It’s the Season of Giving, and our Director of Sommology, Missa Capozzo, is here to answer a few of your top questions when it comes to enjoying and giving wine at the holidays! From choosing a versatile wine for a crowd to selecting the best for the wine enthusiast in your life, she’s got you covered.
I love receiving wine as a hostess gift when I entertain; but when it comes to buying wine for others, I draw a blank! What are a few crowd-pleasing varietals I can stock up on as hostess gifts this season?
If your hostess is more of a traditional type, you might choose to gift a wine that most people are familiar with, such as a Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay, or Riesling. On the other hand, if your hostess is someone who enjoys to explore and try new things, it might be nice to venture out of the norm and go with some more unique and exciting varietals, such as Pinotage and Viognier. If you have a hostess who is new to the wine world, you might want to bring her an easy-drinking sipper that will please any crowd, such as Pinot Noir or Pinot Grigio.
We drink a lot of red wine over the holidays, but we tend to buy the same varietals over and over, like Cabernet or Pinot Noir. Is there a red varietal you recommend to get us out of our red rut?
There are many reds I recommend to get out of the red rut! Our 2016 Tria Reserve Mourvedre/Syrah is an incredible velvety smooth and fruity red wine that would be well received by traditional red varietal lovers. Our 2016 Perique Côtes du Rhône Villages is a beautiful Rhône blend with cranberry and strawberry notes that a Pinot Noir lover would find delicious. For the adventurous, our 2015 Marula Pinotage from South Africa brings a lovely smoky, earthy quality with deep fruits that will offer something even more unique.
My best friend is a wine enthusiast and she’s on my gift list this season. What does a wine lover really want for Christmas?
Wine enthusiasts value and savor premium wines, and these can be the ideal gift. 2016 LUXX Merlot is our top-of-the-line premium label, and won’t break the bank. This is a wine meant to be enjoyed and savored. In addition to LUXX, any wine lover would be thrilled to receive our 2016 Activist Syrah Private Reserve or our 2016 Tria Reserve Mourvedre/Syrah, both are premium selections that will impress the wine enthusiast in your life!
Do you have a wine question? Send it our way at support@travelingvineyard.com, or post it on our Facebook page. Next month, we’ll bring you some Wine 101 sip tips from Missa to help you start your new (wine) year off right.
Featured Image by Nicole Mason.