Thorn-Clarke Pinot Noir Chardonnay Brut Reserve, Barossa, Australia, nonvintage

COST: $16-19

WHAT: This sparkling wine is a light straw color with a hint of pink or salmon. The aroma of strawberries is a hint of what's to come. A pleasant strawberries and cream taste combines with roasted nuts to give you a rounded, smooth feel in your mouth. This is a medium-bodied wine with some complexity and a great balance between acid and fruit. It has a long finish with a fresh, crisp taste. It's the kind of wine that could get you in trouble because it tastes so good you don't want to stop drinking it, with or without food. It's made from traditional champagne grapes: 56 percent pinot noir and 44 percent chardonnay.

THE WINERY: Though Thorn-Clarke was born in 2002, the Thorn family has been growing grapes in Australia's Barossa Valley since the 1870s. Best known for its Shotfire Ridge Shiraz, the winery has vineyards in two of the premium wine regions in Australia, Barossa Valley and Eden Valley. They have five brands, each at a different price point. The most well-known are Sandpiper ($15) and Shotfire Ridge ($23).

GOES WITH: Cheese and walnuts as an aperitif. We loved it with BLT sandwiches, and it would be great with Asian food or seafood. This is a perfect wine for Thanksgiving, matching well with turkey, ham or even beef.

REACH DENNIS SODOMKA AT DSODOMKA@KNOLOGY.NET. READ HIS COLUMN ON GIFTS FOR WINE LOVERS IN THE NOVEMBER/DECEMBER ISSUE OF AUGUSTA MAGAZINE.