The holiday season is a time when we often give and receive new wines. I have fun selecting wines for the holiday season’s many foods and celebratory moments. The following options will marry well with dinners, special events, family and good friends.
Cabernet franc. This hidden gem is a red wine that is most often grown in California, as well as the Bordeaux region in France. Cabernet franc is not as ubiquitous as its relative cabernet sauvignon. It’s a unique varietal that expresses different flavor profiles based on the region where it’s grown. California styles typically present dark berry fruit notes, while those from France are slightly leaner with more green pepper notes.
My pick: I lean toward the California-style cabernet francs, and particularly Barlow cabernet franc from Napa Valley. Barlow is a tiny family-run wine producer that spans three generations. Barlow’s cabernet franc has a luscious, round mouthfeel upon first sip. It then leads into dried berry fruit, fig and balsamic notes – while the end has a hint of vanilla spice. It’s a nice partner for winter beef dishes. The wine’s minerality allows it to marry well with creamy-style cheeses.
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JUST THE RIGHT PICK: Champagne, cabernet franc, barolo and port. Each have their role to play during the holidays.
COURTESY JESSICA NORRIS GRANATIERO[/caption]
Champagne. It is a selection that pairs well with most foods. Champagne, from the Champagne region of France, is a great gift choice because of its prestige. It’s an option if you are trying to impress or need a special gift. Most Champagne wines are non-vintage, meaning the grapes can be from various years. Vintage Champagne has a declared year on the label. All the grapes that are used to make it come only from that year.
My pick: R. Dumont & Fils Extra Brut Champagne. It has great minerality and vivacious, long-lasting bubbles. It shows prominent notes of toasty bread, butter and tropical fruit. Full-bodied, it is a great partner for various dishes, including rich French cheeses or roasted duck breast.
Barolo. I always treat myself and my family to a renowned top-shelf style wine each holiday season. One of my picks in this category is Barolo, a red wine from the Barolo region in Piedmont, Italy, made from the nebbiolo grape. Barolo is a wine that can be enjoyed young with some decanting, or that can age for 10-plus years.
My pick: 2019 Rocche Costamagna Barolo. Rocche Costamagna has been making wine since 1841 and, in my opinion, has perfected this wine category. From its aging in oak barrels for 18 months and then more time resting in the bottle, this Barolo is impeccably round in the mouth with dark cherry and mocha notes.
Port wine: There are many different types of ports, which are fortified dessert wines from Portugal. It can only be labeled as a port if it adheres to the required production regulations and if it comes from Portugal’s Duoro region. Port wine can be labeled as ruby, tawny, vintage and with age statements. During this time of year, I prefer to gift an age-statement port – one that’s denoted as 10, 20, 30 or 40 years in age. A longer age statement shows that the wine is typically deeper and richer in style. After holiday meals, this is a great selection for pairing with chocolate or nutty desserts, blue cheeses and figs.
My pick: Taylor Fladgate 30-year port. Taylor Fladgate is a renowned producer of port. Its wine has a full body with rich, round hazelnut, cocoa beans and vanilla spice notes. It has a silky mouthfeel that makes it also an option for sipping without food.
Jessica Norris Granatiero is the founder of The Savory Grape, a wine, beer and spirits shop in East Greenwich. She can be reached through her website, www.jessicagranatiero.com or by email at jessica@thesavorygrape.com.
