Today Host Launches Latest Celebrity Wine

(Wine-Searcher) - Which style will win it: refreshing Chardonnay, or Vanilla Puddin'?

Do you like a refreshing glass of white wine while watching TV in the morning? Then perhaps you'll enjoy the new Chardonnay from NBC's "Today" hostess Kathie Lee Gifford.

Or, would you rather drink something buttery and sweet while watching confessional late-night talk shows? Then perhaps actress and frequent talk-show guest Gabrielle Union's Chardonnay is for you. It's called Vanilla Puddin' ($17), which is really all you need to know.

The two most recent entries into the celebrity wine market seem to be going for a similar audience, but they're taking very different approaches.

Vanilla Puddin' is made in Napa Valley by Jam Cellars, which also makes a wine called Butter Chardonnay.

Gifford has taken a different route. Heidi Scheid, senior vice president of Scheid Vineyards told Wine-Searcher: "She originally came to us and said, 'I'd love to do a white wine that's refreshing and not like these overly oaked Chardonnays from California these days.'"

Scheid is based in Monterey County, where Chardonnay is naturally higher in acidity than Napa. The Gifft Chardonnay sells for $19.99, according to the brand's website.

The estate is also known for its Pinot Noir, and that was their first thought when Gifford approached them, but "as we got to know her better, she was drawn to things that had a bit more lushness, were a little fruitier," explained Scheid.

The result was Gifft Red Blend, which includes 42 percent Merlot, 25 percent Petite Sirah and finishes with practically every other red grape the Scheids grow, including small lots of Tempranillo and Touriga Nacional.

So who is more popular: Union or Gifford? Perhaps we can tell by the production size. Jam Cellars made 3000 cases of Vanilla Puddin', while Scheid made 15,000 cases of Gifft wines, and is gearing up for more.

"She's very popular," Scheid says of Gifford, best known for drinking on NBC's "Today" show.

"And she's big on the East Coast with some of the retailers there. We've started to get good feedback from some of our meetings. We'll let the market dictate how big it will be."