Hello wine lovers and happy #wineWednesday.  I hope you are keeping well and enjoying the first few days of December!  I love that I still have some snow on the ground and the sky is bright and sunny and blue – perfect!

Well, last week I told you that I would serve up my list for holiday wine buying.  In this list, I have included value priced wine for a large crowd along with wines for your holiday meals and gift giving.

White Wines for 2014:

Cal Y Canto – a Spanish blend of Viura and Verdejo.  This wine was recommended to me for a great tasting value wine.  I bought a bottle for $11.99 at the Dundarave Wine Cellar and went back the next day for 2 cases.  A crisp flavour profile of white peach, lemon and lime zest and cantaloupe melon.  Absolutely fantastic for this price point and when you purchase a case, you get 10% off.  Dundarave Wine Cellar and Everything Wine both carry this product and it often goes on sale for $8.99!  A must have for entertaining.

Marisco ‘The Ned’ – this New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc retails for $15.99 at the B.C. liquor stores.  This Sauvignon Blanc does not disappoint with loads of grapefruit citrus notes, bell pepper and that telling grassy aroma.  Super refreshing and thirst quenching – perfect to have a few bottles on hand for guests during the holiday season.

Louis Latour Ardeche Chardonnay – this Chardonnay is an outstanding deal at $16.99. Bright and creamy with a nicely balanced flavour profile of stone fruit and butter, this wine is a Chardonnay lovers dream at an affordable price.  If you haven’t tried this wine before or have given up on Chardonnay, I suggest you purchase a bottle – I am sure you will be delighted.

Quail’s Gate Chenin Blanc – my B.C. pick of the year for this holiday season.  Quail’s Gate Chenin Blanc is 90% Chenin blended with 10% Sauvignon Blanc and hits all the right notes for me.  Mouthwatering and refreshing with flavours of lemon peel and fresh lime juice, I am ‘crushing’ on this wine.  It is dry and delicious and my new favourite white.  At $18.99 a bottle, this makes a fantastic hostess gift and a sure hit to serve at a dinner party.

Domaine William Fèvre  Chablis Grand Cru Bougros Côte Bouguerots – this is my luxury wine for the year.  At $96 a bottle, it is a celebration wine or one to cellar for 5 – 10 years.  Crisp, delicious and dry, this Grand Cru Chablis is an outstanding example of minerality in wine.  Chablis is made with Chardonnay grapes from the most northern region of Burgundy and happens to be one of my favourite wine regions in the world because I LOVE this style of wine.  At $96 a bottle, it is definitely not an everyday sipper, but it is a wine to look forward to and celebrate with.

I hope you have enjoyed this list – it is certainly hard to limit myself to only five wines but, in doing so, I try to really narrow it down for you.

Next week, I will have a list of reds for you and the week following will be the sparkling wine category.

Enjoy!

XO
C