Red Wine Recommendation – Xmas Dinner
 

I know we have a plethora of wine knowledge on here... so Help!

Was invited by a friends family over for Xmas dinner and was looking to bring a bottle of red wine over as a present. Can anyone recommend a red that would pair well with roast turkey in the $100 range? Can be from any region.

Thanks,
SmileWavy

For turkey I prefer pinot noir. Here are some really good ones in the tier you mentioned.

Williams Selyem 2010 30th Anniversary Cuvée Estate Vineyard, $125
J. Rochioli 2011 West Block, $100
Paul Hobbs 2011 Katherine Lindsay Estate, $85

AMON-Ra by Ben Glaetzer is a nice Shiraz from Australia.. should run USD$90 ... bought a few of these for a recent party in HI .. Heres a LINK to the product / winery :
Glaetzer Wines | Barossa Valley


US Distributor :
Epicurean Wines
811 First Avenue, Suite 360
Seattle
Washington 98104 USA
www.epicureanwines.com

Happy to toss in my two pence.

You start off with a price, without talking about the audience. For some, a $100 Pinot is a great day, for others they are wondering why you don't have four bottles of something else...

For Pinot, then we need to know if you trend towards the Burgundy spectrum or to that syrupy cr@p getting big points (my preference just bled through).

It also depends if you need some name recognition (Like faverymi mentioned, or Littorai, Calera) or under the radar "in the know" wines. If they are burg hounds, then I can set you up. Our wines fit the price point, we have something more affordable. Point of reference, ours are on If they are not pinot lovers, then go for Malbec, inexpensive and always a crowd pleaser.

Don

Edit - you said as a present. So scratch comment about four bottles of Malbec. Question is if you want a trophy or a palate pleaser.

I also think a pinot noir. But you don't have to spend that sort of money to get an excellent one. Talk to the person in the bottle store and see what they recommend. The great thing about a pinot noir is they are easy to drink. Nice and light. Maybe test drive a few few before the big day.

I'm currently drinking one called Duck Hunter. It's got a picture of a duck carrying a gun on his back LOL It's one of the best I've had and it's $23 a bottle.

I'd still show up with a Malbec. To drink.

I love looking to Spain, Argentina, etc for great drinking wines that are inexpensive. Even an aglianico from Italy.

Thanks for all the replies guys.

I know that the parents are both huge Noir fans since there is almost always a bottle of Mark West pinot noir open when I visit.

I am a huge fan of Malbecs, but I did that last xmas... I brought back 6 bottles with me from Argentina.

Don,
Do you have a website where I could purchase? I think it would be neat to go through a pelican. Hopefully you could explain a little about the wine?

Are the friends wine drinkers? Maybe they have a preference?

I am not much of a wine drinker, but when I do get a glass with dinner I also like Malbec or Pinot Noir (in that order).

Personally, I can't taste the difference between a $40 bottle wine and a $100 bottle. Maybe you should bring a couple bottles to drink instead. :)

G

It's good to see that I am not the only one . . . :D

The biggest problem is always buying a wine that is ready to drink now. Houston Wine Merchant has this Rioja: 2005 Murrieta Ygay Rioja Gran Reserva Esp $89.99 It would drink well now & for the next 10 years.

Ian

I hope Don doesn't mind my posting this... but having just received his newsletter with the new store website, i figure it's ok.

Soliste
https://store.soliste.com/?method=pages.showPage&PageID=94FB3E15-C3CE-7AA5-1194-50830467B601&originalMarketingURL=Wines

Are you flying back home or staying in Bkfld for the holidays. If hanging around town maybe plan a road trip over the hills and hit up some of the Santa Ynez/ Paso Robles wineries. Sanford, Eberle, Foxen, Rancho Sisquoc, etc all have some good reds. Sanford has a few multi bottle gift packs: Pinot Noir

Cakebread Cabernet Sauvignon. That's all you need to know.

There is some kickass vino from all over the world. That said, Texas has some oddball laws about buying wine from out of state, or did when I lived there.

I personally tend to get Northern California wines. When I lived in Texas, some of the wine clubs would not ship to Texas. I don't go for whites as much, but they match up with a lot of holiday meals. There are a lot of Merlot and Cab Sauv wines that I really dig from Napa and Sonoma too.

Cakebread makes a fine Chardonnay too. For reds I like Clos du Val, Silverado, Duckhorn, you can make a long list. Can't miss with Opus

Gonna be an '05 Burrowing Owl Syrah, here.
Don't even care if it doesn't quite match up with the turkey.
I don't even like turkey. : )

^^^ Excellent choice!

For red on Christmas we will be pouring Cedar Creek Platinum Reserve Pinot Noir. I am not a big Pinot fan, but our guests enjoy it, which is important when choosing what to serve....

this chateau margaux

You can get a 2009 Silver Oak Cab for right around $100.

I tend to buy Chianti and let it age in the bottle. I would be much more impressed when celebrating baby Jesus if you showed up with a good wine from a better vintage year. Like our P-cars, they get better with age. I have some 6-9 year old bottles that are amazing.

I have never had the pleasure of Pinot Noir from Don's premium Soliste label but they sound like excellent Burgundy-style complex reds that would certainly please true wine lovers. One hitch is that typically the more complex the character, the better to allow it to fully develop over time. I think it is a felony in some regions in France to uncork a Pinot before it's 5th birthday. I have 4 bottles from Burgundy France that are waiting patiently for their 2017 uncorking.

Don can confirm or correct me on this but I would probably be shopping for a 2009-2010 vintage to put on the table this year for Christmas. If we are going to enjoy a premium Calif wine, might as well allow it to fully develop. For a simpler Pinot more along the lines of a nice $12 table wine, no waiting is necessary. It will never develop beyond it's simple direct character.

Some Soliste 2009-2010 are still available:
http://www.wine-searcher.com/find/soliste+cellars+north+coast+california+usa/1/usa-ca