GISMONDI ON WINE: Holiday Gift Ideas
by Anthony Gismondi

The holidays will soon be upon us and that means customers with shopping lists long on names and short on gifts ideas. Thankfully there is a made-in-BC solution we call the gift of wine. For the unaware, wine is no longer the elixir of kings or the lubricant of the masses. Indeed wine has a certain respectability, especially in BC, and that combined with a little knowledge, makes it an ideal gift.

In the spirit of the holiday season, and the inevitable gift-giving frenzy, here is my “case” for a dozen wines to sell and wrap up as gifts although there is nothing stopping you from taking them home and drinking them yourself.
Champagne is all the rage again and with prices rising, bargains are not easy to find. The vintages to look for are 1998, 1999 and especially 1996 if you can find any, or stock up with a top non-vintage brut such as the Gosset Grand Reserve ($70). If quantity and quality fizz is a priority, check out the new Yellowtail Bubbles ($14) from Australia. Like most Yellowtail labels, it’s a crowd pleaser.

The health-inspired rush to red wine by consumers is tapering off in favour of a more balanced approach, and that means white wine is hot again. Chardonnay is always a good choice and my suggestion is to work the spectrum with a crisp, dry chablis: Domaine Christian Moreau Chablis 1er Cru Vaillon 2005 ($38); a richer, more mouth-filling California take: Rodney Strong Chardonnay Chalk Hill 2005, Sonoma County ($30); and finally the real thing from Burgundy: Louis Latour Chassagne Montrachet 2004, Côte d'Or, Burgundy ($49).

Canadian wines continue to gather steam, led by a couple of local must-buys. These won’t be easy to find, but that makes them even better gifts. The Sandhill Merlot 2005 ($20) is always a good example of south Okanagan fruit, as is the rich, spicy Jackson-Triggs Okanagan PR Shiraz ($20).

The world has gone mad for red wine, and while merlot has lost its sheen, shiraz, pinot noir and malbec are hot and will be in demand throughout the holidays. Some current best buys include a mouth-filling Fat Bastard Shiraz 2005, Languedoc, France ($17), and coming just in time for the holidays is a new, knockout pinot labelled Santa Rita Reserva Pinot Noir 2006, Valle de Leyda, Chile ($15) that is not to be missed. That goes ditto for the savoury, crowd pleasing Pascual Toso Malbec 2005, Mendoza, Argentina ($12).

If you need a party favour for the host or hostess Late Bottle Vintage port is the only way to go, and the perfect “unfiltered” pairing that’s ready to drink is the Quinta do Crasto LBV 2000 ($29), and the 1995 Smith Woodhouse LBV ($38).

That comes to an even dozen, but you may still need something to sip on while you are wrapping the gifts. If you are a cabernet fan, look no farther than round blueberry/cassis fruit Angus The Bull Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 ($20) from South Australia, or perhaps something a bit more rustic like the Tormaresca Neprica 2004 ($15) from Apulia, Italy.

You can top up any of your bottle selections with a favourite book on wine, and/or a decanter, or a half dozen Riedel Sommelier wine glasses, and you’ll have yourself a great gift. Shop early and have a great holiday season.

Anthony Gismondi is the Editor-in-Chief at Wine Access - Canada’s Wine and Food Magazine, and is completing his 18th year as the weekly wine columnist at The Vancouver Sun. Visit www.gismondionwine.com.