Hello wine lovers and happy wine Wednesday!
I hope you are keeping well and getting into the holiday spirit that is sneaking up VERY quickly! At our house, the Christmas carols are playing already and we couldn’t be happier!
So, with this merry season in mind, I have for you my annual ‘Top Picks for Wine’ Christmas shopping list – The Reds:
- Norante Terra Degli Di Majo, Italy $13.99 A fantastic expression of Italian Sangiovese at a great price. This is an easy drinking, light red wine with lots of bright, cherry notes. Great for entertaining and a wine for the masses, potluck dinners or a casual pasta night. Yum.
- Tabali ‘Reserva’ Limari Pinot Noir, Chile $17.29 I was introduced to this great wine at Cornucopia earlier this month. A cool climate example of Pinot Noir with restrained yet juicy flavours – it has great acidity and structure. Very good value for money. (Currently on sale at the B.C. Liquor stores for $15.29!!!) Start the car!
- Bertrand Saint Chinian AOC Languedoc/Roussillon France 2012 $22.99 Wow, this blend of Syrah and Mourvèdre is big and delicious with loads of flavour and happiness in the glass. A perfect gift for someone looking for a wine adventure. Very good and full bodied – a wine to curl up with.
- Domaine De Cébène ‘Les Bancèls’ Faugères AOC, France $27.99 A blend of Syrah, Mourvèdre and Grenache, this award winning and highly acclaimed organic wine is one to savour. From the Languedoc/Roussillon region of France (yes, I like this region), it is a great gift for the wine geek on your Christine, whoops, I mean Christmas list. Let this wine open up before serving. It can cellar for three years.
- Schug Pinot Noir Carneros, USA 2013 $36.99 Here is a lovely expression of how well Pinot Noir can do in the right location in California. Delicious and complex with a fantastic silky finish. Can be aged up to 5 years. Quite dreamy.
- Clos Du Soleil ‘Signature’ Similkameen Valley, B.C. VQA 2012 $39.09 A stunning example of this Similkameen Valley superstar winery – a Bordeaux style blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. This beauty can cellar for 10 years – a wine for the collector on your list or yourself because you have been so darn good this year!
All wines on this list are available at the B.C.L.D.B stores but it is always a good idea to check online first before heading to your local store. Next week, I will be back with some great white wines. Have a wonderful day!
Enjoy!
XO
C
Girls Go Grape 
Golly, they all sound great. I am just going to put one of each in the wine racks. Great information, many thanks. xoxoxo
Fantastic picks for your Christmas list of reds. Two great wine makers
from Languedoc-Roussillon. Gerard Bertrand is a great supporter of
Vancouver International Wine Fest. and Saint Chinian is center ice
Languedoc-Roussillon sandwiched between Minervois and Faugeres.
I think some of the vines are grown at 400 metres. Yields are low about
2.4 tons per acre or 40hl/ha.
Now Brigitte Chevalier at Domaine de Cebene is very special. Her cave
is at the top of one of her hills (under ground). The vines are beautiful.
Mourvedre and Carignan vines some over 100 years old previously unloved
for a time before she bought them. The vines reside and survive in the
fractured schist (grey-white with a streak of rusty brown) as the roots
can get down many metres. Brigitte gave me a piece of her schist last
June when I visited with her. After securing a piece of schist I asked her
my second question. Does the Mourvedre and Carignan ripen every year
at 300 metres? She told me it does whereas in Provence I was told that
the Mourvedre and Carignan does not ripen every year. Her yields are
as low as 1.8 tons per acre or 30hl/ha. Try and buy her Felgaria (Mourvedre)
14% and her Belle Lurette (Carignan) 13%
if you can. I have no higher praise
for things in this world.
Fabulous! Thank you so much for the feedback and great personal story! Domaine Cebene is absolutely on my list of places to visit! Thank you.