John Brown has been a wine and food columnist in West Virginia since the 1980’s. His regular columns appear in the Charleston (WV) Gazette-Mail under the title Vines & Vittles.
Wines for your holiday shopping
It’s beginning to look a lot like… time to go holiday shopping for wine. And in an effort to assist you in your search for that perfect vinous gift, I have listed some of my favorite wines from the past year with, of course, food pairing suggestions. I wish you all a very happy holiday! Here you go.
2017 Izadi Blanco Rioja ($20) –From Rioja in northern Spain, this white, comprised of 80% Viura and 20% Malvasia, was barrel fermented for three months in French oak and features flavors of ripe apples and citrus. Round and ripe, it would be excellent paired with Paella or grilled monk fish.
2014 Collefrisio Confronto Bianco ($36) – This Italian white from Abruzzo is a chardonnay-like blend of pinot grigio and pecorino (the grape not the cheese) that is a rich and round, medium to full bodied wine. With almond and brioche nuances, this white would be a perfect match to veal saltimbocca.
2015 Mer Soleil Santa Lucia Highlands Chardonnay ($30) This is a rich, yet perfectly balanced, chardonnay that has hints of vanilla on the nose and a creamy mouth feel with ripe apple flavors and refreshing acidity. This would be lovely paired with chicken cordon bleu.
2016 Mastroberadino Fiano di Avellino ($30)- One of the characteristics of this white wine from the Campania region of Italy (in the hills above Naples) is the nutty, round and rich flavors of Fiano. It also has some citrus and mineral notes and should be a perfect match to the complex flavors of rigatoni with peas and Italian sausage in an alfredo sauce.
2014 Montefalco Sagrantino ($40) – From Umbria just north of Rome, Sagrantino is a rich, medium-bodied red wine and is also the name of the grape from which it is made. Ripe black cherries, tea and hints of smoke characterize this tannic red. This would be a delicious accompaniment to veal osso buco.
2015 Ridge Geyserville Zinfandel ($44) - This wine, with flavors of blackberries, cola and spice, is round, rich and silky. It’s an elegant zin that would be heavenly paired with a butterflied leg of lamb that has been rubbed with coarsely ground black pepper, kosher salt and garlic, and then marinated overnight in a bath of red wine, olive oil, lemons and rosemary before being grilled over a charcoal fire.
2013 Sant’Antonio Paradiso ($30) – From Italy’s Veneto region, this medium-bodied red is full of ripe cherry flavors with just a touch of oak on the finish. Try it with barbecued baby back ribs that have been dry-rubbed with black pepper, kosher salt, brown sugar and cayenne pepper.
2013 Luna de Esperanza Super Premium Malbec ($39)- This malbec from the Mendoza region of Argentina has hints of blackberries and coffee. The medium tannins mask the silky texture of this lovely bottle that would be a perfect accompaniment to grilled hanger steak with a green chimichurri sauce.
2015 Anderson’s Conn Valley Cabernet Sauvignon – ($60) –Rich, ripe and chock full of chocolate, mocha and cola flavors, this wine is a keeper. The wine offers aromas of currants and spice with hints of toasty oak. Decant the wine for at least an hour and then serve it as a delicious accompaniment to roasted prime rib.
2015 Domaine Serene Evenstad Reserve Pinot Noir ($75) – My all-time favorite Oregon pinot noir, the Evenstad Reserve is consistently excellent year after year. Ripe dark cherries, spice and tea combine on the palate and are enhanced by a kiss of oak. Drink this wine with a Christmas ham or roasted turkey.
2017 Izadi Blanco Rioja ($20) –From Rioja in northern Spain, this white, comprised of 80% Viura and 20% Malvasia, was barrel fermented for three months in French oak and features flavors of ripe apples and citrus. Round and ripe, it would be excellent paired with Paella or grilled monk fish.
2014 Collefrisio Confronto Bianco ($36) – This Italian white from Abruzzo is a chardonnay-like blend of pinot grigio and pecorino (the grape not the cheese) that is a rich and round, medium to full bodied wine. With almond and brioche nuances, this white would be a perfect match to veal saltimbocca.
2015 Mer Soleil Santa Lucia Highlands Chardonnay ($30) This is a rich, yet perfectly balanced, chardonnay that has hints of vanilla on the nose and a creamy mouth feel with ripe apple flavors and refreshing acidity. This would be lovely paired with chicken cordon bleu.
2016 Mastroberadino Fiano di Avellino ($30)- One of the characteristics of this white wine from the Campania region of Italy (in the hills above Naples) is the nutty, round and rich flavors of Fiano. It also has some citrus and mineral notes and should be a perfect match to the complex flavors of rigatoni with peas and Italian sausage in an alfredo sauce.
2014 Montefalco Sagrantino ($40) – From Umbria just north of Rome, Sagrantino is a rich, medium-bodied red wine and is also the name of the grape from which it is made. Ripe black cherries, tea and hints of smoke characterize this tannic red. This would be a delicious accompaniment to veal osso buco.
2015 Ridge Geyserville Zinfandel ($44) - This wine, with flavors of blackberries, cola and spice, is round, rich and silky. It’s an elegant zin that would be heavenly paired with a butterflied leg of lamb that has been rubbed with coarsely ground black pepper, kosher salt and garlic, and then marinated overnight in a bath of red wine, olive oil, lemons and rosemary before being grilled over a charcoal fire.
2013 Sant’Antonio Paradiso ($30) – From Italy’s Veneto region, this medium-bodied red is full of ripe cherry flavors with just a touch of oak on the finish. Try it with barbecued baby back ribs that have been dry-rubbed with black pepper, kosher salt, brown sugar and cayenne pepper.
2013 Luna de Esperanza Super Premium Malbec ($39)- This malbec from the Mendoza region of Argentina has hints of blackberries and coffee. The medium tannins mask the silky texture of this lovely bottle that would be a perfect accompaniment to grilled hanger steak with a green chimichurri sauce.
2015 Anderson’s Conn Valley Cabernet Sauvignon – ($60) –Rich, ripe and chock full of chocolate, mocha and cola flavors, this wine is a keeper. The wine offers aromas of currants and spice with hints of toasty oak. Decant the wine for at least an hour and then serve it as a delicious accompaniment to roasted prime rib.
2015 Domaine Serene Evenstad Reserve Pinot Noir ($75) – My all-time favorite Oregon pinot noir, the Evenstad Reserve is consistently excellent year after year. Ripe dark cherries, spice and tea combine on the palate and are enhanced by a kiss of oak. Drink this wine with a Christmas ham or roasted turkey.
