Seri Says

Naughty or Nice? What Wine Do I Want?

Created on Tuesday, December 13, 2011 14:54

Ah, the melodic sounds of the holidays…carols, crackling logs, clinking glasses, squalling children, chiming cash registers, screaming sirens…wait, wait, wait! Back up a moment. Clinking glasses? That’s all you need to hear and this last week and weekend I spent some time researching the best wines to toast with.

These are wines that form lasting partnerships with a multitude of holiday scenarios (that is until the bottle is empty.) These are wines that aren’t afraid of sweet, savory, crunchy, gooey. Wines that in all their deliciousness don’t bust your budget.

First and foremost are the bubbles. If you read my previous Seri Says, you’ll see the extensive line-up that ranged from an Argentinian Sparkling Torrontes to a lovely Brut (Jonquere, Chardonnay, Altesse) from the Savoie region of France. Along with those, don’t forget the sparkling reds – Australia’s Sparkling Shiraz and Lambrusco from Italy. These add a ruby sparkle to the holiday table and are a quirky, yet tasty, alternative to the usual suspects.

Now, personally, I do not have a warm spot in my heart for Chardonnay as the best white wine match to holiday fare. For me, I would much rather save my white burgundies and step out with one of the following stunners:

Raats 2010 Chenin Blanc (South Africa), Bodegas Shaya 2009 Old Vine Verdejo (Spain), Germano Ettore 2010 ‘Herzu’ Riesling (Italy), Navarro 2010 Gewurztraminer (California)

Why these selections, you may be asking? Because they all prevail with a crisp acidity, lively fruit and minimal (mostly zero) oak. They are a supportive cast that doesn’t scream out for top billing and they provide subtle nudges to refining your meal and event.

Now for the reds. Once again, I tend towards wines that don’t rely upon overt oak and plush fruit but offer a balance  of bright acidity, layering and straight-forward ease of drinking. Here are my candidates:

Southern Right 2009 Pinotage (South Africa), Zenato 2008 Valpolicella Ripasso (Italy), Conterno-Fantino 2009 ‘Vignota’ Barbera d’Alba (Italy), d’Arenberg 2008 ‘Footbolt’ Shiraz (Australia), Irwin Family 2008 Tempranillo (California)

Of course, there are so many other options it boggles the mind, but all you need to remeber is that being adventurous is a good thing and the less oak and extraction, the better the selection will match your cuisine.

Happy Holidays to you all! I look forward to seeing you at The Hotel Hanford soon.