Un-Corked: Winning Wines for the Holiday Season

by Elizabeth Duncan

photo from yemmhart.com

Thanksgiving is next week and the invitations for holiday parties are stacking up. The Christmas holidays will quickly follow and then New Year’s Eve parties. As much as I look forward to enjoying some delicious and fabulous meals and the good company of family and friends, I’m really looking forward to the many glasses of wine I’ll be sipping. In addition, I will be in the position of needing to bring a hostess gift to many of these parties. A bottle of wine is my go-to gift for just about everything, but especially so around the holidays.

I do not pretend to be any kind of expert on wine. I didn’t even develop an interest in wine until my early twenties. At the time, I pretty much exclusively drank European wines (mainly French reds) and the occasional Australian shiraz. When I moved to San Francisco in 1999, I knew nothing about California wines. A waiter at my favorite neighborhood restaurant, Frascati, took me under his wing and started to educate me about the local wines. I started to make trips into Napa and Sonoma, and gradually I developed a little more knowledge. Over the years, I have had the opportunity to travel in some of the best wine-producing regions of the world –France, Italy, California, South Africa. I have come to appreciate wine immensely, while recognizing that I still don’t really know anything about it. About eight years ago, I read “The Ripening Sun: One Woman and the Creation of a Vineyard.” Here is a very simple synopsis: An English woman buys a vineyard in the south of France and out of a need to support herself learns how to produce wine. Within that story is an incredible explanation of how the grape is transformed from a simple piece of fruit into an award-winning sip of wine. I have never enjoyed a glass of wine since without thinking about how much work went into making it.

photo from Chalk Hill

Here in D.C., I have the good fortune to work with Ace Beverage for just about every event and the occasional personal request. Noel and his colleagues are invaluable in putting together the best options for every need – from standard event bars to tequila tasting bars to specialty dinner wines to splits of champagne for the out-of-town guest amenity. While I, and just about everyone else in the event industry, coordinate with Ace Beverage frequently for work, one of the most remarkable things is that it still maintains a neighborhood shop experience. Based in Northwest D.C., near American University, Ace Beverage has been serving fine wines and spirits to the community for over 75 years. From everyday to special occasion, you will not only find it here, but you will learn something new with each visit and enjoy fantastic service that will keep you coming back.

Here are a few questions I had for Noel about wine-purchasing and trends.
Q: What should people consider when purchasing wine as a gift?
A: When buying wine as a gift, it helps to consider any preferences you or the recipient might have. For example, do you want to give red, white or sparkling? Do you have a budget? Is there a particular varietal of interest or a country of origin you would like to consider? All of these can help identify the wines that would be a good fit. A gift can be about sharing something you love or trying to find a connection with an interest of the recipient. For example if the recipient loves traveling in Italy, they might appreciate that you acknowledged this with an Italian wine.
Q: I think a lot of people are intimidated by wine because they don’t know much about it. What do you recommend for overcoming this trepidation?
A: If you don’t know where to start, start with what you know. What wines have you enjoyed or disliked? Working with a knowledgeable salesperson, you can start to expand your own tastes and knowledge from there. At the end of the day, it’s about enjoying the wine.
Q: What are some of the trends you’re seeing in wine (e.g. new varietals, new production areas getting acclaim, etc)?
A: The hottest trends right now are Malbec, Pinot Gris or Pinot Grigio and Prosecco.
Q: What are some of the trends you’re seeing in wine-buying (more people buying certain varietals, budget-focused, etc)?
A: There is a good bottle of wine at almost every price point. We have definitely seen an increase in the more affordable wines in terms types and brands available.
Q: Any other tips or advice you would like to share?
A: Beware of “fancy” packaging or labels. Most of the time it’s just a gimmick to sell inferior product.

Following are just a few of Noel’s recommendations for this holiday season.

Classification
Traditional: a classic choice, sure to please a broad audience
Trendy: the current darling in the wine world, will show you’re in the know
Cutting Edge: emerging trends or boutique labels, might teach them something new

Price Point
Affordable: under $25
Mid-range: $25 - $40
Splurge: over $40

Thanksgiving Dinner

Traditional
Wine: 2006 Willm Pinot Gris, France
Tasting Notes: Peach and apple flavors mesh with the rich texture in this attractive Pinot Gris. Balanced, lingering on the moderate finish. Drink now. 85 points from Wine Spectator. (via thewinebuyer.com)
Price point: Affordable

Trendy
Wine: 2007 Seghesio “Sonoma” Zinfandel, California
Tasting Notes: #10 on Wine Spectator Top 100 in 2008; 93 points from Wine Spectator; Dark red color with ripe cherries, berries and milk on the nose. Black cherry, blackberries, cough syrup notes, wild berries, black pepper, charred oak and vanilla on the palate. Robust, juicy, zesty, and vibrant. (via winecentric.blogspot.com)
Price point: Affordable

Cutting Edge
Wine: 2008 Santa Barbara ZCS , California
Tasting Notes: In this synergistic blend, the Zinfandel from 50 year old vines lends the jammy fruit quality to the wine, the Carignane adds density and finish, and the Sangiovese shows off the cherry aromatics and flavors (winemaker)
Price point: Affordable

photo from MSNBC.com

Holiday Gift

Hostess
Wine: 2007 Caymus Conundrum, California
Tasting Notes: Soft tropical notes of guava and cherimoya, also peach and honeysuckle. The rich perfume is supported by concentrated and focused layers of peach and apricot nectar, pear and green melon with spicy vanilla notes. The creamy texture and balanced acidity carries through the palate for a long finish. (winemaker)
Price point: Mid-Range

Friend/Family
Wine: 2007 Chalk Hill Sauvignon Blanc, California
Tasting Notes: The 2007 Sauvignon Blanc offers notes of honeyed grapefruit and white citrus in a medium-bodied, fresh, lively style with good texture as well as a crisp finish. 90 points by Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate (winemaker)
Price point: Mid-Range

Aficionado
Wine: 2004 Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon “Montelena Estate”, California
Tasting Notes: The Montelena earthy-berry aroma is very concentrated, showing lovely, classic Cabernet, warm earth and sun baked cassis with licorice and spice. On the palate there is integration of strong, deep, concentrated fruit in a perfect balance. Super fine tannin grips the palate, with ripe, round flavors that dance right on the seam between classic Bordeaux and California styles. I look back on the battle of 2004 with fondness because the wine is so wonderful now. And after 25 or more harvests we love the greatest challenges, because once they are but memories the toughest years become the most legendary adventures. (winemaker)
Price point: Splurge

New Year’s Eve

Traditional
Wine: Heidsieck & Co. Monopole Brut Nonvintage, France
What to know: Elegant and expressive, this delivers floral, pear and toffee flavors matched to a creamy texture. Beautifully integrated, this lingers nicely on the mineral finish. Drink now through 2010. 91 Points Wine Spectator. (via wine.com)
Price point: Mid-Range

Trendy
Wine: Duval-Leroy Brut, France
What to know: A big, full-bodied bubbly, featuring graphite, toast, lemon and nut aromas and flavors. Balanced, with an assertive finish. Will improve with a few months of cellaring. 93 points by Wine Spectator (via wine.com)
Price point: Mid-range

Cutting Edge
Wine: Egly-Ouriet Brut Tradition Grand Cru 2000, France
What to know: A boutique producer, limited quantities available. Whole-grain toast and malt notes characterize this bubbly, whose bass tones are offset by citrus peel and ginger top notes. There’s nice harmony and balance, with a malty aftertaste. Drink now through 2010. 90 points by Wine Spectator (via bedfordwines.com)
Price point: Splurge

Over the years, I have maintained a short list of favorite wines. Here are just a few of the bottles I always have on hand.
I love every bottle of Ridge wine I have ever tasted. My family joined their wine Club last year and this keeps me in good supply. A former colleague gave me my first bottle of Ridge for Christmas one year.
At Casa Lapostolle the founders and owners of the world-renowned liqueur Grand Marnier use French vines and technique in Chile to produce fantastic reds under the Casa Lapostolle and Clos Apalta labels. A big thank you to the sommelier at The Old Stone Farmhouse on St. Thomas for first introducing me to this wine.
Chalk Hill Chardonnay goes well with just about everything or can be enjoyed on its own.  Thanks to my Uncle Paul and Aunt Babs for introducing me to it many Thanksgivings ago.

Whatever your knowledge or preference, I hope you’ll have the opportunity to try some new wines this holiday season. 
Cheers!