Wine Weekly

Last-Minute Wine Gifts Under $50

Still need to pick up a nice bottle of wine for a holiday dinner or as a gift? Here are some options, all under fifty bucks.

Sandeman 10 Years Tawny Port
What better drink to enjoy by the fire after a holiday meal than a classic Port? This one has been aged for you — for at least 10 years in oak barrels — and delivers an exquisite array of berry, spice, and nut flavors on a silky texture that keeps going and going in a lush, complex finish. Drink it alone or match it with creamy cheeses, cheesecake, creme brulee.

Montes Montes Napa Angel Cabernet Sauvignon 2006
The Chilean winery’s “Purple Angel” is a scrumptious blend of Malbec and Petit Verdot, but they also produce a similarly Bordeaux-style Cabernet from California’s Napa Valley. Their “Napa Angel” has big ripe tannins and bold, full flavors that would match perfectly with prime rib, venison, and stews. Enjoyable now but will also improve with a few years’ cellaring. Oh, and the lovely angel on the label is fitting for the holiday season. Learn more about Aurelio Montes’ project in California at the Napa Angel website

Under $20

Clos de los Siete
The “flying winemaker” Michel Rolland is known for his wizardry in Bordeaux, and has taken that knowledge international. One of his most recent and most promising projects is “Clos de los Siete”, a blend of Malbec, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon that recalls Rolland’s roots in Bordeaux. Rich, layered, and complex, and at under twenty bucks it drinks like a wine twice its price. If that’s not enough, its label features a gold, seven-pointed star that looks like it belongs at the top of a Christmas tree — though I highly recommend you DO NOT attempt placing a bottle of Clos de los Siete atop one.

Macari Sette 7 NV
Another Bordeaux-style blend that will match well with beef, game, and similarly hearty holiday dishes, this comes from Long Island, New York. Its ripe tannins, black fruits, and earthy nose give this wine a “masculine” character when drunk on its own, but it softens nicely when paired with protein.

Red Wine Review: Estancia Meritage

Estancia Meritage 2004

Year in and year out, Estancia consistently delivers a strong quality – to – price ratio across its breadth of bottles. Because I am never disappointed with their “entry” level of wines, Estancia is one of the brands I will consider when spending “big bucks” (hey, to me, $25-30 IS big bucks!) for a gift or special occasion. Their Meritage is an example.

Made from Paso Robles fruit picked in Estancia’s Keyes Canyon Ranches Vineyard, the blend is 58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 38% Merlot, and 8% Petit Verdot.

Following are notes for the 2004 vintage, which was released in October of 2008 and is drinking very well now — so uncork it if you have a bottle in your cellar. From what I understand, the latest release on retail shelves is the 2006.

Tasting Notes: Estancia Meritage 2004

Nose is rich, ripe, and full of black fruit, spice, hints of earth, pepper, and licorice. In the mouth there is a medley of flavors: blackberry, black raspberry, black licorice, boysenberry, and plum, with hints of sweet tobacco and vanilla. Tannins are firm, acidity is ample – well structured. Smooth, almost creamy texture. Finish is long and enjoyable, with plenty of black fruit. This wine needs food, so be sure to have it with cheese, grilled beef, or a roast. At just under thirty bucks, this is a good value.

a-9 t-8 b-9 fc-8 v-8 ~ 91 Points

Bottom Line

A rich, ripe, complex, well structured red that warms the palate with a plethora of black fruits and spice. Perfect pairing for roasts and stews. A good value and fitting gift bottle.

Find this wine at a retailer near you using Wine-Searcher, Vinquire, or WineZap

Learn more at the Estancia Estates website

Kosher Wines for Passover (Red and White)

Kosher wines don’t have to taste “funny” any more. Recent developments in kosher winemaking has resulted in high quality, great-tasting wines fit for any occasion.

This year, Passover begins at sunset on April 8th, and will continue through Wednesday, April 15th. If you observe Passover and aim to keep kosher during this Jewish holiday, here are two excellent wines — one white, one red — that are both kosher and appropriate for typical Passover feasts.

Tasting Notes: Yarden Chardonnay 2006

Wide open, expressive nose of bright ripe pear, peach, honeysuckle, banana, vanilla. In the mouth it is velvety smooth, with almost sweet ripe pear, candied peach, vanilla, honey. Acidity is mild. Alcohol is surprisingly low considering the high level of ripe fruit. Finishes with spicy peach, vanilla, and a touch of zesty lime. This is enjoyable on its own, also good with leaner foods such as simply prepared roast chicken. Will be nice with spicy and sweet Chinese dishes (General Tsao, sweet and sour shrimp, sesame chicken), BBQ ribs. As far as the Passover table goes, this will be a nice match for a mildly sweet noodle kugel.

a-8 t-8 b-7 fc-7 v-7 ~ 87 Points

Find this wine at a retailer near you through Wine-Searcher, Vinquire, or WineZap

Tasting Notes: Golan Cabernet Sauvignon 2007

Open aroma of ripe plum, red raspberry, jam, chocolate. Jammy, juicy ripe flavors of sweet raspberry, blueberry, pomegranate. Tannins are mild, acidity is mild to medium. Texture is smooth. Finish is pleasant, full of raspberries and pomegranate, with a slight edge of tart acidity. Enjoyable alone, it will match well with lean meats such as roast chicken and fish but also has just enough structure to stand up to simply prepared beef — such as beef brisket. Will also be nice with turkey meatloaf, Chinese rib tips or beef with spicy and/or sweet sauce.

a-7 t-8 b-8 fc-8 v-7 ~ 88 Points

Find this wine at a retailer near you through Wine-Searcher, Vinquire, or WineZap

Red Wine Review: Penfolds Shiraz-Cab

Penfolds Koonunga Hill Shiraz-Cabernet 2007

Every once in a while I get in the mood for a big, jammy, New World style red wine — something bursting with sweet red and black berry fruits — but at the same time, something that I don’t have to think much about. In other words, a bottle that I can pick up for around ten bucks or less and not feel guilty about drinking with a hamburger or cheap cut of steak.

When those moods strike me, I usually go either for a Ravenswood red or an Aussie Shiraz. In this case, I went down under, to Penfolds, which offers a nice range of jammy reds that are easy to find anywhere and won’t hurt your wallet. For the ten-buck budget (give or take a ducat or two), I recommend their Rawson’s Retreat, Thomas Hyland and Koonunga Hill lines for their consistency from year to year. In other words, you don’t have to be a serious connoisseur or have a vintage rating chart in your wallet to wonder what the wine will taste like. And often, even a geek like me doesn’t have the patience to put a lot of thought (or money) into a wine purchase.

Tasting Notes: Penfolds Shiraz-Cabernet Sauvignon

Open nose of ripe black and red berry fruits, along with some tar and earth. Similar elements on the palate: black raspberry, black cassis, plum, black cherry, sweet tobacco. Good weight in the mouth. Smooth texture. Tannins are ripe and medium, but not overbearing. Acidity is at an appropriate level for food matching. This is OK alone, but better with food. Drink it with protein — a burger, cheap steak, or cheese.

a-8 t-8 b-7 fc-7 v-9 ~ 89 Points

Buy Penfolds Shiraz-Cabernet direct from Wine.com

Find this wine at a retailer near you using Wine-Searcher, WineZap, or Vinquire