12 Ways to Stay Ho-ho-Happy this Holiday Season: Pour Favor’s 12 Wines of Christmas!

For some people it’s all about getting through the holidays. Others embrace the season with aplomb. For wine lovers, it doesn’t matter which camp you fall into! Wine served is a life lived well. One of our clients couldn’t have agreed more, inviting us to consult on some holiday wine selections for them. The line-up was so worthy, we thought we would impart a little Christmas cheer by sharing with you, too! And so we bring to you Pour Favor’s 12 Wines of Christmas. Consider the holidays saved!

On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me gentle rosé bubbles! Domaine Robert Serol’s “Turbullent” vin rose festif et petillant is as festive, lively and lovely as it sounds, featuring 100% Gamay. It’s earthy yet bright, red-fruited nature combined with just a touch of effervescence is the perfect thing to get you in the holiday spirit. Pop cork, trim tree!

On the second day of Christmas my true love gave to me single vineyard Carmenere and gentle rosé bubbles! Oveja Negra’s Maule Valley single vineyard Carmenere is one of our favorite single-varietal wines of the year. Robust and pure, this dark, smooth and brooding yet lifted wine is buoyed by Chilean earth and finishes with a dark chocolate espresso note. Sip and savor with the homemade fudge your neighbor dropped by – and relish looking at your trimmed tree.

On the third day of Christmas my true love gave to me Cali Grignolino(?!), single vineyard Carmenere and gentle rosé bubbles! ‘Tis always the season to embrace the wierdos, and Heitz Cellar’s Napa Grignolino is certainly that - until we saw/tasted this wine we didn’t know they were even cultivating this grape in California, one traditionally grown (in limited quantities) in Piedmont, Italy. After last night’s fudge fest, you’ll relish this charming, lighter-bodied, silky, slightly fertile wine with baking spices on the finish. Put out the bowl of imported strawberries and dive in!

On the fourth day of Christmas my true love gave to me Muri-Gries Mueller-Thurgau, Cali Grignolino(?!), single vineyard Carmenere and gentle rosé bubbles! A Riesling and Sylvaner hybrid grape, Mueller Thurgau is a gift in and of itself as opulent freshness is buoyed by all the main apple varieties - red, yellow and even tart green – and a thrilling herbal component comes into play. Tough day wrapping up projects at work before the end of the year? No worries! This killer white will tickle your tinsel-time fancy!

On the fifth day of Christmas my true love gave to me Montecucco Sangiovese, Muri-Gries Mueller-Thurgau, Cali Grignolino(?!), single vineyard Carmenere and gentle rosé bubbles! With just one week ‘til Santa is nigh you’ll need something with power and elegance to give you a mental timeout while you start wrapping presents. Sink your teeth into Campi Nuovi’s Montecucc Sangiovese and call it done! This unfiltered, organic certified wine is Old World bliss: blackberry and cherry tang are composed by worn leather and fresh earth. You’ll be mid-bow-tying and having a ‘damn! That’s good’ moment. Promise.

On the sixth day of Christmas my true love gave to me awesome Austrian Pinot Noir, Montecucco Sangiovese, Muri-Gries Mueller-Thurgau, Cali Grignolino(?!), single vineyard Carmenere and gentle rosé bubbles! After all that wrapping you’re thinking how much you’ve spent this month and wondering how you’re going to keep drinking well without breaking the bank. Enter Johanneshof Reinisch Pinot Noir. We’ll let this one speak for itself. It’s that good!

On the seventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me limited Napa Cab Franc, awesome Austrian Pinot Noir, Montecucco Sangiovese, Muri-Gries Mueller-Thurgau, Cali Grignolino(?!), single vineyard Carmenere and gentle rosé bubbles! Tonight you’re ordering pizza and uncorking a really special bottle to enjoy all on your own (partner optional). You’re so excited about it you even have the presence of mind to uncork before you head out the door to work. And why wouldn’t you be? Only 3 barrels of Hendry Blocks 9D & 26 Napa Cabernet Franc were made – and your true love was lucky enough to score one and smart enough to squirrel it away for you. Tonight Christmas comes early!

On the eighth day of Christmas my true love gave to me the best rosé in the world, limited Napa Cab Franc, awesome Austrian Pinot Noir, Montecucco Sangiovese, Muri-Gries Mueller-Thurgau, Cali Grignolino(?!), single vineyard Carmenere and gentle rosé bubbles! Tavel from the Rhone could rival Provence for historic rosé recognition. Here we are talking about wines that are outstanding when fresh, and mesmerizing when they have a little bit of age on them. Chateau d'Aqueria hits the genre out of the vineyard with a generous, winter-ready body, mineral-rich purity, lovely flowers (violets and roses alike) and a light spice note. Get out your charcuterie board and call it a casual night in while the family comes over the river and the through the woods to your house.

On the ninth day of Christmas my true love gave to me Bordeaux, the best rosé in the world, limited Napa Cab Franc, awesome Austrian Pinot Noir, Montecucco Sangiovese, Muri-Gries Mueller-Thurgau, Cali Grignolino(?!), single vineyard Carmenere and gentle rosé bubbles! It’s now Sunday night and you’ve been cultivating your beef stew in the slow-cooker all day while you were out doing last minute stocking-stuffer shopping. Fortunately you’re true love knew a good Bordeaux would be the perfect match! Chateau Bourbon la Chapelle offers all of the flinty magic of the Médoc, with graphite and tea adding interest to an otherwise pretty, black-fruited wine that’s not weighed down by wood-aging. Could Santa be your true love?!

On the tenth day of Christmas my true love gave to me a crazy Spanish red, Bordeaux, the best rosé in the world, limited Napa Cab Franc, awesome Austrian Pinot Noir, Montecucco Sangiovese, Muri-Gries Mueller-Thurgau, Cali Grignolino(?!), single vineyard Carmenere and gentle rosé bubbles! We all know Santa makes it to all ends of the earth on his sled, so it’s only natural to channel his exploration sensibilities this time of year. Anima Negra’s AN2 is mesmerizing, kind of like Rudolph’s nose. Hailing from Majorca, Spain, you don't see these too often, either! A blend of Callet, Mantonegre-Fogoneu and Syrah grapes it opens with floral aromas, and graces the palate with ripe, round red raspberry fruit flavors. It is refreshing yet firm, soft but juicy. It says, “Snuggle up to that roaring fire with me in your glass!”

On the eleventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me White Burgundy, a crazy Spanish red, Bordeaux, the best rosé in the world, limited Napa Cab Franc, awesome Austrian Pinot Noir, Montecucco Sangiovese, Muri-Gries Mueller-Thurgau, Cali Grignolino(?!), single vineyard Carmenere and gentle rosé bubbles! For us seeing the Sugar Plum Fairy’s solo is a highlight to beheld this time of year – her grace, elegance and memorable strength and presence can’t be beat. The wine equivalent of this experience is Domaine Bachelet-Monnot’s Bourgogne blanc. Christmas Eve you’ll want to bring out something this magical. Uncork and hear the bells!

On the twelth day of Christmas my true love gave to me sexy Nebbiolo, White Burgundy, a crazy Spanish red, Bordeaux, the best rosé in the world, limited Napa Cab Franc, awesome Austrian Pinot Noir, Montecucco Sangiovese, Muri-Gries Mueller-Thurgau, Cali Grignolino(?!), single vineyard Carmenere and gentle rosé bubbles! Christmas can’t come without Nebbiolo being in the mix. And while many gravitate first (among the elite Piedmontese styles) to Barolo, our heart is aflutter with the more feminine Barbaresco. Ca’ del Baio’s revered cru “Asili” vineyard Barbaresco is one of our favorites in particular, offering pedigree (fine tannins and varietal zip) and panache as mulled cherry notes meet herbal lift in a generous and open package. Merriment indeed!

And with that, we wish you Happy Holidays from all of us at Pour Favor!

Fun in the sun - with red wine!

It's summer in the city and yet I am drinking just about equal parts red, white and rose. What gives? The temperature - of my red wines, that is! Talking to people every day about wine I know there is a misconception out there that red wine shouldn't go in the fridge. Believe me when I tell you that's far from the truth. Personally speaking, I've found the notion is reinforced when you go out to eat. More often than not if you go to a nice restaurant they are missing the mark with the temperature they serve their wines; it is a challenge for them to keep their glass pours cold enough because they are often refilling glasses or uncorking new bottles and the wine either never goes back into the wine fridge due to the turnover, or it comes from too warm a place on the shelf behind the bar where it is easily accessible.

At home you have the 'luxury' of getting it right. Remember, nowadays room temp is higher than it used to be. And in the summer that's even higher! My house sits at about 80 degrees during the day. My cellar is around 72 degrees in the summer. Red wine (depending on the grape and region it comes from) shouldn't really be served higher than 60 degrees! Here's a chart which breaks it down fairly well.

If you're wondering if it really matters at the end of the day, it does. A wine that's served too warm is wearing a mask - none of its personality has a chance to show let alone shine. Wake up the wine by simply putting it in the fridge for 20 or 30 minutes to get it to serving temperature. That's about the time it takes me to kick off my shoes after my day, flip through the mail and get dinner started. All you have to do is grab the bottle off the rack and get it in the fridge before you start your Unwinding Process!

Of course, there are also wines that fall into the "Chillable Reds" category. These wines don't just loose their mask they virtually frollick in the glass once they get the 40 minute fridge treatment! Beaujolais (France - grape type: Gamay) and Loire Valley Cabernet Franc are fans of a little enclosed "AC" aka your fridge; Nebbiolo, Barbera, Sangiovese, Sciava and Frappato are Italian grapes that are also chill-loving; Spanish Tempranillo that hasn't seen a lot of oak mind it either. If you are entertaining grab the chill bucket and give the wine an ice bath for 10 minutes and you are good to go. Refill the bucket with ice and let your guests enjoy the good life - and learn a new trick!

Another way to cope with short-change wine month

Do you have wine in your cellar, wine fridge or rack that someone gave to you? Do you have wine in your cellar, wine fridge or rack that you've been aging for a while? Have you looked at those in a while, or are they still out of sight out of mind? While I use January as month to scoop up affordable finds, I also use it as a month to do wine 'housekeeping'.  This strategy allows me to accomplish a few key things: 1)  'rotate' in bottles I've been aging that are due to be drunk; 2) create room for new purchases to come later in the year; and 3) avoid sitting on bottles that were gifts (from myself or others) that should be drunk now.

The first bottle I pulled from my stash was the Arger-Martucci Vineyards 2004 Cabernet Franc. When I visited the Napa Valley several years ago, this was one property my sister-in-law and I visited. It was a newer property that popped up on our radar and so we made an appointment and enjoyed a memorable afternoon sitting on their back picnic bench while tasting their wares and snacking on some cheese.

For Christmas this past year, I received a bottle of the Cab Franc as a gift. I was thrilled to see the wine in the market and happy to have an excuse to revisit one of their wines. I was also excited it was a bottling of Cab Franc, a grape that can fly under the radar screen for many consumers, but which is one of the 5 Bordeaux elite varietals that can legally be blended into red wines there. The grape is known for it's more earthy, vegetal qualities - the latter of which can be a bit too intense and stick out like a sore thumb. It's a varietal that can be hit or miss when bottled on its own, but when it's a hit, I'm a big fan.

The Arger-Martucci Cab Franc is likely in various US markets for around $35/bottle. This 2004 offering delivered blackberry, black cherry and red currant fruit, a subtle more mushroomy vegetal quality (as opposed to offending green bell peppers), and a nice layer of wet, black soil. The edges were soft and round, with a slight espresso bean flavor on the long finish. Its supple texture meant I had to really pace myself so as to avoid consuming it too quickly! It was a wine that was enjoyable when first uncorked but that certainly evolved and became more nuanced as it opened - important for a wine at this price point.

I needed no occasion to open this savory beverage other than a cozy night in, out of the cold, with a few extra dollars still in my pocket.

Cheers to that, right?

Uncorked! April Wicked Wines

We figure there’s no time like springtime to select wines that may tend to hibernate otherwise without a little special attention, simply because they are lesser known. So this April we’re keeping things both familiar (staying closer to home with domestic wine picks) and more… interesting! Our red wine choices don’t exactly roll off the tongue, but with such powerful juice in the bottle, we know that’s about to change. Enjoy learning about these noteworthy April Wicked Wines on Wicked Local today! Are you familiar with any of these more off-the-beaten path picks?

January's Wicked Wines!

And.... we're back! What better way to come back from the holidays than to find out this month's Wicked Wine picks? I figure it's worth celebrating the end of 2009 with some truly wonderful selections you can snuggle up to on the coldest nights of the winter. Pop on over to Wicked Local to see what I have up my sleeve!

Does your New Years resolution have anything to do with wine? If so, what have you decided to pursue in 2010?

Sip from the fountain of youth! Toast Madiran.

Have you discovered a few (more) gray hairs? Have you convinced yourself laugh lines are endearing or add character to your face? For a girl who decided years ago her freckles are really lucky spots (I do have the luck of the Irish, afterall), it makes sense I'm all about an optimistic outlook when it comes to (signs of) aging. Of course, I do my part to stay ahead of the curve: I eat healthfully, exercise regularly, take my vitamins, brush my teeth and drink Madiran wines. Wait... what was the last one? YES! I drink from the fountain of youth, aka Tannat-based wines from the Madiran, France. I had no idea the additional health benefits when I first started enjoying red wines from the Madiran. I mean, we've all read various studies about the benefits associated with an occasional glass of red wine. But Madiran wines are additionally beneficial. Tannat, the primary red grape in these wines, has a ridiculously high level of procyanidins. These bad boys have serious heart-healthy cache: they keep the cells in your arteries in the pink, supply your body with boucoups antioxidants and can even lower your blood pressure and keep cholesterol in check.

And no, drinking these wines is not like being forced to eat spinach when you were a kid (my nemesis). As its name connotes, Tannat grapes are high in tannin, producing structured wines capable of aging. But this grape also can bring intense fruit and lovely spices to the table, not to mention a welcome helping of earthiness. In the Madiran in particular, vintners work their magic to bring the latter component forward and soften the wine's edges by blending in a touch of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc or even Fer.

There are two Madiran red wines in particular that strike my fancy: 2004 Domaine Moureou Madiran; and 2003 Chateau Peyros Ville Vignes Madiran. Both are teeth-stainers, rustic, and filled with dark berry fruits (blackberries, blackcurrants, black cherries, etc.), plums and offer a touch of vanilla given up by the oak barrels they age in. The herbs and spices will tickle you pink as each sip reveals a new flavor. Because it is the offspring of wine innovator Patrick Ducourneau (father of micro-oxygenation), the Moureau has a lovely roudness to it. To my palate, the Peyros is destinct in its own right, offering up a unique, delicious and intriguing earthy/stoney minerality. Both are their own beast, ripe for hearty meats, stews or even a Buffalo burger hot off the grill. Try one, try both or seek out others. Just be sure to tell us what you think!

Fun Fact: The Madiran boasts one of the highest percentages of Centarians  in the world!

earthy genious in a bottle of cab franc

I love Cabernet Franc. There, I've said it. I know many people who are disinclined to this often vegetal-tasting/smelling grape varietal, but I quite enjoy it. Perhaps you've had it and you haven't even realized it. It is a grape that often plays second or third fiddle in Bordeaux blends. If you're palate has taken you to the Loire Valley of France and you enjoyed a red wine from Chinon or Saumur-Champigny, you've enjoyed this varietal on its own. Likewise, you may also have tried a bottle from a California producer, where the grape is increasingly getting a chance to play the lead role. But if you're really lucky, you'll have tasted some from the Finger Lakes region of New York State. The Finger Lakes is an up-and-coming wine region here in the US. Cold as You-Know-What up in those parts, the Lakes do play a critical role in moderating the otherwise frosty climate. With proper vine grafting, Riesling has done tremendously well (as has Chardonnay). In fact Dr. Frank's Rieslings are thought to rival those of Germany's Saar region. Reds are starting to get some more attention, too. Cabernet Franc from this region has even caught the attention of world-reknowned wine writer, Jancis Robinson. And with good reason.

My mentor gifted me a bottle of Red Newt Cellars' 2004 Cabernet Franc several months ago. She knows my palate enjoys a good frolick with cab franc and she is in the less-inclined category I mentioned earlier. She is also from upstate New York and knew this would be a good opportunity for me to taste this up and coming New York state wine - wines that are nearly impossible to get hold of here in Massachusetts. I knew it was going to be a fun wine to drink so I bided my time waiting for an opportunity when the weather (temperate) and my dinner menu (something "earthy" involved, e.g. mushrooms, eggplant, rosemary, etc.) were in sync.

Only the comfort of Chicken Marsala, garlic/rosemary mashed potatoes and snow peas would ease our pain from having watched Tom Brady injure himself in the first quarter of last Sunday's game. The evening was gorgeous, too.  And so the stars had aligned to pop the cork of the Newt Cab Franc in my cellar.

What we found was a treat. Red Newt Cellars produced a lighter-styled Cab Franc, with gentle tannins and moderate acidity. The fruit was the most distinguishing characteristic, offering bright, ripe red fruits - cranberry and raspberries seemed most evident to me - followed by soft spice and earth. In a blind taste test I may have said it was a Pinot Noir - being both more accustomed to the bigger, bolder Cab Franc offerings I'm used to drinking from CA and lacking (in a refreshing way) the strong bell pepper notes so often evident in wines from the Loire.

True to form (having experience the wine for myself first), the next day I took my notes and went online to see what the winemaker or other "experts" had to say about the wine's characteristics. The winemaker certainly hoped I'd have the experience I did! For the 2005 vintage he writes, "cranberry and raspberry with overtones of smoke and spice make an elegant red that shows well young and ages beautifully. Cabernet Franc is one of the most promising red varieties ever introduced in the Finger Lakes. Structure is typically complex, complete but delicate. Color is moderate to dark and tannins soft." Complete but delicate were probably my happiest memories of the wine - I couldn't have said it better myself!

What's your experience with Cab Franc? Are you as inclined as I to pick up a bottle? Or, is this a new one on you - and one you might take for a test drive in future?