Holiday Bottle Shopping Guide 2017 – The Reds

Tags

Bleasdale, Bordertown Vineyards, Casa Santos, Clos De L'oratoire, Domaine De Cébène, Klinker Brick Winery, Le Calvane, Stags' Leap Winery, Tantalus Vineyards, Vasse Felix

Best of the holiday season to you – I hope you are finding some calm and quiet during this busy week…

To save you a bit of that all too precious time, I’ve got you covered with a red wine shopping guide for you and the wine lovers on your list:

Casa Santos ‘Confidencial’ Reserva Tinto 2013 Lisboa, Portugal – This is one of my favourite ‘finds’ this year in the red wine category. Bright and alive with over 10 grape varieties, this field blend of Portuguese grapes is pretty darn incredible. ‘Confidencial’ boasts a good amount of acidity and juicy cherry fruit notes topped with vanilla and chocolate. $15.99
Bleasdale ‘Second Innings’ Malbec 2015 Langhorne Creek, South Australia – If you have someone on your list who likes a well-rounded, fruit-forward red wine – this is the one to buy. Aged in new and seasoned French oak, this Malbec is full of ripe plum, crushed raspberries and whipped mocha notes. $16.49
Le Calvane ‘Quercione’ Chianti 2015 Tuscany, Italy – Here is a great wine for the wine adventurer or the Italian wine drinker in your life. This structured and well made Chianti is made with 95% Sangiovese and 5% Canaiolo grapes and tastes like fresh cherries and a dusting of freshly ground black pepper. $17.99
Bordertown Vineyards & Estate Winery Cabernet Franc 2015 BC VQA Osoyoos, British Columbia – Cabernet Franc really shines in the Southern Okanagan and Bordertown’s 2015 vintage is a shining example of what the region is capable of. This full-bodied red is nicely balanced and full of sweet chewing tobacco, cinnamon, and blackberry flavours. $19.99
Vasse Felix ‘Filius’ Cabernet Sauvignon 2014 Margaret River, Western Australia – For the Cabernet Sauvignon lover on your list, here is a wine that over delivers. With a lengthy finish and structured flavour profile of blackcurrant, sweet cedar, and dried sage, there is a reason that Margaret River is one of the best places in the world to grow and craft exceptional Cabernet Sauvignon. $27.99
Domaine de Cébène ‘Les Bancèls’ 2013 Faugères, Languedoc-Roussillon, France – From the increasingly popular region of Faugères in the South of France, the grapes from this estate are organically farmed and crafted by winemaker Brigitte Chavalier. This is a delicious blend of Syrah, Grenache and Mourvèdre that express an elegant flavour palate of cassis, black cherry, lavender, white pepper and fresh blueberry. $27.99
Tantalus Vineyards Pinot Noir 2015 BC VQA Okanagan Valley, British Columbia – For the B.C. wine fanatic on your list, Tantalus Vineyards’ Pinot Noir is a top choice. Refined and textured with notes of strawberry, plum, violet and a hint of sage, this an elegant and admired Pinot Noir. $27.99
Klinker Brick Winery Old Vine Zinfandel 2014 Lodi, California – Big, bold and beautifully smooth, here is an excellent wine from the Zinfandel capital of the world. Sumptuous flavours of vanilla, plum jam, blackberry, nutmeg and a dusting of black pepper come through in spades. $29.99
Stags’ Leap Winery Petite Sirah 2014 Napa Valley, California – I had the distinct pleasure to visit Stags’ Leap winery and meet the winemaker, Christophe Paubert, last month in Napa Valley. I was introduced to a beautifully crafted Petite Sirah that happens to be available here. This is a decadent wine full of blackberry, vanilla spice, clove, lilac, jasmine and white pepper notes that will age for another 10 years, minimum. A wine to impress. $46.99
Clos De L’oratoire Des Papes Chateauneuf Du Pape 2014 Southern Rhône, France – Fresh, juicy and fragrant, this Rhône blend drinks beautifully now and will continue to develop with some cellar aging for another five years. Bright flavours of wild strawberry pie, blackcurrant, cedar and baking spice make this Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre classic blend an excellent gift. $50.99