Wines for "the Little Black Dress" Season

Sunday, December 8, 2007
On the way home from dinner last night, my five year old commented on all the pretty black dresses she saw outside her car window.  It was the time of night when holiday parties were starting and the sidewalks were full of bare-legged beauties clad in strappy black shoes and LBDs.

And here’s the best part – unlike the empty-handed models shown here, every third or fourth person was carrying a bottle of wine to their holiday party!  Seems to be official – wine has become the standard host gift, as de rigueur as the Little Black Dress (and that’s exactly what this wine merchant had at the top of his Christmas list!)

Actually, wine is the perfect gift of appreciation.  The only mistake I recommend avoiding is purchasing a wine that is so easily found, so common, as to seem an afterthought.  Any premium wine can be easily turned into a good gift for your host.  A good gift is made even better when the wine bottle is accessorized with a simple ribbon around its neck.  I also recommend attaching a card, so the host and hostess know you brought it, in case it’s still unopened the next day.  And if you really want to get hoity toity, there are some very nice wine gift bags available, some of which can become permanent gifts.

Wine Gift Etiquette
A quick word on the etiquette of giving wine – don’t assume it will be opened that night!  It is up to the recipient to decide how to use it.  Many who appreciate good wine are concerned about the plonk that often finds its way to large parties, and they are tempted to bring a wine they can enjoy.  This should be treated as a separate issue from the host gift.  I normally bring a nice bottle for the host and hostess, telling them to set it aside to enjoy later, and a different wine which I present and say "but let’s open this one tonight – I think you’ll enjoy it" – then open it with them and share the first glasses together before the hordes descend.

So should you need affordable, premium wines for your remaining holiday parties, there is still time to order from our holiday collection – wines we’ve selected for their particular value and crowd-pleasing qualities.

WHITE WINES:  There are four white wines in our complete holiday collection, here are two:

• Heron Wines, 2004 Chardonnay, (was $12, now $9.99) – Chardonnay is still America’s best-selling white wine, so it’s nice to get a bottle of this quality for so little money.  Winemaker Laely Heron manages to pull such rabbits out of her hat on a regular basis.
• Dan Gehrs 2005 Chenin Blanc, $13 – California Chenin Blanc can be deliciously complex and age-worthy.  It can also be bland and boring.  This one is the former.  It’s sure to start conversations among your fellow party-goers, letting you show off a bit with your wine knowledge. 

BLUSH WINES: The brilliant color in these wines makes them a popular holiday beverage!  Of the three blush wines in our complete holiday collection, I’ve chosen to feature this one:

• Ortman Family, 2006 Syrah Rosé, $16 – A unique wine in that it is grown and groomed specifically as a blush wine, not simply a by-product of making red wine.  What’s all that mean?  Great structure, nice with food, nice on its own.

RED WINES:  Reds so brilliant, Rudolph would be jealous.  We have a dozen reds in our complete holiday collection - here are a few:

• Schoeneman, 2002 Pinot Noir, Anderson Valley, (was $13, now $10.99) – Nice bottle bouquet has developed over the years in the bottle.  This wine was a bargain at its original price, truly memorable at this sale price.  Limited quantities remain.
• L’Uvaggio di Giacomo, 2004 Barbera, Lodi.  $16 – This wine shows lush ripe fruit with enough complexity to prevent it from becoming the dumb blond of the wine world.  Good enough to have its own following of loyal buyers that insist on being notified after each new release.
• Benjamin Silver Wines, 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon, was $30 on sale for $24 – The most popular red in America is still Cabernet.  This one has the elegance of old world wines with the ripe fruit of the new world – a great host gift during the holiday season!

Order today!  UPS is swamped, and time is short!

Happy Little Black Dress Season!

Dave Chambers, Wine Merchant

Dave@SidewaysWineClub.com

Today’s Quote:
“When a little black dress is right, there is nothing else to wear in its place.”
  Wallis Warfield Simpson, Duchess of Windsor