Anthony Gismondi: From your boss to the wine geek, gifts are covered

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Today, we continue our tradition of suggesting holiday wine gifts for wine lovers.

From your impossible-to-buy-for boss to the wine geek, we have it covered at several price points.

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The right bottle to the right person is the trick to a successful gift, and to get you on track, we are doing all the work so you and the recipient get all the benefits. Most of our selections sell in B.C. liquor stores with extended wine selections to provide certainty to your search, but you can take this list to a private retailer, too. If they don’t have the wine, they will match it with something they sell in the same region at the same price.

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The boss: It’s always a problematic pick because you want it to be appreciated without looking like it is over the top. Translation: a wine that looks pricey (hint, excellent packaging) but is, in fact, appropriately inexpensive. Trying too hard isn’t an option here. Our picks include a white, a red and a sparkler for maximum flexibility. The Boutinot 2019, Cotes Rhone Villages, France, $24 a Grenache-Syrah blend that will surely please red wine fans. For white, we say a Piedmont classic, Massimo Rivetti 2022, Langhe Arneis Aurelia, Piedmont, Italy, $27. Finally, our sparkling pick is an all-Chardonnay bubble that delivers nothing but class: Ferrari Brut Metodo Classico N/V, Trento, Trentino-Alto-Adige, Italy, $35.

The carnivore: Big, rich reds still rule the day for many wine drinkers. The go-to grapes are Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Malbec and Shiraz, or almost any combination of those grapes. Best bets could be from Napa Valley, the Languedoc, Mendoza, Sonoma County, Maipo Valley, Barossa Valley, and B.C.’s Okanagan and Similkameen. We like Freemark Abbey 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, Calif., $89, and Phantom Creek 2018 Becker Vineyard Cuvee, Okanagan Valley, $60.

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The wine geek: Place matters in the wine business, and terroir is the place. You don’t have to be a wine geek to explore terroir, but wines from somewhere are perhaps best appreciated by the curious wine drinker. Wines that reveal their origin include Jean-Marc Brocard 2020 Chablis Montmains, France, $63; Amalaya 2020 Calchaqui Valley, Salta, Argentina, $24; and Clos du Soleil 2020 Winemaker’s Series Middle Bench Vineyard Syrah, Similkameen Valley, B.C. $40. Now go get your geek on.

The home team:  After a decade and more of rising demand and rising prices, local vineyards limped to the finish line in 2023, reeling from wildfires, heat domes, frozen vine damage, and fungal diseases. Despite all that, they are still standing. Here are five to wrap for the season that reflect how far they have come: Mission Hill 2021 Perpetua Chardonnay $60, Tantalus 2021 Pinot Noir $36 and Unsworth 2020 Pinot Noir $38, CedarCreek 2020 Meritage $30 and Moon Curser 2022 Roussane Marsanne $28.

Wines that sparkle: Sparkling wine is having a moment with consumers and is no longer just a New Year wine. That makes it the perfect gift, and it comes with many options. Consider having a bottle or two of sparkling wine in the refrigerator that you can pull out anytime. Did we mention they all taste better with food? Lambrusco Reggiano Frizzante Medici Ermete Concerto, Italy, $22, Tinhorn Creek Blanc de Blancs 2019, Okanagan Valley $45 and Champagne Moët & Chandon N/V Rosé Imperial, France $94.

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The tree hugger: Local or organic? Hybrid or electric? Paper or plastic or neither? The eco-advocate that drinks wine will appreciate one with little or no intervention, be they labelled sustainable, organic or biodynamic. Any of the following fit the bill: Emiliana 2019 Coyam, Chile, $25.99; M. Chapoutier 2020 Les Vignes de Bila-Haut Rouge Côtes du Roussillon Villages, France, $20; La Cheteau Crémant de Loire Brut Bio, Loire Valley, France $23.50.

For the gourmand: We know all wines are better with food. We love acidic wines like champagne and riesling and those with a delicate balance of fruit and acidity. Still, Barolo is also having a moment: Paolo Scavino 2017 Barolo Classico Castiglione Falletto $85.99, Fontanafredda 2018 Barolo Serralunga D’Alba $50, Luigi Scavino 2017 Azelia Barolo $71.99, Marchesi di Barolo 2018 Barolo Tradizione $65 Aurelio Settimo 2017 Barolo Rocche Dell’Annunziata, La Morra $72.99 and the amazing Damilano 2018 Barolo Cannubi $170.

Next week, the best B.C. wines of the year, just in time for the holidays.

Weekend wine picks

Noble Ridge Stony Knoll Chardonnay 2022, Okanagan Valley

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$25.99 I 88/100

UPC: 626990168089

This is a bright, fresh, straight-up version of chardonnay with florals and minerals filling the front end. The fruit is whole cluster pressed, fermented cool in stainless steel tanks, and there was no malolactic fermentation, leaving a super bright, fresh Chardonnay pitching crisp red and green apples, crunchy pear, and lime, with a dusting of citrus and stone dust that is ready to drink.

Jansz Premium Cuvée N/V, Tasmania, South Australia, Australia

$44.99 I 90/100 Cascadia Liquor only

UPC: 9311789078601

This label is highly reliable because the fruit is sourced from selected cool-climate vineyards across Tasmania. The individual batches are all kept separate until the blend, roughly a 75/25 Chardonnay/ Pinot Noir mix that makes up the Cuvée base. The nose is a taut affair of red apples, lemon zest and honeysuckle, with streaks of wild strawberries and bright acidity adding the tension. The palate is rich in lemon curd and creamy lees with final notes of grapefruit and licorice. It gets 18 months of lees contact, which explains the complex nutty notes. It is a delicious sparkler at a fair price.

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Amalaya Malbec 2020, Calchaqui Valley, Salta, Argentina

$23.99 I 90/100

UPC: 7798104763039

The easy-to-spot blue label is the go-to sign if you like buying quality wine at a bargain price. Amalaya, under screwcap, is an alluring mix of red and black fruits with a dusty, stony mineral underside. Wonderfully dry and fresh, the palate is juicy and round, and the tannins are light but structured. The esperanza por un milagro (waiting for a miracle) Amalaya vineyards are among the world’s highest, topping 1,800 meters. It is mostly Malbec mixed with 15 per cent Tannat and Petit Verdot. It remains an absolute bargain at $23.99. Back up the truck.

J. L. Chave Sélection Mon Coeur Côtes-du-Rhône 2021, Rhone Valley, France

$30.99 I 90/100

UPC: 37604600309

The introductory JL Chave Selections are a window into the acclaimed estate wines of Domaine Chave at a much more reasonable price. The wines are crafted to explore appellations sans makeup. In the case of Mon Coeur, it is a blend of four terroirs from in and around Chateauneuf-du-Pape; the vines are between 20 to 60 years, and the mix is a 50-50 split of Grenache and Syrah. The nose opens with some classic meaty notes on the edge of reduction but nothing more. The style is surprisingly elegant, with the red fruit of the Grenache leading the way into a lightly floral, peppery, savoury red with exquisite balance. Drink or hold this is serious Cote du Rhone.

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Bottega sparkling set in ice bag

$39.99 |  89/100

UPC: 08005829980443

This is an excellent gift for Prosecco lovers. Bottega is one of the best producers of this classic Italian sparkling wine, and you get to try four different selections that come inside a plastic ice bag you can reuse all year round. It is perfect for the patio or the beach when you need to cool down any bottle quickly with water and ice.

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