With the sounds of “All I Want For Christmas” and Michael Bublé echoing from every mall speaker across the country, it can only mean one thing. It’s time to start prepping for Christmas! To help you through this holiday season, we’ll be sharing our Best Wines for Christmas 2016!
Scroll down to the bottom for ideas for last minute gifts and a guide to planning out the number of bottles you’ll need for your Holiday Bash!
First Pour Wine’s Best Wines for Christmas 2016 (90+)
Wagner Caywood East Vineyard Riesling 2014 (94) – A contender for our wine of the year, Wagner Caywood East Vineyard Riesling is an elegant and bright mix of perfumed nectarines, lines, honey, and apricots. The flavors burst forth with shimmering acidity and delicate floral notes.
Wagner Riesling Ice 2014 (93) – While not a match for dinner, this sweet dessert wine is full of amazingly ripe fruit flavors ranging from apples to pineapples to peaches. The sweetness is well balanced with the bright acidity to avoid it being cloying.
Bonterra Zinfandel 2014 (91) – Packed with intense blueberries and blackberries, it weaves an elegant dance with plums, raspberries, and spice. The finish has an excellent mulled characteristic, refined tannin, and concentrated dark fruits.
Xanadu DJL Chardonnay 2013 (91) – Oaked Chardonnay lovers rejoice, Xanadu is potential paradise for you. Lively, yet full and round, it strikes a balance with pear, lemon, and white peaches against a backdrop of spiced cream and smoke.
Alma de los Andes Reserva Malbec 2012 (90) – Blueberries and black plum are the backbone here, and are complimented with spice, floral notes, and a smooth texture and finish.
Great for the Table and Gifts (80+)
Graham’s Six Grapes Reserve Port (89) – Firm and fleshy, this port is loaded with jammy blackberries and prunes. Notes of smoke, chocolate, and burnt coffee work in tandem with subtle sweetness to deliver a robust, flavorful wine.
Bila-Haut Côtes Du Roussillon Villages 2013 (89) – The 2014 vintage just made one of Wine Spectator’s Top 100 Wines for 2016, and the 2013 is pretty great itself. A smooth texture and firm body carry flavors of black cherries, boysenberries, licorice, and spicy earth notes. A refined tannic ending rounds things out for a long finish.
Dark Horse Big Red Blend (86) – Made from seemingly half the grapes most people can name, Dark Horse delivers a big red wine in spades. Blackberries, black currants, cherries, smoke, coffee, and chocolate all make their presence known and highlight great flavors.
Concannon Petite Sirah 2014 (85) – Full and firm, it packs a beautiful punch of concentrated blackberries, blueberries, and cherries. Spice and vanilla join in, and a moderately tannic ending keeps it food friendly.
Grignano Chianti Rufina 2011 (84) – Earthy and bone dry, the dark fruit flavors are concentrated in this Chianti. Plenty of spice notes, hints of sun-dried fruit, and syrupy balsamic layer well behind a lively palate.
Barkan Vineyards Chardonnay 2014 (80) – Need a Kosher wine, but don’t want to jump on Mani? Featuring golden apples and papayas, it has hints of nectarine, lemon, and pear with hints of salinity. If you prefer red, check out their Cabernet Sauvignon (87)
Almost on the Naughty List (70+)
Cháteau Moulin Lafitte Bordeaux 2014 (75) – This Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Cabernet Franc Bordeaux blend has some nice dark fruit flavors, while simultaneously being a little green, especially toward the green pepper side. Lots of tannins are here as well.
Lumps of Coal (Below 70)
Fortunately, no lumps of coal this year!
Other Things to Drink (Not Rated):
Manischewitz Blackberry – Want something sweeter than wine? Check out Manischewitz Blackberry, which tastes just like sweetened blackberries (and is made from 100% blackberries).
Gifts for the Wine Lover in Your Life
If you’re still looking for just the right thing for the wine lover in your life, check out our Wine Lover’s Gift Guide. Personal favorites include our First Pour Wine Wine Charms, the Belted Bull Wine Opener, and the Oster Electric Opener.
As a reminder, if you don’t have time to ship, subscription services, like Vinebox, can make great gifts!
How many bottles should I buy for my party?
To figure out the number of bottles you’ll need, use the following formula:
# of Bottle for Holiday Party = (# of guests drinking wine x # hours for the party) ÷ 5
For example, a five guest party going for 4 hours would want to have four bottles of wine. If the party had ten guests, you’d want to buy eight bottles.
Finally, please remember to get your DD something nice, and drink responsibly!
Got questions about wines for the holidays? Let us know in the comments, and have a happy holiday!