THESE GIFT IDEAS COVER EVERY TYPE OF WINE LOVER
Ten days to go, and you are still looking for the right wine for the right person.
Fear not. It is our specialty, and at this time of the year, we are happy to help out.
From the impossible-tobuy-for boss to the nitpicking wine geek, we have it covered.
Remember, you should never spend more than you can afford or, frankly, what is required.
The vast majority of our selections are in B.C. Liquor Stores.
THE BOSS:
This is always a tough gift to choose. You need it to be appreciated without looking like it is over the top. Translation: a wine that looks pricey (hint: excellent packaging) but is appropriately inexpensive. Trying too hard isn’t an option here.
Our picks include a red, a white and a sparkler for maximum flexibility.
Champagne Le Mesnil N/V (France, $52.99) is consistently one of the best buys among the pricey Champagne sector that hits well above its price point.
For a white, make it New Zealand superstar Craggy Range Sauvignon Blanc Te Muna Road Vineyard 2018 Sauvignon Blanc, (Martinborough, $32.99).
Our red wine is an Italian revelation: Giovanni Rosso Nebbiolo Langhe Rosso (Piedmont, $28.99).
THE READER:
A detailed wine atlas should be at every wine lover’s elbow, and the latest World Atlas of Wine (8th Edition) by Jancis Robinson is the best and all you need. The newest release is a hefty 416 pages with 230 maps, a new design that includes easily digestible summaries. There are individual pages devoted to British Columbia, Uruguay, Brazil, Lebanon, Israel and Cyprus. The perfect pairing is a glass of port to while away the afternoon as you flip through your favourite regions.
Our pick is a single vineyard Portuguese port: Taylor Fladgate Quinta de Vargellas 2015 (Douro Valley, $75.99).
THE CARNIVORE:
Beef and robust reds are the matches, and the go-to grapes are Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Zinfandel or any combination of the above. Best bets are from Napa Valley, the Languedoc, Uco Valley, Alexander Valley, the Maipo Valley, the Barossa Valley and, well, you get the picture. We have two picks:
Stonestreet 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon, Alexander Valley, Sonoma County (California, $52.99).
Le Vieux Pin 2017 Syrah Cuvee Classique (Okanagan Valley, $44.99).
THE COLLECTOR:
The joy in giving to the collector is in surprising them with a wine they hadn’t thought about or even know. In other words, make it less trophy wine and more terroir wine.
Locally, two great picks are:
Tantalus Old Vines Riesling 2018 (Okanagan Valley, $21-$32).
Martin’s Lane Naramata Ranch Pinot Noir 2014 ($99.99).
The former will live a minimum of 10 years in the bottle, while the latter will fit perfectly into a world-class Pinot Noir blind tasting.
CLIMATE CHANGE:
Ardent recyclers and environmentalists enjoy wines made with little or no intervention, be they farmed sustainably, organic or biodynamic.
Two quality picks in the market place are:
M. Chapoutier Crozes-hermitage Les Meysonniers Rouge 2017 (Rhone Valley, France $26.99).
Col d’orcia Brunello di Montalcino 2013 (Montalcino, Tuscany, Italy $55.99).
FOR THE GOURMAND:
We know all wines are better with food, but none more so than wines with a balance of fruit and acidity like Champagne, Bordeaux, Brunello, Barolo, Chianti and Burgundy. Our picks:
A very affordable bottle of Bouchard Pere 2014 Cote Beaune Villages (France, $34.99).
Antinori Peppoli 2016 Chianti Classico (Tuscany, Italy. 26.99).
SWEET ENDINGS:
Sweet tooths abound at Christmas, so a bottle or two of dessert wine is always welcome at the end of a meal or even in the middle of the day. It is the time for icewine and late harvest labels. Our picks:
Hester Creek 2018 Late Harvest Pinot Blanc (Okanagan Valley, $18.99).
Chateau Rieussec 2016, Sauternes (Bordeaux, France. $65).