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FOR BUDGET-FRIENDLY GIFTS
BUBBLES
Courtesy of Grapevine Wines
NV Bonotto delle Tezze Prosecco
Treviso, Italy / Grape: Glera / $19.99
"Every good holiday party should have bubbles. For the record, every other day should, too. This is the perfect choice for everybody; the gorgeously supple texture of the mousse floats rich flavors along a delightful tingle. Fabulous quality and beautiful elegance." —Aaron Sherman, Grapevine Wines, Kirkwood
Courtesy of 33 Wine Shop & Bar
NV Gruet Blanc de Noirs Brut
New Mexico /Grape: Pinot Noir / $16.99
“This is an elegant sparkling wine with berry fruit from the Pinot Noir and a creaminess on the palate, and it is an excellent value! This is a value-priced wine that overdelivers for the price.” —James Smallwood, 33 Wine Shop & Bar, Lafayette Square
Courtesy of Clayton Winehouse
NV Bisol “Jeio” Brut Prosecco
Veneto, Italy / Grape: Glera / $15.99
"A remarkable sparkler that provides crisp, dry, high-quality bubbles at a fantastic price. It's the perfect starter for any cocktail, as well as any party!" —Chris Kolemainen, Clayton Winehouse, Clayton
WHITES
2020 Domaine Mann
Alsace, France / Grape: Pinot Blanc / $24
“Stupid good bottle—slight honey suckle on the nose, green apple with melon rinds on the palate. It's dope with food or just with friends.” —Michael Fricker, Owner, Grand Spirits Bottle Co, South Grand
Courtesy of Grapevine Wines
2020 Vite Colte "Fosche”
Piedmont, Italy / Grape: Chardonnay / $12.99
"Chardonnay is still the go-to choice, but oak can be divisive; this delightful Italian Chard eschews any oak, instead relying on crisp apple and almond notes, and the snap of acidity and minerality to keep it bright and cheerful." —Aaron Sherman, Grapevine Wines, Kirkwood
REDS
Courtesy of The Wine Merchant
2018 “Bordeaux Sampler 4-Pack”
Côtes de Bordeaux, France / Grapes: Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc / $34.99
“This fantastic Right Bank sampler just arrived, and its price makes it the perfect holiday gift. All of these wines are rated at 90-plus points by Wine Enthusiast. The region from which they hail is Cotes de Bordeaux, which is adjacent to—and follows the same wine-making tradition as—famed Saint-Emilion. This is one of the best buys that we have seen in years.” —Jason Main, The Wine Merchant, Clayton
Courtesy of Chateau Maplewood
2021 Land of Saints
Santa Ynez Valley, California /Grape: Cabernet Sauvignon / $27
"This wine packs a punch for being in this price point and being small-production. It is a bold and balanced wine, with flavors of oak, dark berries, and notes of pepper with hints of raspberry. It pairs well with beef, lamb, and poultry." —Brian Hobbs, Chateau Maplewood, Maplewood
Courtesy of Grapevine Wines
2020 Fly By
North Coast California / Grape: Cabernet Sauvignon / $13.99
"This Cabernet is sure to win raves at every party; it's full of dark cherries, plums and figs, with notes of vanilla, oak, and nutmeg. It's shocking that this wine is this cheap for being this good." —Aaron Sherman, Grapevine Wines, Kirkwood
2019 Casas del Bosque “Reserva”
Casablanca Valley, Chile / Grape: Cabernet Sauvignon / $14.99
“This wine is aged in 100 percent French Oak and delivers everything you would want in a great Cabernet, making it the perfect gift. It has a great depth of flavor, including red and black fruits with a nice touch of spice on the finish to round it out. It can be opened tonight or saved for several years to enjoy later.” 92 Points, James Suckling —Paul Hayden, The Wine and Cheese Place, Clayton
NV Marietta Cellars OVR (Old Vine Red) “Lot 73”
Sonoma County, California / Grapes: Old-vine Zinfandel, Syrah, Petite Sirah, Carignan and Barbera / $14.99
"I’ve followed Marietta Cellars since discovering them in the late 1980s. Founded in 1978 by Chris Bilbro, a Sonoma County native with winemaking roots dating back three generations, Marietta rose to prominence with its revolutionary Old Vine Red, a California blend that essentially created the category. The winery has slowly expanded its estate holdings over the past thirty years, evolving into a beacon for high quality, balanced Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, and Rhône variety blends. Notable among their heritage plantings are California’s oldest Syrah blocks, planted in the late 1800s!" 95 Points, Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate. —John Nash, Starr’s, Richmond Heights
NON-ALCOHOLIC
Courtesy of Grapevine Wines
NV Giesen
De-alcoholized Sauvignon Blanc and Rosé: $13.99 / bottle
Phony Negroni
Non-alcoholic cocktails: $4.99 / 200-ml
"There are lots of reasons to abstain from the alcohol side of the holidays, but nobody should be excluded from the celebrations. With that in mind, we've been hunting down great examples of nonalcoholic options for folks. From the N/A wines and beers to surprisingly delicious zero-proof cocktails, there's still plenty to drink if you're not drinking." —Aaron Sherman, Grapevine Wines, Kirkwood
FOR WINE AFICIONADOS
WHITE
Courtesy of Grapevine Wines
2021 Champalou
Vouvray, France / Grape: Chenin Blanc / $27.99
"Chenin Blanc is the darling of so many in the wine industry and for great reason. Champalou is always one of our favorite Chenin Blancs, hailing from the village of Vouvray, perhaps the greatest place on Earth for growing this grape. You'll be bowled over by the dense stone fruit notes, exotic spices, beeswax candles (trust me, that's a good thing) and amazing richness; it's a bit like drinking a glass of sunset." —Aaron Sherman, Grapevine Wines, Kirkwood.
Courtesy of Chateau Maplewood
REDS
2019 St. Romedius, “Lamorinda Red Wine”
Napa Valley, California / Grapes: Syrah, Petite Sirah, and Zinfandel / $32
“A vibrant family making colorful wines out of California. The unexpected varietals accompany any dish on the table!" —Brian Hobbs, Chateau Maplewood, Maplewood.
2013 Masciarelli Villa Gemma
Courtesy of Vino STL/Drink Dispatch
Montepulciano D’Abruzzo, Italy /Grape: Montepulciano / $49
“Villa Gemma is the wine that announced Abruzzo to the world, showcasing what the region and grapes of Abruzzo could produce. Villa Gemma Montepulciano Riserva is the only Italian wine with 14 consecutive Tre Bicchieri awards and, more importantly, was the wine that established Abruzzo as capable of making truly distinct, extraordinary wines. Villa Gemma Montepulciano Riserva is a powerfully, almost undeniably intense wine of character and complexity.” —Alexander Head, Vino STL / Drink Dispatch, Central West End
2018 Domaine Vieille Julienne, "Les Hauts-Lieux
Châteauneuf du Pape, France /Grapes: Grenache, Mourvedre, Syrah, Counties, and Vacarese / $67.99
"This is an incredible wine, fairly rare, and from an extraordinary producer. I’ve listed it as 'for the aficionado' because of its rarity. It’s not at the upper edge of pricing for Chateauneuf du Pape—hey, it’s less expensive than a bottle of Caymus Cabernet! The critics love this producer—in fact, they were included in Robert Parker’s book The World’s Greatest Wine Estates: A Modern Perspective." Rated 94+ Points, Vinous Media —John Nash, Starr’s, Richmond Heights
Courtesy of Grapevine Wines
2020 Bodegas el Nido "Clio"
Jumilla, Spain /Grapes: Monastrell and Cabernet Sauvignon / $43.99
"It's nearly impossible not to fall in love with this wine. Massively expressive, with huge mouthfuls of dark, hedonistic fruit, fully decorated with briar notes, spices, and savory elements. It won't last the season, so grab some while you can. The hardest part is deciding whether you want to share it or keep it for yourself." —Aaron Sherman, Grapevine Wines, Kirkwood
Courtesy of Chateau Maplewood
2011 Vina Bosconia Reserva
Rioja, Spain / Grape: Tempranillo / $50
"This elegant wine shows notes of dried cherries, mushrooms, earth, cedar, dark plums, and leather. A timeless, classic Rioja!" —Brian Hobbs, Chateau Maplewood, Maplewood
2009 Sori Paitin Barbaresco
Piedmont, Italy / Grape: Nebbiolo / $84
“I mean, what is there not to say about Sori Paitin? It's ready to drink now, and it is fantastic: leathery, earthy, touch of pomegranate, elegant, sweet ripe tannins. Delicious.” —Michael Fricker, Grand Spirits Bottle Co., South Grand
Courtesy of The Wine Merchant
2018 Domaine Vieille Julienne
"Les Hauts-Lieux" /Châteauneuf du Pape, France /Grapes: Grenache, Mourvèdre, Cinsault, and Counoise / $79.99
"The Vieille Julienne wines are simply some of the finest coming out of the Southern Rhone Valley. This one is the jewel in this producer's crown. Including slightly more Mourvèdre and from a cooler, higher elevation terroir, the 2018 Châteauneuf Du Pape Les Hauts-Lieux has more cassis, game, peppery herbs, and olive notes, as well as the classic violets and black licorice nuances that always seem to be present in the wines from this estate. Possessing full-bodied richness, an ethereal, seamless texture, ultra-fine tannins, and nicely integrated acidity, it’s a more structured wine compared to the Les Trois Sources and will benefit from two to three years of bottle age and evolve for 15 years or more. It’s every bit as good as the Reserve cuvée in 2018." Rated 97 Points, Jeb Dunnuck. —Jason Main, The Wine Merchant, Clayton
Courtesy of 33 Wine Shop and Bar
2019 Sinegal Estate
Napa Valley, California / Grape: Cabernet Sauvignon / $83.99
“The Sinegal Estate Cabernet Sauvignon is a polished and structured Napa Cab from a historic estate in Saint Helena. This is a wine for the aficionado who loves layered, complex and powerful Cabernet Sauvignon.” —James Smallwood, 33 Wine Shop & Bar, Lafayette Square
2020 Domaine Clos St. Jean “Vieilles Vignes”
Châteauneuf du Pape, France / Grapes: Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvedre / $59.99
"You can still find some world-class wines under $100 in the Rhone Valley, and this wine falls in that sweet spot for gifts, the $50 range. This 2020 is a perfectly balanced wine with rich fruit and great structure that will allow it to age for years to come. A famous area, a famous producer, a great vintage, and an amazing wine, it is sure to impress anyone on your list including yourself." Rated 95 Points, The Wine Spectator. —Paul Hayden, The Wine and Cheese Place, Clayton
Courtesy of Clayton Winehouse
2016 Spence, Howell Mountain
Napa Valley, California/ Grape: Cabernet Sauvignon / $119.99
“This library Cabernet Sauvignon is a beautifully balanced wine that represents Howell Mountain’s power with grace and elegance and leaves a lasting impression as the flavors unfold in a long, supple finish. As a bonus, it's locally owned! —Chris Kolemainen, Clayton Winehouse, Clayton
Prices may vary
Denise Mueller is a St. Louis–based certified sommelier and certified specialist of wine. She owns the Mid-American School of Wine and the wine course PreSomm, with wine books and wine courses available at PreSomm.com.
