It was mid-November when my wife announced that she was really gonna get into Christmas this year! Now, when a significant other drops a bomb like this, many of us simply cringe, ignore it or argue that Christmas is just a crass opportunity to feed the machine we call capitalism, benefiting only the rich and increasing the income gap that
I guess Im the atypical husband in that I responded with what I felt to be measured enthusiasm. If we can wait until December to start rolling out any Christmas fanfare, I said, pretending my opinion had any relevance, you should totally go for it.
True to her word, come December there were cookies baking constantly, Christmas MP3s downloading steadily and ornaments being strewn all over the place.
The wines weve been consuming have echoed our holiday mood so this week I offer some Christmas-y hits from our place. Whether an appropriate match for your dinner, or something that hits the spot when you finally get some peace and quiet, here are a few selections that should help you deck the halls this weekend.
Visions of sugar plums! A telling example of why its the softer side of red you should be seeking when looking toward Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»Island wine country. Holiday baking spices dust those dark plums, cloves, cinnamon and maybe a touch of orange zest. Bright and cheery.
When Im ready to dismiss a winery as being too big, too corporate for its wines to have any soul, a bottle like this gets cracked open and proves me wrong. Ridiculously high complexity, black fruit, mocha, allspice and mint in a knock-your-socks-off peppery punch thatll blacken your teeth after two sips. This one will keep you warm long after the fire dies.
Im a strong proponent of drinking pink in winter and heres one of the reasons why. Predominantly Grenache with a splash each of Syrah, Cinsault and Cabernet Sauvignon, this is a fruity-yet-dry turkey wine guaranteed to please. Potpourri and raspberry on the nose lead to dried black and red fruit, white pepper and a sprig of basil on the palate. Generous acidity and a lively finish act as a great contrast to that second, or third, helping.
Want more Christmas weekend ? I have some more posted over at .
