Buyer’s Guide to VINTAGES December 2 Release

Review of Vintages Dec 2 Release
The End of the Old & New Worlds, and Wines for All Holiday Gatherings

By John Szabo MS, with notes from Sara d’Amato, Megha Jandhyala, David Lawrason

Holiday gathering is the appropriate theme of the December 2 VINTAGES release, so the WineAlign Crü this week, minus a traveling Michael Godel, has based recommendations on types of occasions to help you find what you need for any situation. Whether it’s a big holiday bash, afternoon drop-in, or intimate multi-course dinner, we have some excellent suggestions for you — and we have aligned on many recommendations. As for sparkling wines, you’ll have my popular annual Fizz Guide in your inbox this Friday, December 8. It contains a wealth of options at all prices and styles, from all of us — truly something for everyone. Stay tuned.

In other breaking wine world news, especially relevant for you students, the Court of Master Sommeliers-Americas (CMS-A), the world-leading examining and credentialing body for the hospitality industry, has just announced an end to the old-world-slash-new-world divide to describe wines. As I have written about several times, (in 2023 and 2022) in intros to the LCBO’s annual early April VINTAGES release theme of old vs. new world, the terminology was badly outdated. “Old world and new world categories are as archaic as colonialism itself,” I wrote. “They’re also descriptively meaningless… as every wine student who plays the blind tasting game is well aware.” The CMS-A has caught up with the times. Read on for the reasoning and to see the updated deductive tasting format. And lastly, should you wish to support diversity and inclusion in the hospitality industry, consider a (tax-deductible) donation to the Vinequity Scholarship Fund. Details herein.

A Wine for Every Occasion

Planning a holiday gathering in the coming weeks, or attending one? The WineAlign Crü combed through the VINTAGES December 2 release to pick out suitable bottles for all occasions.

House Wines

Megha and I both like the Famille Perrin Côtes Du Rhône ‘Nature’ 2021 ($18.95) for occasions when budget is a primary consideration. “At under $20, I would pour this widely appealing, certified organic Côtes du Rhône at large holiday parties,” says Megha. I like it as a house red this season for its foolproof combination of smooth easy-drinking style, also matched to a well-known and respected region, and producer, the Perrin Family of Château de Beaucastel fame. Who will argue with your choice?

My equivalent house white would be the Viña Mayor 2021 Verdejo from Rueda in Spain ($18.95), a region with an outsized capacity to deliver value. It’s exotic enough to intrigue the punters, simply delicious to everyone else.

Casual Leftover Lunches

If a more casual lunch is on the horizon, featuring perhaps leftover turkey, David recommends a delicious cru Beaujolais: Nicolas Potel’s 2022 Fleurie ($23.95). “I once served a Fleurie during a serious dinner in Beaune,” David recalls, which apparently mortified the sommelier. “But monsieur, this is a lunch wine!” the sommelier exclaimed. So, there you have it, authoritative permission to chill and crack a couple of bottles of this succulent gamay midday.

BBQs?

According to most weather services, Southern Ontario is predicted to have a warmer-than-average winter. It’s thanks to El Niño, an atmospheric phenomenon that results in warmer waters off the coast of western South America, which somehow, in turn, like the distant flapping of a butterfly’s wings, results in the warming of northern North America (and more precipitation). If the weather holds, and a BBQ is viable, Megha recommends thanking Chile by serving the Montes Alpha Special Cuvée Cabernet Sauvignon 2020 from the Colchagua Valley ($22.95). It’s a solid choice “for a protein-heavy meal that includes barbecued foods,” she says.

Discoveries

True wine lovers love a good discovery, so if you’ve got one coming over this holiday, someone who thinks they’ve seen it all, pull out a bottle of the Tierras de Armenia Karas Red Blend 2020 from Armenia ($22.95). I’m willing to bet it will raise an eyebrow, and ultimately impress. You can mention that this little-known wine producing nation boasts the oldest “winery” in the world — the Areni-1 cave dating back 6200 years — even if the modern wine industry is just getting started. Karas is a well-funded project with Argentine-Armenian roots (the same family owns Bodegas Fin del Mundo in Patagonia), farming a wide variety of international and indigenous varieties in their Ararat Valley vineyards at more than 1000 metres elevation in rocky volcanic soils. It’s a viticulture of extremes. As Sara rightly points out: “I’m not the only critic who took note of this Armenian assemblage of syrah, malbec and cabernet… Not to be missed.”

Opening Gambits

As mentioned in the intro, the robust fizz guide is coming shortly. But there are other aperitif options to consider. Triple alignment landed on the Greywacke Sauvignon Blanc 2022 from Marlborough ($26.95), which David intends to make the opening gambit for an elegant holiday soirée. He describes it as a “very pristine, precise and chiselled sauvignon blanc” that “will set a lively tone.” Megha suggests adding hors d’oeuvres, anything from gougères to spring rolls to samosas, while Sara educates us on its geology. “Named after Marlborough’s most abundant bedrock,” she points out. Now you know.

Seafood & White Meats ++

Should you wish to elevate a holiday table featuring creamy seafood and poultry dishes, David stops the press at Les Cassagnes De La Nerthe 2022 Côtes Du Rhône-Villages ($26.95). “What a sensational value from a revered Châteauneuf-du-Pape house!” he enthuses. Megha and I also align, me along similar lines: “An excellent option when you want to step it up a bit, especially at the table when serving richer seafood dishes, white meats or creamy cheeses.” Megha is a little more flexible with her drinking window, suggesting it might also make “an appropriate accompaniment to a late winter afternoon, perhaps whilst one is prepping for a holiday gathering.”

Formal Dining

Hopefully we’ll all have an opportunity to sit down with an intimate group of friends and family this holiday and give thanks for being in Canada. If a splurge is in the cards, consider also giving back to our wine industry with something local, without compromising an iota of pleasure. I’d suggest On Seven’s “The Pursuit” Chardonnay 2019 from Niagara-on-the-Lake ($48). Make no mistake, this is premium Niagara chardonnay from a relatively new, highly ambitious project that will make an impression on your most discerning guests. I’m thinking boiled or roasted lobster and butter with this texturally rich wine.

Meanwhile, David’s white centrepiece is the similarly priced Vincent De La Remondière 2020 Chablis 1er Cru Les Fourchaume ($51.95). “Fourchaume, in my view, is the best of the 1er cru vineyards of Chablis, producing unoaked chardonnays of real class and elegance,” he says.

Apparently both David and I were thinking about roast lamb when considering what to recommend for classy red wine options, and we both aligned on the Glenelly 2017 Lady May from Stellenbosch, South Africa ($58.95). Bordeaux-inspired and influenced, Glenelly has always crafted wine in a reserved style, with notable finesse and sophistication. Lady May is the flagship estate wine, named for proprietor May-Éliane de Lencquesaing, Bordeaux-born, former owner of Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande, who purchased Glenelly in 2003. The wine at $57 is, of course, not inexpensive, but in context is surely sharp value. “South African bargains just keep coming,” David writes. “It sports generous red and blackcurrant, tobacco, cedar and fresh herbs, which has me thinking roast lamb.” But don’t limit yourself to just lamb — any holiday classics will do, from brisket to Turkey, or maybe flash your culinary breadth with something like a Moroccan-Spiced eggplant and tomato stew.

Sweets

I know sweet wine consumption is down pretty much worldwide, but if ever there’s an appropriate time to indulge, it’s during the holidays, gathered with friends and family for a sweet treat. Both Sara and Megha were taken by the Arnaud De Villeneuve 10-Year-Old Grande Réserve Ambré Rivesaltes, ($31.95), a rare sighting of this vin doux naturelle from the Roussillon in Ontario. Megha says it’s

“a lovely wine to indulge in during the holiday season, warm and luscious, yet balanced, with delectable flavours of toffee, burnt caramel, spice, and dried fruit.” A fortified wine at 16 percent alcohol, Sara describes it as having the richness of an icewine, “but is less acidic, creating considerable volume and oiliness.” Both suggest serving it with cheese (and paté) or sipping it by itself, lightly chilled, late into the night.

And if you’re trying to reduce your alcohol consumption, you needn’t sip only tea at the end of the meal. A much lighter sweet alternative to the above is Selbach Oster’s Noble R Riesling Beerenauslese 2018 from the Mosel in Germany ($49.95). It’s a marvellous reminder of just how beautiful late harvest riesling from the Mosel can be, from an arch-classic producer. And at just 8.5 percent alcohol, the physical imposition is not too much; it will refresh the palate and mind after a long, sumptuous dinner. I’d also find it ideal for afternoon sipping with biscuits when friends pop around for some holiday cheer.

These are just some of our suggestions for you holiday gatherings. See the buyers’ guide below for the full list.

Updating Wine Tasting Terminology: Old World/New World
Starting in 2024, the CMS-A [Court of Master Sommeliers-America] the organization that “sets the global standard of excellence for beverage service within the hospitality industry” and “advances the beverage profession through education, mentorship, and credentialing, elevating the beverage and hospitality experience for all” will no longer use the terms “Old World” and “New World” in their published educational courses and examination grids.

It used to be very common to hear wine experts refer to old world wines — those essentially from Europe — and new world wines — those from just about everywhere else — as almost two separate categories of wine altogether. The perceived stylistic differences were thought to be obvious enough to merit general separation. But now, according to CMS-A, the decision to drop the distinction decision “is driven by the commitment to uphold historical accuracy, eliminate cultural bias, and acknowledge the growing challenge of distinguishing between “Old World” and “New World” wines,” as a recent letter to the student community states. “Our goal is to align our tasting process with the dynamic wine landscape and evolving styles.”

“The Deductive Tasting Method’s initial conclusions,” continues the letter, which formerly included guessing whether a wine originated in Europe or somewhere else, “will now emphasize a data-driven approach, incorporating theory, typicity knowledge, and cause-and-effect analysis.” But for those of you still caught up in the world divide, fear not. Points during blind tasting examinations will not be deducted should you mention a world, but neither will it earn points any longer. My advice: Describe the wine as it presents in the glass as accurately as possible, and with enough practice and experience, a logical conclusion will follow. Click below for the updated tasting grid.

CMS-A ADVANCED AND MASTER SOMMELIER DEDUCTIVE TASTING FORMAT-2024

Vinequity Scholarships

Vinequity is a federally incorporated not-for-profit organization founded by seven female wine professionals of colour. The organization has three main stated objectives: 1) to host a public online directory of Black, Indigenous and People of Colour (BIPOC) in the Canadian wine industry; 2) to raise funds and award scholarships to BIPOC applicants wishing to further their wine industry careers in Canada; 3) to provide advocacy, resources and support to marginalized people who have experienced barriers to advancing within Canada’s wine community.

I have been involved in the Vinequity mentorship program since its inception in 2020 and have found it very rewarding on many levels. Many of Canada’s top wine professionals have also participated. To date, 60 mentees have gone through the program.

You can support this program and contribute to building a diverse community in the Canadian beverage industry through a donation to the Vinequity Scholarship fund. The organization has recently partnered with Veritas Charity Services to manage donations and provide charitable tax receipts (for U.S. donors too). Eighty-nine percent of donations goes directly to recipients. Read more about the program in this press release. Donate to the scholarship fund on the Veritas website using “Vinequity” as the account name.

Buyer’s Guide December 2: Whites

Viña Mayor Verdejo 2021, Rueda, Spain
$18.95, Hanna Neal Wine Merchants Inc.
John Szabo – Here’s your house white for holiday parties, a fruity and flavourful, immediately attractive example of Rueda, a region with an outsized capacity to deliver value and certainly the case here. It’s exotic enough to intrigue the punters, simply delicious to everyone else.

Château La Nerthe Les Cassagnes De La Nerthe Côtes Du Rhône-Villages 2022, Rhône, France
$26.95 Woodman Wines & Spirits
David Lawrason – What a sensational value from a revered Châteauneuf-du-Pape house. A gently oaked, exotic blend of four principal whites of the Cotes-du-Rhone — viognier, grenache blanc, roussanne and marsanne — this has the grace to elevate any holiday table, especially creamy seafood and poultry dishes. It is quite rich and profound yet possesses admirable finesse and minerality as well.
John Szabo – An excellent option when you want to step it up a bit, especially at the table when serving richer seafood dishes, white meats or creamy cheeses. The respected La Nerthe name will also resonate with French wine lovers, while the full-bodied, full-flavoured wine will satisfy everyone. There’s so much going on here.
Megha Jandhyala – Ripe, rich, and warm, with flavours of plush stone fruit and citrus peel, this Côtes du Rhône Villages blanc is delicious, inviting and immediately satisfying. I find the opulence of its palate especially captivating, making it an appropriate accompaniment to a late winter afternoon, perhaps whilst one is prepping for a holiday gathering. Moreover, it is certified organic and represents great value.

Greywacke Sauvignon Blanc 2022, Marlborough, New Zealand
$26.95 Connexion Oenophilia
David Lawrason – I would make this pristine, precise and chiselled sauvignon blanc the opening gambit to an elegant holiday soiree. It will set a lively tone with its classic flint, fresh herbs and citrus notes. It is medium bodied, balanced on a pinhead, crisp yet generous.
Megha Jandhyala – Greywacke’s sauvignon blanc is elegant and complex, poised in equilibrium between fruit and herbaceous notes, richness and zesty acids. I also like the ephemeral sensation of bubbles on the palate. Pair it with hors d’oeuvres of all kinds, from gougères to spring rolls and samosas.
Sara d’Amato – Named after Marlborough’s most abundant bedrock, Greywacke is made by Cloudy Bay’s former winemaker and reputed photographer, Kevin Judd. This nervy sauvignon has a dignified persona yet still with volume and unrestrained complexity. Its palate features flinty minerality in the face of plushness. A stylish find that punches higher than its price class.

Santa Rita Floresta Chardonnay 2021, Do Valle Del Limarí, Chile
$27.95 Icon Fine Wine And Spirits Corp.
John Szabo – This wine combines an attractive, stylish exterior with an equally stylish interior (the label and the wine), a smoky-flinty, minerally chardonnay in the post-modern idiom. Excite skeptics by mentioning that the Limarì Valley is one of the very few places in Chile that has active limestone (chardonnay drinkers will love to hear this) along with a genuinely cool, fog-flushed climate. Floresta for me remains one of Santa Rita’s most exciting ranges in terms of quality/regionality/price considerations.
Sara d’Amato – This Limari-grown chardonnay has a distinctive chalkiness, and a savory quality that is reminiscent of sauvignon blanc yet with more body and weight. With notable elegance, purity and sense of place, this new world chardonnay is characterful with a pervasive finish and a sophisticated disposition.

Vincent De La Remondière Les Fourchaume Chablis 1er Cru 2020, Burgundy, France
$51.95 Connexion Oenophilia
David Lawrason – Fourchaume, in my view, is the best of the 1er cru vineyards of Chablis, producing unoaked chardonnays of real class and elegance. It is medium weight, silken and effortless, with a gently mineral finish. The length is excellent. Make this the centre piece white of a formal dining occasion.

On Seven The Pursuit Chardonnay 2019 Niagara-On-The-Lake Ontario, Canada
$48.00 On Seven Estate Winery
John Szabo – A premium Niagara chardonnay from a relatively new, highly ambitious project aimed at The Top Level, On Seven’s “The Pursuit” Will Make An Impression On Your Most Discerning Guests During A more formal, sit-down meal. I’m thinking boiled or roasted lobster and butter with this texturally rich wine.

Buyer’s Guide December 2: Red

Famille Perrin Nature Côtes Du Rhône 2021 Rhône, France
$18.95 Charton Hobbs Inc.
John Szabo – And here’s your house red for large gatherings, a foolproof combination of smooth, easy-drinking, widely appealing wine, matched to a well-known and respected region and producer, the Perrin Family of Château de Beaucastel fame. Did I mention it’s also certified organic?
Megha Jandhyala – Fresh and supple, brimming with plump red fruit, pepper, garrigue, and the perfume of violets, this is a delightfully easy-to-enjoy, unpretentious wine. At under $20, I would pour this widely appealing, certified organic Côtes du Rhône at large holiday parties, paired with some salty proteins to soften its slightly assertive tannins.

Camille Cayran La Grande Réserve Cairanne Côtes Du Rhône Villages 2020, Rhône, France
$18.95, Louis Charles Agency
Megha Jandhyala – A delicious compote of red and dark fruit, garnished with garrigue and black pepper, this is a ripe, warm, plush red blend. It is inexpensive and unassuming, yet likely to charm widely, making it a solid addition to the bar at large get-togethers this holiday season.
Sara d’Amato – From the Cave de Cairanne, this important cooperative in the Cru is now comprised of 65 winegrowers that focus on low-intervention winemaking and chemical-free farming. This example is delightfully peppery, shows freshness in the face of ripeness and features a lengthy floral finish. Moderately complex, but for the price, this is an undeniable charmer.

Montes Alpha Special Cuvée Cabernet Sauvignon 2020, DO Valle De Colchagua
$22.95, Profile Wine Group (Vin Vino)
Megha Jandhyala – If you are looking for a ready-to-drink, bold and flavourful cabernet sauvignon-led blend, perhaps for a protein-heavy meal that includes barbecued foods, this is a solid choice. It is warm, full and slightly sweet, layered with intense flavours of lush dark fruit, spice, forest floor, and herbs.

Tierras De Armenia Karas Red Blend 2020, Armavir Region, Ararat Valley, Armenia
$22.95 Kevork Kataroyan
John Szabo – I find it’s always both fun and satisfying to introduce guests to something, and somewhere new — and this year, a top option is this red blend from Armenia. You can mention that this little-known wine-producing nation boasts the oldest “winery” in the world, the Areni-1 cave dating back 6200 years, even if the modern wine industry is just getting started. Karas is a well-funded project with Argentine-Armenian roots (the same family owns Bodegas Fin del Mundo in Patagonia), farming a wide variety of both international and indigenous varieties in their Ararat Valley vineyards at over 1000 metres in rocky volcanic soils. It’s a viticulture of extremes. This contains syrah, malbec and cabernet franc in a compelling ensemble with complexity exceeding expectations at the price.
Sara d’Amato – I’m not the only critic who took note of this Armenian assemblage or syrah, malbec and cabernet franc sourced from the volcanic soils at the base of Mt. Ararat. Not to be missed, this aromatic, savory blend features dried laurel, an abundance of well ripened red fruit, wildflower, licorice and wet stone on its compelling palate.

Catena Agrelo Cabernet Sauvignon 2020, Mendoza, Argentina
$22.95 Noble Estates Wines and Spirits
Sara d’Amato – An enchanting cabernet sauvignon and a steal at this price. Brimming with fruit-derived spice and botanicals, even non-cab lovers will find joy in this well-priced find from the well-respected Catena family. Feature’s structure, substance and length well above the mean with an Eco-Responsible certification.

Nicolas Potel Fleurie 2022, Beaujolais, France
$23.95 Trajectory Beverage Partners
David Lawrason – I once served a Fleurie during a serious dinner in Beaune, and the sommelier was mortified. “But monsieur, this is a lunch wine!” he exclaimed. So, if serving up a casual lunch during the holidays, perhaps leftover turkey, chill a bottle or two of this fine, almost succulent, gamay. It has all the trimmings with ripe cherry, lilac and subtle peppery spice, very fine acidity and minerality.
Sara d’Amato – This Bojo Cru is easy to get behind with its lively and floral expression of Fleurie that is clean, structurally sound and notably typical. Fine-grained tannins and a gentle oak treatment keep the wine’s playful nature in check.

Monte Del Frà Tenuta Lena Di Mezzo Valpolicella Ripasso Classico Superiore 2020, Veneto, Italy
$28.95 Signature Wines & Spirits
Sara d’Amato – Admittedly, Ripasso Valpolicella is not a go-to for me for weeknight glass but here is a captivating find I enjoyed even more than the last time I tasted. Featuring raspberry-bramble, red plum and candied cherry, this clean and rather upbeat wine avoids the bitterness that can sometimes be an issue with doubly extracted skins made in the style. A touch meaty but mostly fruity and notably sapid.

Travaglini Gattinara 2019 Piedmont, Italy
$37.95 S. Schiralli Agencies Ltd.
John Szabo –Travaglini’s classic Gattinara from northern Piedmont is a wine to consider for more elegant occasions, especially when serving guest most likely to have overlooked the region in favour of more famous Barolo and Barbaresco. It takes on an extra dimension of complexity and finesse in the great 2019 vintage, leading here to a nebbiolo of silky texture and perfume, delicacy and elegance.

Greystone Pinot Noir 2019, Wairapara Valley, North Canterbury
$43.95, Noble Estates Wines & Spirits Inc.
Megha Jandhyala – Greystone’s pleasantly restrained pinot noir is silky and well-integrated. I like the balanced oak flavours interlaced with perfectly ripe red fruit, herbs, and pepper. Pour this at a holiday reception or serve it with a vegetarian meal, like mushroom risotto.

Iona One Man Band Red 2018, Elgin, South Africa
$43.95 Nicholas Pearce Wines
David Lawrason – Everyone knows a one-man band, so now you know what wine to give him this year. This is an unusual blend of syrah, edgy yet fragrant petit verdot and mourvèdre with some viognier. It is full bodied, broad and hefty with alcohol power and warmth, and all kinds of spice and garrigue on the finish. This is really well designed, if on the fringe for some except the one-man band.

Glenelly Lady May Cabernet Sauvignon 2017

Glenelly Lady May 2017, Stellenbosch, South Africa
$55.95 Vin Vino Wine Merchants
David Lawrason – South African bargains just keep coming. This is a sophisticated, generous and approachable cabernet sauvignon with small portions of cab franc and petit verdot. It sports a generous red and blackcurrant, tobacco, cedar and fresh herbs, which has me thinking roast lamb. Really finely pointed and authentic.
John Szabo – Bordeaux inspired and influenced Glenelly has always crafted wine in a reserved style, with notable finesse and sophistication. Lady May is the flagship estate wine, named for proprietor May-Éliane de Lencquesaing, Bordeaux-born, former owner of Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande, who purchased Glenelly in 2003. Pedigree as such for this classic cabernet sauvignon-based blend with 6 percent cabernet franc and 4 percent petit verdot, could hardly be better. In terms of value, this would be hard to beat alongside that roast rack of lamb or crown roast centrepiece.

33354 Montes Wings Carmenère 2019, Apalta, Colchagua Valley, Chile
$67.95 Vin Vino Wine Merchants
David Lawrason – This is an ideal gift for someone just starting to build an eclectic and still affordable wine collection. Wings is a new carmenère label positioned just below the famed Purple Angel, which is now $100. It has an explosive nose of cassis, menthol, violet and finely etched wood spice. It is full bodied, dense yet elegant with warmth and sweetness. The length is excellent to outstanding. Decant and drink or hold up to ten years.
John Szabo – The Montes Wings Carmenère was “born out of a long-running dispute between Aurelio Montes Senior and his son. While the former won plaudits with the opulent Purple Angel Carmenère, Aurelio Jr. looked to establish a more free-flowing style. Wings is the result.” So says the website. Free flowing, I interpret as meaning a post-modern style, which is to say lighter, less creamy-woody and ripe, more in line with the direction that other top producers have taken of late. Like Purple Angel, it’s made with grapes from Montes’s Apalta vineyard, Chilean epicenter for the grape, planted in granite soils. It’s blended with 15 percent Cabernet Franc for an extra bit of lift, florality and acidity. While I’m still of fan of Purple Angel, I’m really happy with the direction that this wine has taken, a Chilean signature that you might offer to a friend stuck in a European wine rut. Best now to 2029 or so.

Le Ragose Amarone Della Valpolicella Classico Reserva 2011, Veneto, Italy
$76.95 Carpe Vinum International
David Lawrason – At 12 years of age this is showing delicious, almost youthful vitality, and it is not too heavy. It is a tumult of complex fruits, florals and meaty and truffle notes. The 16 percent alcohol is surprisingly tame, texture is quite gracious, the length excellent. Should work beautifully with a wintry beef and mushroom stew or pot pie.
John Szabo – It would be a real treat to pour this gorgeous, mature Amarone after dinner with dark chocolate, dried nuts or hard cheeses one cold holiday evening to warm the hearts of your guests. Indeed, warmth nears the level of tawny port (16 percent alcohol), while the complex flavour profile is also similarly reminiscent, minus of course the sweetness. This is textbook Amarone.

Buyer’s Guide December 2: Sweet Wines

Arnaud De Villeneuve 10 Year Old Grande Réserve Ambré Rivesaltes

Arnaud De Villeneuve 10 Year Old Grande Réserve Ambré Rivesaltes, Languedoc, France
$31.95 BanQPay International
Megha Jandhyala – Here is a rare opportunity to try a “vin doux naturel” from the village of Rivesaltes in Roussillon. This is a lovely wine to indulge in during the holiday season, warm and luscious, yet balanced, with delectable flavours of toffee, burnt caramel, spice, and dried fruit. Pair it with creamy cheeses like Brie, baked with nuts and dried fruit, or sip it by itself, lightly chilled.
Sara d’Amato – You might not have guessed it, but the southeastern French growing region of Rivesaltes in Roussillon is France’s largest sweet-wine producing area. This “ambré” style wine is oxidatively aged assemblage of grenache and macabeo that has been fortified to 16 percent. It has the richness of an icewine but is less acidic creating considerable volume and oiliness. In juxtaposition, the upbeat botanical elements, slight volatility, and salinity work together giving dynamic tension to the palate. Serve it alongside a cheese and paté platter late into the night.

Pannon Tokaj 5 Puttonyos Tokaji Aszú 2014 (500ml) 2014

Pannon Tokaj 5 Puttonyos Tokaji Aszú 2014, Hungary
$41.95 Egovino Inc.
John Szabo – I know sweet wine consumption is down pretty much worldwide, but if ever there’s an appropriate time, it’s during the holidays gathered with friends and family for a sweet treat. There’s plenty of classic botrytis flavours in Pannon’s 2014 5p, sweet but not overly, balanced by those typical regional Tokaji acids and volcanic salty-mineral notes.

Selbach Oster Noble R Riesling Beerenauslese 2018 Mosel, Germany
$49.95 Trialto Wine Group Ltd.
John Szabo – This is a marvellous reminder of just how beautiful late harvest riesling from the Mosel can be. And at just 8.5 percent alcohol, the physical imposition is not too much, ideal for an afternoon sip with biscuits when friends pop around, or to refresh the palate and mind after a long, sumptuous dinner. The flavours will reverberate with you for minutes, hours, until the next day. Really irresistibly delicious.

From all of us at WineAlign, we wish you a safe and happy holiday season with gatherings galore.