Wines for the Holiday Host
Going to a festive holiday fete? Don't arrive empty handed! Bring your host a bottle of one of these top wines suggested by Simply Wine's Andrea Immer.
Columbia Winery Cellarmaster's Reserve Riesling
When you want a white that's affordable and easy to drink, try a Riesling grape. This winery, from Washington State, produces this mouthwatering bargain that is full of ripe peaches, apricots, with a drizzle of honey and a long finish. Can hold, and will even get better, for 3-4 days after it has been uncorked.
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They can serve it immediately with whatever is on the menu that evening, as it matches any food!
If you know they like red, the best bet is buying a Pinot Noir. It's a grape that won't break your bank and is delicious on the palate. Gallo of Sonoma makes one of the best-valued, classic Pinot Noir's in California. Includes hints of raspberry and cherry, with a soft vanilla-cream oakiness.
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Great for the spontaneous host that might want to open it right away
Want to impress your host? Splurge on a special bottle such as this Napa Valley vintage. This is a world-class winery and wine, which will taste great now, but they can also wait a while to drink it. Full of tropical fruit, citrus, hazelnut and exotic spices, with toasty oak nuances.
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So delicious, they'll want to invite you back to their home again and again!
Give them the gift of a fine red wine with this Australian Shiraz. Made with Cabernet Sauvignon and Shriaz, it has a nice balance of fruit and oak. Flavors include blackberry, with a bit of chocolate and licorice. The complex, dense flavor goes great with duck, game, chicken and veal. Drink it now, or wait another ten years as it will develop breathtaking complexity with age.
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One of Immer's all time favorite wines in any color or style
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