Still thinking what wines to get for your Thanksgiving party? These three great options offer an incredible value and will keep everyone happy.

2009 Louis Jadot Beaujolais-Villages

This is a great wine to start your Thanksgiving party. It can very well be the wine you begin serving as soon as your guests arrive.

With nice fruit aromas, this Beaujolais-Villages is bright, smooth and a bit jammy.

Made from Gamay Noir grapes and with a 13% alcohol volume, it is medium body and very satisfying.

You can also pair it with your turkey dish or salads with dried cranberries and goat cheese, but it might not have the punch needed for more hearty foods. Perhaps pair it with a nice conversation with your guests while dinner is ready.

2007 St. Francis Old Vines Zinfandel – Sonoma County

Great Zinfandels come from Sonoma and this one is a must for your Thanksgiving dinner. With a great character and superb quality, this full bodied Zinfandel comes from vines that are 80 to 100 years old.

On the nose it’s peppery, with hints of tobacco and raspberry. On the palate it’s simply a delight, with dominant flavors of black cherry, dry fruit, vanilla bean, and walnut.

With a silky rich structure, this Zinfandel has a long luscious bouquet.

The Old Vines Zinfandel can pair well with your traditional Thanksgiving turkey dinner or with dishes such as barbecued chicken, rib roast, and lamb dishes.

Fonseca Bin No. 27 Porto

Time for dessert or an after-dinner conversation? This Fonseca Port, a star of the Douro region in Portugal, will make you the star host.

Aged for four years in neutral oak before bottling, it has an intense depth of color and great fruit character. On the nose, this Bin No. 27 port offers fresh, rich blackberry and cassis aromas. The silky texture of this high quality port is reflected on the palate, showcasing delicious dry fruit and dark chocolate with an sophisticated finish.

This Fonseca Port with pair elegantly with desserts made with rich dark chocolate and strawberries.

Enjoy your wines, your great company, and have a Happy Thanksgiving!

Last night, Katie and myself had the opportunity to attend the premiere in Los Angeles of “Mexico: The Royal Tour” at the Regal LA Live cinemas in downtown LA.

The event was not only special because of the amazing production Emmy Award-winner Peter Greenberg achieved with this travel documentary, but also because of the honorable company of the President of México himself, Felipe Calderón, the First Lady Margarita Zavala, and other distinguished diplomats and special guests.

“Mexico: The Royal Tour” is a very unique travel documentary starring President Felipe Calderón as your tour guide as he takes you through some of the most fascinating places Mexico has to offer.

In the film you see President Calderón like you have never seen him before. He’s not only an amazing tour guide – he knows the country extremely well – but he has a very adventurous spirit and a great sense of humor.

The film begins as Peter Greenberg (see photo) is welcomed by President Calderón at Los Pinos, the official presidential residence in Mexico City.

He then takes you on his helicopter to discover a wealth of touristic possibilities around the country.

Some of the places and activities featured are the Mayan ruins of Palenque in Chiapas and Chichen-Itza in Yucatán, the President’s hometown of Morelia, Puerto Vallarta, rappelling the Cave of Swallows in San Luis Potosí, Tequila tasting in Jalisco, whale watching in Baja California, the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve, and a fantastic ride on a hot-air balloon over the archaeological site of Teotihuacan.

The film is very well done and throughout it you can see how well both President Calderón and Peter Greenberg got along. You could almost think they’ve been friends forever.

“Mexico: The Royal Tour” is a very enjoyable film that also represents an incredible opportunity to learn about one of the most beautiful countries in the world.

Tonight is the TV premiere at 7pm PST on PBS. Please see the trailer below and don’t miss the show!

At TravelPlusWine we always try to emphasize traveling to great touristic destinations around the world that offer great opportunities to taste fantastic wine.

So why are we writing today about Munich, the beer capital of the world? Well, simply because Munich is such an amazing international destination that you shouldn’t miss despite the fact that beer is the de facto beverage.

The third largest city in Germany and the capital city of Bavaria is also a regular in the rankings of the world’s most livable cities. This means Munich is a city that offers great international connectivity (we flew there non-stop from LAX), openness & diversity, impressive architecture, and safety, among other things.

Due to the fact that Munich’s urban planning and public transportation are world-class, visiting the city is not only fun, but super easy. And if you prefer to walk I have good news, many sites are very close in proximity.

You should start exploring Munich at Marienplatz, the heart of the city and a popular meeting point. This is an amazing spot to admire the beautiful architecture that surrounds the Main Square.

Right in the center you will find a Marian column with a golden figure of the Virgin Mary at the top (see photo).

This monument was built in 1638 at the end of the Swedish occupation and it is also the reason behind the square’s name Marienplatz.

At the heart of the square you can also see both the New Town Hall and the Old Town Hall, but don’t feel bad if you can’t tell which is which at a first glance (both buildings look very old).

However, the New Town Hall is the one that houses the famous Glockenspiel, a colorful and complex carillon on the clock tower that chimes as life-size figures dance and re-enact two Bavarian stories from the 16^th century.

Crowds gather at 11am and 12pm to witness this unique show making it one of the most popular attractions in Munich. Don’t forget the show starts on time (it’s a clock after all), so don’t be late!

Other landmark buildings at a short walking distance are St. Peter’s Church (the oldest in the city), the Frauenkirche (the Cathedral of Our Blessed Lady) with its iconic twin towers, and the National Theatre Munich, home of the Bavarian State Opera (see photo).

Also located close to Marienplatz is the “Victuals Market” (open market). Here you will find numerous stands offering fruits & vegetables, cheeses, toys, honey, sea food products, and more, so take your time to wonder around.

Old Town hosts many shops, restaurants, parks, cafés, and beer gardens.

And speaking of beer, you should definitely find time to visit Hofbräuhaus, arguably the most famous beer hall on the planet.

Built in 1598, Hofbräuhaus serves two types of beer in liter mugs (the only available size) and their menu features typical Bavarian cuisine like sausages, brewer goulash, sauerkraut, and pork knuckles. Thankfully, there are some vegetarian options as well.

And to our surprise, they actually keep wine lovers in mind. Their menu offers white and red wines from Franconia, the only wine region in the state of Bavaria.

But be warned that Hofbräuhaus is a very popular attraction and can get really crowded, so be patient and grab whatever seats you can find.

As you wait for your beer (or wine) and food, enjoy the live band playing Bavarian Oom-pah polka-style music. Ein prosit!

Munich also hosts the world famous Oktoberfest, the largest beer festival in the world with more than 5 million people in attendance every year. That’s a lot of beer!

Other great sites to visit in Munich are the English Garden (the largest park in the city), the Pinakothek der Moderne (the museum of modern art), the Deutches Museum of Science and Technology, and the Olympic Stadium (site of the 1972 Olympics Games).

Prost!

Snowy mountains and ski vacations.

Here are your pictures from gorgeous snow destinations around the world. Where’s your favorite place to ski or play in the snow?

Whistler Gals. Sonia and Melanie take a break from snowboarding at Whistler Blackcomb to smile for the camera in Whistler, Canada.

Professional photographer Lee Trujillo sent us this beautiful landscape shot that he accurately titled “Frozen Tranquility”. It was taken on the top of a snowy peak popular with snowmobilers near Grand Lake, Colorado. Lee’s amazing photography work can be viewed at Reflection and Light Photography.

Kristine, @SpecialkSD on Twitter, sent us this great shot from Julian, California. She used the Instagram filter app to enhance the photo. She says:

“During a rare snowstorm in San Diego county, my family and I headed to a spot just outside the quaint town of Julian, CA. There was something so pure and simple about seeing everything dusted in white. Julian is a beautiful place any time of year and besides being known for its old-fashioned shops and the best apples around, it offers beautiful scenery.”

Snow isn’t just for adults. Little Isabella enjoys the fun in Edmonton, Canada.

Bird. A very artistic creation of bird feet and hands in the snow, @eat_smart sent us this picture she took in Switzerland.

Vanessa confronts the blizzard in Boston with courage and great fashion.

Ricardo and Katie with Amelia Ceja

Thanks to the power of social media we got in touch with Amelia Ceja, a very fun and energetic woman entrepreneur and one of the founders and President of Ceja Vineyards, a boutique winery in Napa.

It didn’t take more than a couple of tweets to quickly connect with Amelia and schedule a visit to their tasting room located right in beautiful downtown Napa.

The colorful story of Ceja Vineyards, a Mexican-American winery, goes back several decades and its successful growth is due to their true love for the land and the great values of family bonding they share.

And I must say that when Amelia welcomed Katie and me to their tasting room, it felt as if we had known each other for years making us feel like we were part of the family.

Their tasting room is beautifully decorated and welcoming. There is a colorful mural that shares some of the history of Ceja Vineyards. Above the bar, you will see the iconic bell logo with the Latin phrase Vinum, Cantus, Amor meaning Wine, Song, and Love. The only thing I would add to the list is Travel (wink, wink).

When it comes to the wines, Ceja Vineyards feature 13 varieties all of superior quality. I was really impressed because typically, when I visit wineries, I identify one or two bottles that stand out from the rest, but in this case all the wines from Ceja Vineyards were of exceptional value.

And before I move on to talk about some of the wines, I want to acknowledge Amelia’s love of cooking Mexican food and how this is directly related to their winemaking. As she says, they make wine to compliment food their own way.

We started with the two Sparkling wines they produce: the 2009 Ceja Brut and the 2009 Blanc de Noir. Both are from Carneros in Napa Valley and made using the traditional methods from Champagne, France.

The Ceja Brut, made with 60% Chardonnay and 40% Pinot Noir grapes, is fresh with dominant flavors of citrus and apple. I love how Amelia describes the surface of the wine when you hold the glass up almost like contemplating liquid stars.

If you are having a “quesadillas & bubbles” night, this is your wine!

The Blanc de Noir (see photo) has a gorgeous copper color and it’s made out of 88% Pinot Noir and 12% Chardonnay grapes. With hints of fruity berries, it has a very elegant dry lingering finish, perfect to celebrate any special occasion.

Moving on to the whites, Ceja’s single-vineyard Sonoma Coast 2007 Sauvignon Blanc is a crisp and dry gem of a wine. Fermented in stainless steel and aged in French oak (but not malolactic), it has intense citrus aromas and delicious tropical fruit flavors with hints of guava and peaches.

It can pair tremendously well with Mexican dishes containing green tomatillo salsa. Shall I suggest chicken enchiladas?

Their 2007 Napa Carneros Chardonnay is simply one of the best Chardonnays I have tried. With a radiant color, rich aromas of pear and marzipan, and a clean zesty palate (no malolactic fermentation), this wine has a perfect harmonious balance that will make people Chardonnay lovers again.

The next jewel to bow in respect is the 2008 Bella Flor Rosé (see photo). Katie has been on a serious mission to bring Rosé back and she was definitely blown away by this wine.

With a shiny ruby color and pleasant aromas of berries and vanilla, this 100% Rosé of Syrah is enjoyably tart and refreshing on the palate.

It is very well balanced across the board and in Katie’s words: “this is what a Rosé is supposed to be.”

The 2007 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon was presented together with the Ceja Vineyards Cabernet Chocolate Sauce. Have a sip of the Cabernet followed by a sip of the chocolate sauce and your quality of life immediately increases by 1,000 points; what an incredible combination!

You can actually have the Cabernet by itself, but it also makes a great food wine. With smoky aromas and rich fruit on the palate, it has a silky smooth finish. Overall a superb Cab!

Next comes my absolute favorite wine from Ceja: the 2007 Carneros Pinot Noir (see photo). Katie actually liked the 2006 Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir better.

In my opinion, both are excellent full-bodied wines, very similar in complexity, structure, and balance. However I felt the Carneros floral aromas and bright fruit brought a greater elegance to the composition of the wine compared to the Sonoma Coast which was a bit more earthy and mineral.

Last but not least, there’s dessert magic with the 2006 Napa Valley Dulce Beso. The name Dulce Beso translates into Sweet Kiss and it is a late-harvest wine made from Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc which Amelia accurately describes as liquid gold.

The opulent and fresh flavors of apricot, vanilla, honey and citrus will awaken your palate for a big fiesta. The right viscosity and sweetness of this wine perfectly matches creamy cheeses or desserts with vanilla ice-cream.

Other great wines in the Ceja repertoire include a Syrah, a Merlot, a white blend, and a red blend.

The best thing about Ceja Vineyards is that Amelia and everyone else at Ceja love talking to people and they do an amazing job in making you feel at home. There’s no need to feel intimidated if you do not know a lot about wine; they will make sure you leave with a memorable experience.

I definitely recommend giving yourself plenty of time when visiting Ceja Vineyards. And don’t forget to follow them on facebook, twitter, and check their YouTube channel.

I know I can’t wait to visit Ceja Vineyards again!

Bistro Sabor

If you are looking for the best Ceja wine and food pairing experience, then head over to Bistro Sabor, just one block down from their tasting room.

Bistro Sabor is operated by Ariel Ceja (Amelia’s son) and it offers gourmet Mexican street food.

As paradoxical as it may sound, Bistro Sabor will impress you with their contemporary concept and eclectic cuisine.

You can view their menu here, but I strongly recommend the Dungeness crab quesadilla, the shitake mushroom & braised green onion quesadilla with Oaxaca cheese, the Cornish game hen, or the fire-roasted poblano chile relleno.

There’s something for everyone including great options for vegetarians, colorful salads, traditional pozole with the Ceja touch, and fantastic desserts.

And if you are wondering which of the Ceja wines pairs best with your selection, just ask Ariel; he’s very friendly and helpful.

But wait! The party is not over until you first head to Bistro Sabor on Saturday nights for a fun evening of Salsa Dancing!

Due to their fantastic wines and great atmosphere, Ceja Vineyards is a top TravelPlusWine.com wine destination!