Yg's Holiday Wine Picks

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Hi Guys,

First off I want to wish you all a happy and safe holiday season.

As we begin to think about which meal we're going to prepare for the holidays, I thought it'd be a good idea to share with you some of my holiday wine picks under $30.

1) Mouton Noir O.P.P. (Other People's Pinot) --  It's not the quippy name or the outstanding price ($18) that make this one of my top finds of 2014, its the FLAVOR! This wine, produced in the Willamette Valley in Oregon (which is known for its top quality Pinot Noir's), has amazing dark cherries and cranberry flavors. Its really bright and light bodied and can be drank with many different dishes (especially duck, baked ham or dishes with mushrooms). This option also goes very well with roasted veggies (shout out to my vegetarians).

2) Charles Smith 'Kung Fu Girl' Riesling 2013 - If you'll be eating spicy dishes like spiced ham, thai food or some jerk chicken, white wines make the best pairings. I'd say lightly sweet Rieslings are the way to go. The slight sweetness counters the spicy flavors and cools the palate all while bringing out the strong flavors of the food. Not only does this work well for spicy foods, but its also awesome to drink with most cheeses! The best part though are the prices. You can find some great Rieslings for even greater prices. New York, Fingerlakes Rieslings are very highly rated and soooo tasty. Oh and just a note when you're buying - dry (means dry) and off-dry means a touch sweet.

3) Los Vacos Cabernet Sauvignon Colchagua Reserve 2012 -- Cabernet Sauvignon and Bordeaux blends are great for hearty meals because of the tannins and medium to full bodied nature of these wines. With this wine in particular you'll find silky (yeah I said silky) notes of red and black plums, cinnamon and black pepper. It has really bright tannins which help "cut the fat" of your meat dishes. While Chile, which known for its awesome Carmenere, isn't the first place that I would go to for this style of wine, the premium prices of Napa Cabs or Bordeaux blends made me look in a different direction. For $20 this wine is a solid wine with good flavors.

4) Lastly for sparkling -- Andre of course! Haha, I'm kidding. I think Prosecco is the way to go. The best Prosecco's come from the Valdobbiadene region in Italy and it should cost you no more than $17. They're usually bright and refreshing with some crisp apple and pear flavors. Great for both beginning and ending the party (holla NYE). Most wines from that region are top quality, but I listed two of my favorites below.

  • https://www.unionsquarewines.com/wines/Althea-Prosecco-di-Valdobbiadene-w9336884br
  • http://www.astorwines.com/SearchResultsSingle.aspx?p=1&search=27656&searchtype=Contains