was Marcia Torres Forno. The winery, part of Jackson Family Wines, is certified sustainable. Excellent.

Medium to dark garnet in the glass, this wine smells of forest floor, thyme and rosemary, licorice and black fruits. In the mouth, gorgeous, powdery tannins wrap around a core of black cherry, blackberry, dried and fresh green herbs. Wonderful bright acidity and freshness still. Outstanding. 14.2% alcohol. Tasted out of magnum.

The Tenuta Di Arceno Strada al Sasso Chianti Classico Gran Selezione 2017 is the result of a new chianti classico designation implemented in 2014. This classification is a level above riserva and requires slightly higher minimum alcohol levels and six months more aging than riserva. Tenuta Di Arceno is sourced from one vineyard on their estate and is 100% sangiovese. The result is a complex chianti classico featuring fresh and dried cherries and plums with hints of earth and leather.

The Tenuta Di Arceno Chianti Classico Riserva 2017, however, displays a deeper, richer quality with softer and riper plum and cherry fruit notes. It is 90% sangiovese and 10% cabernet sauvignon. Very elegant.

The Tenuta Di Arceno Chianti Classico 2018 is crafted from 85% sangiovese and 15 percent merlot grapes and presents youthful fresh fruit notes of fresh cherries. The merlot softens the sangiovese acidity to make a very agreeable package.

You Had Me at MerlotFor good measure, we included a Bordeaux wine with some age on it, the 2012 Chateau Lassègue Saint Émilion Grand Cru, an opulent wine with brooding aromas of violets on the nose and classic blackberries and herbal notes.

If I get my hands on another bottle of the 2017 Chateau Lassègue Saint-Émilion Grand Cru, I’m going to set it aside for a while. First, it’s plenty special for a special occasion. Second, I would love to see what it becomes. This is not to say the wine isn’t beautiful now, and indeed ready to drink; for a wine this young, it is exceptionally balanced and complete.But two hours after I opened it, those waves of lush fruit that had been prominent at the outset folded more thoroughly into the mouth filling, lush tannins. Minerals emerged on the long finish, decorated with warm florals. Yes, if I can get my hands on another one, I hope I can get my hands on two: I’ll share one with good friends now, and the other some time in the future.

Elegant, enthralling, enigmatic, engaging… and easy to adore.

Authenticity returns in this classic rendition of a 1970s-style Tuscan red with a balanced aroma of red fruit, dried tomato, trace of licorice and Turkish tobacco.The gorgeous dry/tart mid-palate makes it ideal for pairing with grilled chicken, tomato-sauced seafood, and lots of other medium-weight foods.

Wines to be thankful for at ThanksgivingHungry for red with your turkey or ham? Choose one with smooth tannins. Keep the Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot for red meats. But Pinot Noir would be an ideal choice. A recent discovery of a perfect Thanksgiving Wine is the 2018 La Crema Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir.The Sonoma Coast AVA is one of the largest in Sonoma Country and stretches along the mountainous coastline of the Pacific Ocean. The strong maritime climate provides a cool growing climate throughout the year, essential for producing premium Pinot Noir.The elegant La Crema reveals black cherry, boysenberry, and plum, along with earthiness, vanilla, and cinnamon. These complex aromas transition into multi-layers of flavours with silky tannins, a creamy texture balanced with crisp acidity, and a long fruity but dry finish.

Whoa, mama! This is what I call a serious Merlot. It’s powerful, plush and luxurious, showing dark cherries, some dried herbs and bittersweet chocolate. This tastes expensive and it delivers the “wow” with every sip.

Touchdown this Tailgating Season with our Game Winning Wine PicksThe winemaking team at La Crema has been perfecting Chardonnay for 40 years, and it shows. The 2019 Sonoma Coast Chardonnay is flavorful, bright, and juicy, making it an ideal pairing for a wide variety of cheese-centric Sunday snacks - plus, it’s incredibly easy to find at your local grocery store while you’re out hunting for game day supplies. For a low-key pairing, kick back with a bowl of cheese-its or some warm, gooey queso with chips. If you’re looking to take things up a notch, try dungeness crab mac and cheese or honeycrisp apple pizza with balsamic onions.

Medium garnet in the glass, with purple highlights, this wine smells of cherry and even darker berry flavors. In the mouth, a touch of raisin character mixes with cherry and cranberry compote. Faint, putty-like tannins. Decent acidity. Slightly overripe for my palate. 14.2% alcohol. Closed with a screwcap.

Light to medium garnet in the glass, this wine smells of cherries. In the mouth, bright cherry and sour cherry fruit have a muscular, powdery tannic texture and bright citrusy acidity that keeps things vibrant on the palate. Quite tasty.

Light garnet in the glass, this wine smells of cherry and pomegranate. In the mouth sweetish cherry and pomegranate flavors have a wonderful brightness thanks to excellent acidity. There’s a hint of herbs and the tiniest hint of fresh jalapeño greenness in the finish, along with faint tannins.