It is gift-giving season. The time when wine writers are supposed to wax poetically about new gadgets for removing corks, or the newest edition of this or that wine bible. Poppycock, what your wine lover really wants is wine.
The vino listed below is sure to please the palate, and impress the mind. These exceptional wines don’t come cheap, but be assured you can find other options at many price points.
The NV Billecart-Salmon Brut Rose Champagne is $90 at Uncorked wine bars. Rose Champagne gets its hue from skin contact with the Pinot Noir grapes in the blend (there is Chardonnay in here, as well), which are from the finest vineyards in the Champagne district. This sparkler has subtle flavors of berry and shortbread, and the delicate bubbles for which great Champagne is known.
Kistler Vineyards is one of the great names in California Chardonnay, and the 2009 from Sonoma Mountain Vineyard, $65 at The Pour House, expresses complex aromas and flavors of minerals, tropical fruit, ripe pears and cookie spice, to go along with the richness chardonnay lovers crave.
Try the 2007 Bitouzet-Prieur Mersault Charmes for $90 at Village Market. This part of Burgundy is hallowed ground for the chardonnay grape, and Charmes is one of its best sites (Cru). This village produces the most opulent of French chardonnay while maintaining a broad spectrum of fruit and bright acid. If you want to make your Francophile happy, this is your bottle.
The 2012 Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon for $79 for 1 liter at Village Market has all of the cassis, chocolate and smoky goodness that Caymus seems to capture every year. It is also a double collector’s item. First, it’s the 40th anniversary of Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon (with a great commemorative label), and it also is offered in this extremely rare bottle size.
The 2010 Continuum Cabernet Sauvignon Blend, along with Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Merlot, comes from Pritchard Hill in Napa Valley, priced at $185 at Incline Spirits and Cigars, and is the project of Robert Mondavi’s son, Tim. He also was the winemaker at Robert Mondavi Winery for many years, and this wine evokes their older reserve Cabs. Tight now with substantial tannins, it also has the dark fruits, leather and jazzy acid that bodes well for graceful aging.
These selections will wow your oenophile, and they may even share it with you. As stated earlier, there are many other options, no matter your budget. Just visit your favorite wine guru. And, as always, tell ‘em that Tahoe Weekly sent you.
