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Artvoice Weekly Edition » Issue v5n50 (12/14/2006) » Last Minute Holiday Gift Guide

A Bottle of Good Cheer

Tis the season to be jolly, and what can better help inspire jolly feelings than a good glass of wine or two? The holiday season warrants a bit of indulgence, and even those who are temperate throughout the rest of the year will enjoy a bit of the good stuff.

But precisely what is “the good stuff”? Sometimes it’s hard to tell. Here are some tips to make it easier to navigate the myriad choices offered by our local retailers of wines and spirits, so that you can concentrate on the jolly part.

The holidays are occasions for both parties and gift-giving. As you plan your get-together, you may be a bit confused when you head to the liquor store and are surrounded by mile-high displays of colorful bottles and neon lights. So the bottle looks fun, but is it a deal? Are your guests going to enjoy it? Luckily for the wine consumer, there is a lot of good juice out there, even if the packaging can be a little on the goofy side. You also have the benefit of helpful retailers who hopefully know their product. Scout out that local store where the staff is friendly and attentive, and ask them for their recommendations. The holidays are also a time for forging relationships, so now may be a good time to develop a better relationship with that pleasant wine shop owner down the street.

Here are a couple of recommendations to help you on your quest. Although box wines are available for larger parties, for a traditional holiday party a bottle of wine looks a lot nicer than a box. Most first-level, affordable wines are available in both the standard 750-milliliter and 1.5-liter bottle, so you have the option of going with a bigger bottle to satisfy a crowd. Ratings from popular subscriptions such as Wine Spectator and Wine Advocate can guide you in your quest, and most retailers furnish info cards with ratings for their wines. Here are some choices to keep in mind as you stroll the aisles.

Bloom Riesling from Germany is available in both sizes and retails between $10-$12 for a 1.5-liter bottle. Western New Yorkers drink more Riesling than the rest of the state, so this is sure to be a crowd favorite. Riesling also pairs well with most foods, so it will complement your array of hors d’oeuvres.

Villa Puccini Sangiovese-Merlot was given a “Best Value” from Wine Spectator, and you’ll get to serve your guests a super Tuscan for under $10 a bottle.

Australian wines are hot. These imported wines, usually sporting a fun name or label, seem not to take themselves so seriously. Yet Australians, for the most part, deliver serious good taste your guests will thoroughly enjoy. Penfold’s Koonunga Hill Shiraz/Cabernet is a mouthful of berries and spice and scored 91 points from Wine Advocate’s Robert Parker. Parker loves these hedonistic style wines, so he is the best one to judge. Australia’s great winemaker Ben Riggs has produced a fun, lush wine playfully called Woop Woop. It’s great name and the label is sure to attract attention at a party.

And what about gift giving? If you are new to the wine world, but you have a wine-savvy friend who’s throwing a party, how can you make a choice to bring as a gift? Again, having a trustworthy retailer on your side is always a plus. But even without one, there are a few foolproof ideas that work. First, those rating sheets come in handy. Oenophiles (wine enthusiasts) are suckers for highly rated wines. Wine Spectator’s Top 100 list just came out this month. Peruse this list of wines from all over the world to find a winner in your price bracket.

To personalize a bottled gift, one great idea is remembering a friend’s trip to Tuscany (for example) that he or she couldn’t stop gushing about, and buy a bottle from that region of Italy. Your friend will be transported back to that time amongst the olive trees, drinking beautiful deep-red local wines from dawn ’til dusk, and you will score a big hit in gift-giving.

Another clever gift idea for the out of town friend or family: Show them what this area has to offer wine-wise. We live 45 minutes away from the Niagara Escarpment in Canada, which produces world-class Rieslings and ice wines. Also right down the road is the Finger Lake Region, which seems to grow in size and quality by the day. Both regions will offer you tremendous choice in all varieties of wine. You can also taste and learn about these wines by stopping by a unique shop on Hertel called Chateau Buffalo. An in-store wine-tasting area gives you a preview of what you are about to purchase and the owner of CB can be most helpful in guiding you in the right direction.

For those who are pining away for a great pinot noir, Benton Lane from Oregon made the top 100 list this year and was a 90-point Wine Spectator “Best Buy.” A lighter, more delicate style pinot with raspberry and strawberry notes, this wine is both pretty and complex. If you know anyone who owns a copy of the movie Sideways, buy them a bottle of this wine.

St. Francis Zinfandel Reserve, by Pagani Vineyard from Sonoma Valley, adds a bit of Petit Syrah and Alicante Bouchet to its blend, resulting in a powerful, old-world-style wine, with brambly fruit, chocolate, spice and oak notes. Opulent and seductive, it is sure to please anyone (regardless of whether they know who Robert Parker is).

Flora Springs Winery in Napa Valley offers a selection of single vineyard cabernet sauvignon wines. From the Holy Smoke vineyard to the Wild Boar, their wines are all highly scored and cellar-worthy, and sure to please any collector.

Last but hardly least, a traditional favorite is a gift of sparkling wine, instantly making any day a celebration—and a must on New Year’s Eve. Try Gloria Ferre Sonoma Brut NV, which scored 90 points from Wine Spectator. Smooth, rich and creamy, it’s everything you could ask for in a sparkler.

Happy hunting, and happy cork popping!