It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas!
We love the holidays here at Ed’s Fine Wines, any reason to celebrate with a bottle of bubbly or a special wine to share or even consume “just because”, it’s the holiday season! Let’s take a look at some of the great holiday selections we have that pair with your holiday table.
Any celebration is made more fun with the pop of a cork and the flow of some effervescence! Whether it’s Prosecco from Italy or real Champagne from France, or some extraordinary, carbonated wine from right here in the good old US, bubbles make it a party!
We love Mionetto Prosecco to start off any gathering. Since 1887 the Mionetto family has been making wine in the heart of the Valdobbiadene, a famous region for the Glera grape used to make Prosecco, in Italy. They use the Charmat method; the second fermentation takes place in large autoclaves to help maintain freshness and aroma. Apple, mineral, and vanilla nuances, brut style finishes dry and clean. We give it two bones.
Champagne Lombardi is a boutique house from Lyon that began in 2011- Stephane Lombardi, a relative outsider as a grower, but a veteran to the beverage industry, surrounded himself with the best winemakers and enologists and his cuvee’ consistently garners over 90 point ratings. A nose of peaches and pears with a touch of lemony fruit. Toasty notes and refined spices. We give it two bones.
Chateau Palmer Brut Reserve was founded in 1947. Premier and Grand Cru from the Montagne de Reims which gives the Champagne its elegance and refinement. The clean nose of apricot, citrus and pear with subtle hints of hazelnut gives way to a succulent palate that finishes with flavors of buttery brioche’. We give it three bones.
These selections would make fine hostess gifts as well should you be heading to a party or celebration. Rose’ is a wonderful aperitif or accompaniment to many dishes, whether you are serving a shrimp cocktail appetizer or crab cakes, or simple fish spread.
Send Nudes Rose’ is a well-crafted 100% North Coast Pinot Noir with just a few hours of skin contact to give it the lovely pink sherbet hue. Winery founder and marketing guru Brandon Allen founded this label for SLO DOWN wines as a fun way to enjoy wine without pretention. Bursting with strawberries and ripe peach flavors, candied watermelon and white grapefruit, we give it three bones.
There is almost always a Chardonnay lover at every house party, so why not make your selection an icon of Napa with one of the best expressions of the grape, Newton Unfiltered Napa Valley Chardonnay doesn’t disappoint. Peter Newton first produced wines from Spring Mountain in 1977. Naturally fermented using native yeasts to preserve the natural fruit essence, aged in French oak barrels and crafted with intense procedures to ensure the unique quality of the terroir shines, the wines are famously “unfiltered” and can be enjoyed upon release or for many years of cellaring. 100% Chardonnay sourced from Rutherford and Carneros, aromas of tangerine and wet stone, with a full body and pleasant crisp finish. We give it two bones.
If you have a true Francophile coming to your table, then a white Burgundy is a fun offering. Caroline Parent Saint Romain is 100% Chardonnay from Cote de Beaune and Cote de Nuits. Caroline’s style favors elegance and finesse anchored in the timeless tradition of Burgundy. The wine exudes brilliant honey and almond and hazelnuts on the nose with a touch of floral, stone fruit and crisp apple flavors, the finish is long and elegant. We give it two bones.
Traditional American Pinot Noir foots the bill if you are serving a dinner with pork or turkey, the wine is subtle enough to pair well with both lighter and heavier meats and fish, and all the accoutrements. Ken Wright Willamette Valley Pinot Noir from Oregon is an old favorite of ours here at Ed’s. Ken makes multiple bottlings from single vineyard sites on his property, but we also carry the entry level that is a culmination of several vineyards in one bottle at an affordable price point. Ripe, Rainier Cherry, red plum, and blackberry are nestled between notes of cedar, rose petal and turned earth. This wine comes alive with cranberry sauce and sweet potato sides. We give it two bones.
The big reds and meat lovers, we haven’t forgotten you! Open up a delicious red blend to pair with your Standing Rib Roast or Leg of Lamb. Red Zinfandel grapes are considered to be the most indigenous, as the grape originated from Primitivo cuttings brought to California from Italy in the early 1800’s. Today, American Red Zinfandel is recognized as one of the biggest, boldest, most flavorful of grapes to put on your table. Klinker Brick Old Vines Zinfandel is a favorite as we have visited the winery with our friends several times over the years. The Felton family was one of the first to start growing grapes in Lodi, which was once home to mostly potato farmers. Over 16 different vineyards come together for the Old Vines Zin. Dark cherry and spice give great acidity and barrel aging adds robust oak flavor to the rhubarb and cranberry fruit notes, with just a hint of black pepper on the finish. We give it three bones.
Another option for the red meat lovers is Muga Reserva a blend of Tempranillo, Garnacha, Mazuelo and Graciano grapes from the Rioja region of Spain. Raspberry and blackberry fruit on the nose, with secondary aromas of vanilla and licorice. The finish is long and fruity. This wine will hold for many years, so a great gift for a collector, or enjoy it now with your traditional roast beef. The wine is made so meticulously, it is even hand filtered using a candle. We give it three bones.
There are ports and sherries and plenty of late harvest wines to share on your dessert table as well. Whatever you do this holiday season, whether you’re cooking for a crowd, partying around the town, or just laying low and taking a break from it all, we hope you have a peaceful, joyous wine filled season, and it starts right here in our store.
Cheers.
By CRBrown