It’s the season to give and, yes, to celebrate. Whether it’s an office holiday party, Christmas dinner with the extended family, or New Year’s Eve with good friends, here are some choice wine suggestions from local people in the know.
From Ed Mulvihill, Peco’s Liquors
• Dry Creek Valley Vineyard’s Meritage ($24.99)
The Meritage has long been a favorite of mine. A Sonoma County Bordeaux blend that is sure to impress this holiday season, this full-bodied red has wonderful notes of cocoa and red berry, balanced with silky smooth tannin. Great for holiday gift giving or for pairing with your holiday feast. At this price, it’s a steal.
• Dry Creek Valley Vineyard’s Endeavour ($65.99)
This wine comes from the same great vineyard and is a Cabernet for the true Cabernet lover. Only 298 cases were produced for the 2011 vintage, meaning get some while you can! This is a true expression of just how good Dry Creek Valley cab can be. It’s elegant, full flavored, and masterfully balanced. Drink now or cellar for years to come. Cheers!
From Michael Whitwell, Premier Wine & Spirits
• Le Grand Courtage Blanc de Blanc ($24.99)
When I am shopping for holiday wines for friends or family, they should be like any other present: unique, personal, fun, and have a little story to them—like Le Grand Courtage Blanc de Blanc —a crisp, bright, delicate sparkler with a silver-embossed label and “Happy Holidays” hand-etched on the bottle.
• Desparada “Borderlands” ($34.99)
This unique blend of Bordeaux and Rhone varietals comes from an up-and-coming winemaker, Vailia Esh, of California. Only 94 cases were made, which makes it a hard-to-find delight. This bold but delicate red comes in a fitting bottle, a design that expresses a whimsical nature yet also suggests a certain daring. If you are looking for a one-of-a-kind gift that is bound to surprise, look no further.
From Linda Collier, Collier’s of Centreville
• Meyer-Fonne Alsace ($19.99)
The Meyer-Fonne is a wonderfully versatile wine for the holiday. It shows fruit, orange blossom, and is a little musky and dry. It will be great with tapas, sushi, paella, lobster and Alsace-brined turkey with a Riesling gravy.
• Telegramme Châteauneuf-du-Pape ($49.99)
The Telegramme is from the Rhone area and is deep, elegant, raspberry, cherry, garrique and white pepper and perfect for the holiday table, whether you are having herb roasted turkey, grilled lamb or coriander-crusted duck.
From Jeff Kreston, Kreston Wine & Spirits
• Feudo Di Santa Croce Primitivo di Manduria LXXIV 2010 ($14.99)
A burly, brambly red, underscored by tarry smoke and underbrush notes, offering flavors of blackberry coulis, herb-marinated black olive, grilled mushroom and ground spice. This shows muscles that recommends it to short-term cellaring, made accessible by integration and balance. It’s one of the 2014 Top 100 wines of the year by Wine Spectator and 91pts. Drink now through 2024. Only 8,000 cases made.
From Rick Ostrand, State Line Liquors
• Bugey Cerdon “La Cueille,” Patrik Bottex ($21.99 bottle)
This wine is from a little-known area east of Lyon, France, on the way to the Alps. It is mostly Gamay that is fermented in tanks and put into bottles halfway through fermentation (methode ancestrale). This creates a light-bodied, fizzy wine with bright fruit and a slightly sweet finish that is just plain delicious.
From John Murray, State Line Liquors
• Frog’s Leap Cabernet Sauvignon Rutherford Estate 2012 ($54.99)
This is a great wine from the heralded 2012 vintage in Napa. John Williams has, once again, crafted a rich yet delicate wine.The fruit exhibits subtle dusty flavors of black olive and cedar along with cassis. Good acidity gives a nice structure to this organically grown wine. It can be enjoyed today and will age quite well for several years.
