Lot 57
2006 Carneros Chardonnay

WINE OF THE TIMES CELEBRATED MAVERICK WINE NEGOCIANT, CAMERON HUGHES OF THE ULTRA HIP BOUTIQUE CAMERON HUGHES WINE, POURS OVER THE BEST OF THE SEASON Wine of the Times We all know that the holidays aren’t just about mistletoe, elves and eggnog. A fair bit of stress seems to accompany this otherwise jolly time of year—usually in the form of party planning, gift giving and in-laws. That said, here are some wines that will take the edge off your holiday season, make impressive gifts and knock the socks off your relatives as well. A few of my holiday favorites include buttery California Chardonnays, bold Napa Cabernets, smoky Central Coast Syrahs and, of course, sparkling wine. Here, I highlight some of the best higher end and great value wines, guaranteed to help you sip the life fantastic this season. CHARDONNAY Goes well with lobster, seafood and fettucine alfredo. Cameron Hughes Wine Lot 57 2005 Carneros Chardonnay, $12.99 Not yet rated Rich fruit notes of pear, peaches and vanilla with hints of butterscotch permeate through this very well-balanced wine. Rombauer 2005 Carneros Chardonnay, $30.00 92 points, Wine Spectator This rich and full-bodied, Chardonnay opens up with peach, apple, and tropical aromas then tastefully tapers off with peaches and oak on the mid-palate. CABERNET SAUVIGNON Best with roast beef and steaks. Cameron Hughes Wine Lot 35 Yountville Cabernet, $14.00 Not yet rated This Cabernet with a Bordeaux-like structure is introduced with blueberry, blackberry flavors with a tang of eucalyptus. A dusty earth emerges with black cherries, currant and sage. Sterling 2003 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, $25.00 86 points, Wine Spectator A mix of currant, spice, cedar and mineral, this Cabernet has a pleasant aftertaste. SYRAH The perfect wine to accompany your Thanksgiving turkey. Cameron Hughes Wine Lot 53 Edna Valley Syrah, $10.99 Not yet rated Featuring lush, bold black fruit with rich mouth feel, this well-structured Syrah has soft tannins that give it a great balance. Rosenblum 2004 Syrah Hillside Vineyards, $26.99 89 points, Wine Spectator This powerful red has a combination of black fruit, sweet herbs and smoke. SPARKLING WINE Perfect with cracked crab, shellfish and truffled popcorn. Cameron Hughes Wine Lot 25 1998 Carneros Sparkling Wine, $21.00 90 points, Wine Enthusiast This sparkler, stars with white peach, honeysuckle and orange blossom. A toasty vanilla, green apple and pear on the mid-palate, make this wine well-balanced and very affordable. Veuve Cliquot Brut Yellow Label Champagne, $40.00 90 points, Wine Adovocate This well-balanced champagne is fresh with fruit and brioche notes. Domaine Carneros La Rêve Carneros 1998 Sparkling Wine, $55.00 90 points, Wine Spectator Spicy pear, hazelnut and light touches of lemon-lime, citrus and Granny Smith apple flavor this higher-end sparkling wine. Cameron Hughes Wine believes that excellent wine should be available at a value price. The company, which buys small lots of high-end premium wine and blends them together, sells directly to the retailers minus the winery, distributor and wholesaler—hence the great price. Cameron Hughes Wine is also the first American negociant company to be 100% carbon neutral, working with the Carbon Fund to completely eliminate the carbon emissions generated by its business as a result of travel, freight and customer shipping.

For centuries, many fine French wines have been sold by négociants -- business people who buy wine in bulk or bottle from small vineyards, apply their own labels and sell it to the world. It works well for wineries too small to afford individual distributors. Now that system is catching on in the United States. One such American négociant is Cameron Hughes, a 35-year-old San Francisco entrepreneur who buys wines around the world, adds his own label and sells them online and in 150 Costco warehouse stores, including 10 in South Florida. His prices: $12 to $20. ''I can keep the prices low because I have no equipment -- not even a barrel -- and no inventory,'' Hughes says. ``We're totally virtual.'' Here's how it works: Hughes and three winemakers working for him seek out unneeded wine from top wineries from California's Napa Valley to Australia's Barossa Valley. They buy it in tanks, rent time from nearby wineries to blend and bottle it, then send it directly to customers. A winery making $100-a-bottle wine, for example, might have some grapes that don't quite measure up, so they sell them to Hughes. 'It might not make a great $100 wine, but it makes a smokin' $20 wine,'' he says. Then there are years when great weather simply turns out too much wine. ''We're swimming in 2005 cabernet sauvignon,'' he says. Hughes won't say which wineries he buys from, but he describes the circumstances for each wine. For his Wine Lot 39, a shiraz-viognier blend from Australia, Hughes says he and his partner visited the winery and helped decide on the final blend. For his Wine Lot 57, a chardonnay from the Napa Valley, his winemaker blended five lots from two producers in Napa's southern Carneros area, where fogs blowing up from the San Francisco Bay keep the weather cool to preserve the crispness of the wines. You can learn if a Costco near you stocks Hughes' wines or order online, at chwine.com.

Tom Leykis and Cameron meet for the second time to discuss the evolution of the Lot Series and the new channels in which customers can buy Cameron Hughes Wine.