Dr Vino's wine blog

From site reader Shari: file under “defies all odds.”

“I had one of those crazy wine experiences last week. Ancient bottle (1991) of Los Vascos can from Chile. Probably bought it in 93 when it was about $5. It got dragged from apt to apt through working cellars and non. Then dragged it up to Vermont where it happily sat in a downstairs closets probably fairly constantly at 55-65. Then hauled it out at Christmas, stuck it in a little snow to chill ever so slightly from the hot kitchen. Brought it in, never opened it, let it sit in the hot kitchen til last week. Opened it knowing that I had no right to expect anything but vinegar. it was delicious. What I didn’t drink, I baked into wine biscuits. Good story for the recession and in advance of Open That Bottle Night!”

Well, clearly I didn’t get this comment up before OTBN, which was this past Saturday. John Brecher and Dottie Gaiter of the WSJ created this tremendous, blog-style-before-there-were blogs interactive event, now in its tenth edition, to encourage people to open a special bottle that they had kept putting off opening. Unfortunately, it wasn’t in the cards for me to participate this past Saturday (had a cold); what did you uncork?

House of Mondavi’s crumbling foundation
“But by early 2004, Robert Mondavi Corp.’s reputation for high-quality wines had eroded, and the House of Mondavi was rent by conflict. His hand-picked successor, son Michael, had been removed as chairman, and the Mondavi family was on the brink of losing control of the company. Indeed, behind Michael’s ouster was a closely guarded secret: Robert faced a personal financial crisis that threatened to embarrass him and destroy his legacy.” [WSJ, with video!]

Are wine ratings pointless?
“A wine gets rated one time — a nanosecond in its life cycle,” says Sebastiani winemaker Mark Lyon. “From then on, its fate is determined. Aren’t wines always evolving? Shouldn’t they be rated every year?” From a story by W. Blake Gray in today’s SF Chron

Slow drinkers
“Boxed wine really does keep for six weeks, but would we keep one in our refrigerator for that long? There are so many interesting, affordable wines on the shelves that we’d rather taste several wines than one in a big box.” – John Brecher and Dorothy Gaiter. But what about the low low price per glass if you can find a good one?!? [WSJ]

Do futures have no future?
“Wouldn’t it be nice if we didn’t have to play this game? I hope 2006 will not be a success. I hope it will really show the Bordelais the shortcomings of the system.” –Jancis Robinson in a podcast on Bordeaux futures, aka “en primeur”

Some stories of mine in print:

“Drink Outside the Box,” Op-Ed, The New York Times, 8/18/08 (#1 most emailed on nytimes.com, day of publication)

“Red, white or green?”, Op-Ed, The New York Times, 12/28/07.

“Finding Wine of a Certain Age,” Food & Wine, July 2007. "Deconstructing a wine list" with Ray Isle, Food & Wine, July 2006.

“Globalization 2.0: When Local Becomes Global,” World of Fine Wine, December 2011.

“Innovations in Wine Retail,” Special Fall 2008 Best of Wine issue, Wine & Spirits. “What’s your wine’s carbon footprint?” Wine & Spirits, February 2008. “The five best wine blogs you’re not reading,” Wine & Spirits, September 2007.

A monthly column for “Wines for the Weekend” on Forbes.com Some “Underappreciated Australian Wines,” “Box wines that can be a hit” and “Seriously, Drink Beaujolais.”

“The Decision Makers,” and “Red, white and Green,” in The Guardian and The Observer, September 6 & 7, 2008.

"Politics and wine," a new entry for the third edition of the Oxford Companion to Wine, Jancis Robinson, ed., 2006.

“Red, White, and ‘Green’: The Cost of Greenhouse Gas Emissions in the Global Wine Trade,” with Pablo Paster, Journal of Wine Research, March 2009.

Stories or mentions of DrVino.com in other media:

“Dr. Vino. The world is awash in wine bloggers — and we figure the more people who read and write about wine the better — and one good example is DrVino.com, which is well-written, well-researched, calm and, dare we use the word, sober.” – Dorothy Gaiter & John Brecher, in “Singing the ABCs of Wine – The columnists’ updated glossary swaps Parker for Dr. Vino and Vayniacs” The Wall Street Journal, 5/16/09

“His reporting over the past six months has had seismic consequences, which is a hell of an accomplishment for a blog.” in “Must-Read Wine Blogs,” Forbes.com, 10/23/09

“Fun and refreshing.” —Jancis Robinson, MW, OBE

Quoted in “Seeking Luxury Deals as Euro Falls,” Business Day, The New York Times, January 15, 2015

Quoted in “Obama’s Wine List Corked After $100-Plus Bottle Served,” Bloomberg.com March 13, 2012

One of the “fresh voices taking wine journalism in new and important directions.” -Michael Steinberger in The World of Fine Wine, Issue 19, 2008.

On Good Morning America talking about box wine.

Profiled in an author Q&A in the Wall Street Journal, “The Politics of Wine,” July 22, 2008. Also reviewed in Bloomberg News.

Cited in “Wine Advocate Writers Spark Ethics Debate,” Wall Street Journal, May 26, 2009. “News of such activities, reported last month on a wine blog called Dr. Vino, have captivated wine enthusiasts and triggered a fierce online debate…”

Also quoted in “Higher Prices, New Options Damp Demand for Beaujolais,” November 20, 2008 The Wall Street Journal.

Mentioned in “We’re All Wine Critics Now: How the Internet has democratized drinking,” Slate.com, 9/25/09

“The humbling of Robert Parker,” Felix Salmon, Reuters. 10/2/09

“We are searching for a different winery for this brand,” Felix Salmon, Reuters 7/24/09

“Host Tyler Coleman is the author of “Wine Politics” and an in-demand speaker at wine forums. He combines scholarship, journalism, opinion and a sharp wit to craft a daily blog that is not afraid to take on industry icons such as Robert Parker.” Seattle Times, 4/24/10

Quoted in “What Rising Temperatures May Mean for World’s Wine Industry,” 19 Dec 2011 e360.yale.edu

On “Marketplace” discussing the wines of Kentucky, 6/2/08. And on again to talk about Sherry’s needlessly retro image (9/30/09)

“Love, love, love this blog.” –CharlotteObserver.com 10/6/10

Quoted in “Valpolicella’s just the thing for a warm summer’s day” Globe and Mail, June 19, 2012. “On his excellent blog, drvino.com, the American wine writer Tyler Colman recently championed a cause that might seem utterly passé in these high times for big wines…
”
The Bryant Park Project, NPR, February 4, 2008. Tyler Colman of DrVino.com explains why it’s hard for wine to cross state lines.

“ABC News Now spoke with wine expert Tyler Colman, aka ‘Dr. Vino,’ to see how the wines would shape up on the baseball diamond…” Commenting on the Red Sox charity wines. Program aired June 6, 2007.

Quoted in “Wine Bars Grow Up and Squeeze In,” The New York Times, April 9, 2008.

Quoted in ““Wine’s Pleasures: Are They All in Your Head?,” The New York Times, May 7, 2008.
“Ultimately, context may be the most underrated aspect of enjoying wine. Tyler Colman, a wine writer and blogger (drvino.com), whose first book, “Wine Politics,” will shortly be published by the University of California Press, has a second book coming out this fall, “A Year of Wine” (Simon & Schuster), that focuses on context. The mood and the food and the context really matters,” he said. “It’s the neglected pairing.”

Quoted in “Eat Local; Drink European” The New York Times, October 19, 2009.

Quoted in “Champagne Producers Aim for ‘Greener’ Bottle,” The New York Times, August 31, 2010.

Quoted in “Napa Vintners Seek Cachet, Profit With Labels,” Bloomberg, July 1, 2008

On talking about bargain bubbly, 12/31/08. View segment!

and on again talking about the economic downturn and value wines, 12/26/08 View segment!

On “Morning Living,” Martha Stewart Radio, Sirius satellite radio, talking about A Year of Wine and bargain bubbly, 12/31/08.

Recommended Ten independent wines for Independence Day on Forbes.com, July 2, 2008. See the story (and slideshow) with video!

“Wines Columbus Would Drink,” 10/08/08, Forbes.com With video!

Quoted in “Plastic Pinot,” 7/24/08, Forbes.com

Quoted in “Most And Least Pricey Steakhouse Wine Lists” 1/15/09, Forbes.com

Referenced in, “The Whine Critics,” April 23, 2009. Forbes.com

Quoted in “4 Great Box Wines,” O, The Oprah Magazine, August 2009.

Quoted in “The Parker Holdouts,” Portfolio.com 2/13/09

Quoted in “R.I.P. Box Wine,” Financial Times, Mar 27, 2009.

Tasted and commented on three wines sold to benefit Red Sox charities, the Schardonnay (Curt Schilling), Manny Being Merlot (Manny Ramirez) and the Caberknuckle (Tim Wakefield). May 28, 2007 Sports Illustrated (pdf).

Select blog posts republished in US Airways magazine and Forbes.com.

Quoted in “This wine is making me feel…sneezy” September 15, 2008. [ABC News]

Quoted in “Where Bordeaux is concerned, the bulls have it,” January 22, 2008 [Reuters]

“Another credit crisis victim: wine prices” February 5, 2008 [Reuters]

“Dr. Vino, one of our favorite wine blogs…”
Grub Street, New York magazine.

Quoted in “Sniffing around for wine deals” 12/16/2007, Daily News.

Quoted recommending the Pierre Peters Champagne, Valentine’s day, 2007. US News & World Report. 2/9/07

“The creator of the wine Web log DrVino.com, Tyler Colman, announced that for millennials, ‘wine is the new black,’ offering ‘a lot more return on your social investment than beer.'” NY Sun, May 9, 2007

“One of the three best wine blogs.” Fast Company magazine
May 2006

“…the popular Dr. Vino wine blog” Hartford Courant 11/26/07

Quoted in “Wine Pairings: The Grape Crusades” Express (Washington Post) 11/2/07

One of the “seven best wine blogs.” Food & Wine magazine, October 2005. “Colman intelligently explores the intersection of wine, politics and business…”

Some coverage of my research on the carbon footprint of wine:

ECOLOGY: THE WINE DIVIDE, (the carbon footprint of wine) January 11, 2008, Science.

The data were the basis of a graphic in the May 2009 issue of the National Geographic magazine. See the graphic and discussion on the blog.

“I’ll have the Bordeaux, thanks,” Environmental Capital blog at the The Wall Street Journal. 2/19/08

Cited in “Movable Feast Carries a Pollution Price Tag,” by Elisabeth Rosenthal, The New York Times, Business Section. April 26, 2008. In the series “The Food Chain: A Food’s Carbon Footprint”

Mentioned in “Big Foot” by Michael Spector in The New Yorker, February 25, 2008.

“The benchmark carbon footprint report…” Wine Enthusiast magazine, May 2008.

“Shrink the bottle, save the planet,” The Globe and Mail (Toronto), August 20, 2008.

“The Carbon Footprint of Wine” on LiveScience.com (reproduced on Yahoo News, MSNBC and more). 11/10/2008

Cited in E, The Environmental Magazine, “Thinking inside the box.”

Cited in a graphic on the carbon footprint of the Thanksgiving meal, Washington Post, 11/23/08

“Vine Renaissance,” Continental inflight magazine, September 2008.

“How Green is Your Packaging?” January 2008, Wines & Vines

“Message in a barrel,” The Nature Conservancy

“Study says East Coasters should drink French,” Treehugger.com

Mentioned in, “Drink Responsibly: Which is better for the planet, beer or wine?”, Slate.com, 9/22/09

“The always entertaining Dr. Vino…” Minneapolis-St. Paul Star-Tribune

Runner-up wine personality of the year, 2009 Uncorked, Winnipeg Free Press

And other mentions in: Arrive magazine (Amtrak on-board magazine), Chicago Tribune, Dayton Daily News, Columbus Dispatch, Atlanta Journal Constitution, and more…The Baltimore Sun and others.

Interviewed by John Lindner of the Baltimore Sun on his podcast, “blography.” Mp3 file here.

“GreenSpace: Wine in a box: Earth-friendly, and the taste is ‘actually decent,'” Philadelphia Inquirer, 8/25/08.

“America’s most eminent practitioner of wineology muses on plonk gossip.” 3/10/07 The Guardian (UK)

“Blogarithms: Big Apple and humble grapes,” Jan 28, 2008, Metro NY

"Wine hits of 2006," New York Sun, 12/17/06 “Tyler Colman, also known as Dr. Vino (DrVino.com), found his best wine memory of 2006 in a humble but highly useful wine…”

Interviewed in "Get Saucy," a podcast from TimeOut Chicago. 10/5/06

Quoted in “100 wines and you’re in the club,” Macleans (Canada), 5/22/06

"Short sips," Urban Vintage column, New York Sun, 2/22/06 “There’s a new guide in town…”

As well as leading web sites and blogs such as: Salon.com, TheStreet.com, portfolio.com, alphaville blog at FT.com, LifeHacker.com, Treehugger.com, Problogger.com, Kottke.org, The Tuesday Morning Quarterback (ESPN.com), Freakonomics.com, HuffingtonPost.com, DailyKos.com, The Consumerist, Gothamist, LiveScience.com, The Daily Green, Luxist.com, Forked blog at GQ, nymag.com, Gridskipper, Eater, Eater LA, Curbed, FastCompany.com, ForeignPolicy.com, Wall Street Journal blogs, planetgreen.discovery.com, slashfood.com, SeriousEats.com, gamberorosso.com, and Epicurious.com among others.

Winner, Best Wine Blog, American Wine Blog Awards 2007

Winner, Best Wine Blog Writing, American Wine Blog Awards 2007

Nominee, Best Website Focusing on Food, Beverage, Restaurant or Nutrition, James Beard Foundation Awards 2007

Some stories of mine in regional or trade publications:
"When a cold trend is good: Premium sakes starting to gain acceptance" Chicago Tribune, 1/12/05
"A wine cellar in every home?" Chicago Tribune, 4/21/04
"Holiday bubbles that don’t break the bank" Chicago Tribune, 12/17/03
"Patrons drinking up at BYOBs" Chicago Tribune, 11/21/03

"Missing in Mendoza: Americans," Wine Business Monthly, January 2007
"Partners in Wine" Wine Business Monthly, January 2006
"Currency Hedging Provides Shelter for Importers," Wine Business Monthly, November 2004

With the recent announcement from Pierre-Antoine Rovani that he will be leaving Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate (discussed here), speculation is running wild on a replacement. We make the odds:

Hugh Johnson 10,000:1
Jancis Robinson (FT) 5,000:1
Per-Henrik Mansson (freelance) 4,000:1
James Halliday 999:1
Matt Kramer (WS) 900:1
Eric Asimov (NYT) 700:1
Dorothy Gaiter (WSJ) 500:1
Robin Garr (WLP) 400:1
Bobby Kacher (importer) 300:1
Jamie Goode (Wine Science) 300:1
Jeff Leve (eRP) 200:1
Daniel Johnnes (restaurant Daniel) 100:1
Dan Berger (Vintage Experiences) 50:1
Lyle Fass (Crush) 25:1
Tim Atkin (The Observer) 20:1
Gregory Walter (Pinot Report) 18:1
Alan Meadows (Burghound) 14:1
Antonio Galloni (Piedmont Report) 13:1
Stephen Tanzer (IWC) 10:1
Michel Bettane (Revue du Vin de France) 9:1
Andrew Jefford (freelance) 5:2

tags: wine | Robert Parker | Wine Advocate

Which wine under $20 would you pair with this: “rigatoni country style, which includes pasta, white beans, sausage, broccoli and a lot of garlic.”

If this sounds familiar, you must work in one of 12 NYC wine shops that got asked this question recently. Or you read the WSJ. Wine columnists Dorothy Gaiter and John Brecher dispatched their assistant to query (anonymously) wine merchants about their food wine pairings. Then they ordered the rigatoni dish from their favorite take-out and tasted through the wines.

I’ll just reproduce their comments from the top two recommendations from their July 14 column. Unfortunately, the column is only available behind the WSJ subscription barrier. However, I’m pleased to say you can find all the shops plotted on my map of NYC wine shops–totally free!

VINEYARD/VINTAGE: Ca’Montini ‘L’Aristocratico’ Pinot Grigio (Trentino) 2004
PRICE: $16.99 (find this wine)
PLACE PURCHASED: Mister Wright, Manhattan
TASTERS’ COMMENTS: Best of tasting (tie). The bright acidity of the wine cuts right through the heaviness of the dish, like a splash of lemon. The food gives the wine weight while the wine lifts the food. Like a great marriage, they make each other better.

VINEYARD/VINTAGE: Santi ‘Solane’ Valpolicella Classico Superiore Ripasso 2003
PRICE: $17.99 (find this wine)
PLACE PURCHASED: Eli’s W.I.N.E., Manhattan
TASTERS’ COMMENTS: Best of tasting (tie). Lusty wine for lusty food. The wine seems proudly rustic, dancing on the tongue, which makes the food get up and dance, too. Put them together and we just wanted to say, “Get a room.”

It’s odd that two such contrasting wine styles worked for them with the dish. What do you think would work?

The other shops queried in the story are ranked here by effectiveness of pairing (I’d suggest more than one pick from each shop before writing any list of shops in stone):
Pasanella and Son Vintners
Bottlerocket Wine & Spirit
Best Cellars
Smith & Vine, Brooklyn
Gotham Wine & Liquors
Discovery Wines
Crush Wine & Spirits
Moore Brothers
Big Nose Full Body, Brooklyn
The Greene Grape

Image: maomau

tags: wine | wine + food pairings | NYC wine stores

The WSJ has a story today on the rise of Indian wine, a subject I touched on a couple of months ago. This story reveals that the growers at 20 degrees latitude have to flip the seasons, pruning the vines into dormancy during the monsoon months and then growing the grapes in the more mild, non-monsoon months. [WSJ $]

And last Friday the WSJ couple, Dorothy Gaiter and John Brecher, wrote their first ever column on organic wines–and liked them! “Too many wines these days taste like they were made in a lab,” they wrote. “These, generally, did not.” (WSJ via PPG)

Russia’s ban on Georgian wine will cost Georgia the equivalent of 1 percent of GDP according to the IMF. A senior Russian official is now courting Bulgaria to fill the void. Whoa, power politics through the wine bottle! [Mosnews, RIA Novosti]

Yesterday was the one year anniversary of the Supreme Court’s decision on direct shipping. The Sonoma Press Democrat reports that while some producers have enjoyed the change, others have found it a mixed bag as they have become mired in the varying state rules and fees. [Sonoma Press Democrat]

Sam’s Wine in Chicago resolved a 17 month legal dispute by promising to pay a $300,000 fine, close for three days (Jan 1 – 3), and empty its warehouse of alcoholic beverages. [Chicago Tribune]

tags: wine | wine news | wine politics

Have you been schlepping a special bottle of wine around with you for your past three moves? Or waiting for that Bordeaux that your aunt gave you for your birth year to achieve its peak? It’s time to open that bottle on Open That Bottle Night 7 on February 25.

Dorothy Gaiter and John Brecher, who write the wine column for the Wall Street Journal, started this event six years ago. They urge readers to open a symbolically significant bottle on the last Saturday in February and then send in their stories, with a selection then written up in a subsequent column (kind of like the monthly wine blogging Wednesday). Some stories from previous years have included a couple who enjoyed a 1986 Lafite with their favorite pizza (“The pizza was great,” the husband wrote them. “The Chateau Latour was good, not great. But it got better toward the end of our meal, and much better as we entered the Jacuzzi with Mr. Barry White in the background.”), a research station in Antarctica, surprise visitors, and many fond memories of good times or good people when the special bottle came into their hands.

I’ll be pulling a cork on February 25 and I hope you do too. Make it a party or make it a romantic evening, a gourmet meal at home or a BYOB. But on Sunday the 26th, there has to be (at least) one bottle fewer in your inventory.

There are doubtless hundreds of heartwarming, intriguing, and funny stories that can’t be included in their column because of space limitations. Fortunately, here on the internet, we have no limitations (but neither do we have quite the, um, reach). Feel free to post your comments either here or on the post I write after Feb 25. And be sure to drop John and Dottie a line with your story too: wine@wsj.com

UPDATE 2/26/06: I posted our notes of the evening here. Feel free to post yours too!

UPDATE 2/10/08: People have been landing here looking for OTBN 9 (vintage 2008) so I’ll add that it is this Saturday, February 23. Have fun!

For a wine lover or a host, little makes a more impressive gift than a case of wine. When we went to visit some relatives for Thanksgiving two years ago, we picked up an assorted case of wine on the way to their house from the airport. Our relatives still remember trying a couple of bottles with each meal and having a few to try after we were gone.

I usually write about great value wines under $10 but with the holidays approaching, several readers have written asking me for some more expensive gift wines. So this year I thought I would make a case for giving a case—at a bit higher prices than my usual. Are these the “best” wines I have tried this year? No, because some of those were very expensive. I am convinced that 99% of wine consumers have no need to spend over $30 per bottle given the tremendous diversity and quality of wines currently available. You’re probably better off putting anything more than that toward paying down the mortgage—or buying a non-wine gift for your spouse.

I have purchased all these wines in wine stores in the past six months so the pricing is current and they should be available with some hunting either near you or on the web. I state the importer since your favorite local retailer may not have the exact wine but may have other wines from that importer and thus be able to order it.

If you have some favorites in this price range feel free to add them to the comments. Happy holidays—and cheers!

-Dr. Vino

Champagne Aubry, Brut, Non Vintage (Jouy-les-Reims). $28. Find this wine
Most grape growers in the Champagne region sell to the big houses and thus are not well known. However, a growing number of growers are also becoming producers, as is the norm for quality producers in other wine regions. The fine bead of bubbles and soft floral notes of this Chateau Aubry make it easy to understand why Aubry wanted to produce it himself. Importer: Terry Theise.

St Michael Eppan, Alto Adige, Gewurztraminer 2004. $18. Find this wine
What do you get when you blend a German, Italian, Christian and a Jew? In this case, the ultimate Christmas wine! This multicultural and full-bodied wine is a Gewurztraminer from the north of Italy. An odd find but one worth seeking out for its blend of slightly sweet and spice that makes the perfect wine for Christmas day: for Christian/traditional diners, it will go great with veggies; for Jewish diners, it will go great with Chinese food and a movie!

Feudi di San Gregorio, Falanghina, 2003 $15. Find this wine
Tired of American Chardonnay? Try this. Hand harvested from vineyards near Mt Vesuvius and cold-fermented in steel tanks, the wine introduces a whole new range of flavors: crisp acidity, minerality, grassy, dried apricot, pear, and melon. A yummy bargain that will entice even your Chardonnay-swilling aunts. Importer: Palm Bay Imports.

Paul Achs, Chardonnay, Austria, 2003. $20. Find this wine
Speaking of Chardonnay, Paul Achs presents it in its un-oaked glory—but not from Chablis, rather from south of Vienna in Burgenland. Fermented in large steel tanks, the crisp, flinty minerality shines through. Importer: Vin Divino. (If this one is too hard to find, try the Olivier Morin Bourgogne Chitry 2004 for a similar flavor profile).

Honig, Sauvignon Blanc, Napa, 2004. $14. Find this wine
Kiwi Sauvignon Blancs can be piercing lime lasers. This Sauvignon is hand picked from vineyards practicing sustainable agriculture in Napa. The crisp acidity has notes of lime balanced with pear, pineapple and melon. Pairing with figs or hard cheeses will make a great reward and the see-through label makes it a handsome gift.

Oberhäuser Leistenberg Riesling Kabinett, Dönnhoff 2004. $29. Find this wine
Chefs love Riesling for the food-friendly matchups. This Donnhoff has a bit of sweetness that is wonderfully balanced against acidity. Food pairings are easy from Asian-infused dishes to simply an aperitif wine that pairs well with sharp cheese. And the 8% alcohol makes it easy to swallow.

Reds

Vall Llach, Embruix, Priorat, 2002. $25. Find this wine
Spanish/Catalan folk/rock star Lluis Llach owns this property in the craggy Priorat region of northeastern Spain. The top bottling from Llach is around $75 but this Grenache blend has excellent depth and punch from new plantings at the vineyard. Importer: The Henry Wine Group.

Mt. Difficulty, Pinot Noir, 2003. $29. Find this wine
Central Otago in New Zealand’s South Island claims to be the southernmost vineyard in the world. This wine’s pale and thin appearance in the glass belies complex berry aromas and the excellent, long, complex finish. The handsome label makes for good giving.

Muga, Reserva, Rioja, 2001. $20. Find this wine
Dorothy Gaiter and John Brecher urged readers of the WSJ to spend $20 on any red Rioja and that would make for a special night. While I can’t vouch for the other red Riojas, this mid-priced Muga caught me off guard for its serious quality to price ratio. Bottled unfiltered, this Muga blends Tempranillo and Grenache to have a lush mouthfeel with notes of dark berry, tobacco, and leather that will knock the socks of holiday guests (and maybe the stockings off the mantle). Importer: Jorge Ordonez.

Mount Eden, Cabernet, 2000. $30. Find this wine
This profound Cab comes from the winery perched above Silicon Valley in the Santa Cruz Mountains. This vintage has 100% Cabernet with excellent, dense notes of dark berries, leather and pleasant tannins–it is not fruit bomb, but rather a thinking person’s Cab. Although I bought and tasted this wine in the fall, it may be hard to find but the more available 2002 is also supposed to be excellent with some merlot and Cabernet Franc in the blend. Any red from Mount Eden represents a real value for connoisseurs—and that’s not an oxymoron!

Benmarco, Malbec, Mendoza. 2003. $20. Find this wine
This is a serious, big red from the winemaking duo of Susana Balbo and Pedro Marchevsky. Loads of dark fruit balanced with tannin make me think about grilled meats. I poured this at several tastings this fall and it was usually a top choice. And the thick bottle and handsome label make it an excellent gift wine for a lover of big reds. Importer: Vine Connections.

Alvear, PX Solera 1927. $18 (375 ml) Find this wine
Sherry, with a variety of styles from aperitif to digestif, deserves exploration. This sweet and balanced sherry, which dates from an original blend in 1927, comes in petite half-bottle for easy dispensing after dinner in front of the fire—or use it as a dessert replacement. With a dark, maple syrup-like color and the unctuous texture you might easily find it to be your new favorite winter wine. Importer: Jorge Ordonez.

Total price of this case (without tax): $266, or about one bottle of Krug.

Technorati tags: wine | wine gifts