Are you dreaming of a White Christmas or, a Red Christmas?

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Marion Cannon
5 years ago
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2 Are you dreaming of a White Christmas or, a Red Christmas?

3 12 Wines of Christmas My True Love Gave to Me These made it to Santa s NICE LIST! (Each Wine received a 90+ Points Wine Review and Rating) Wine Critics are just like movie critics. They have their own opinions and personal standards about a wine varietal s characteristics based on where the wine is from, its terroir, climate, etc. Typically, wines are judged on Color, Clarity, Aroma, Bouquet, Taste, and Finish. After the critics gather the information needed to assess the wine, they will formulate a review and score. We chose to focus on reviews of the Wine Industry s most reputable critics, and from those, we selected our 12 Wines of Christmas. Each of these wines has received a wine score of 90+ Points (out of a possible 100 Points). These amazing wines are also great values, ranging in price from $11-$30. Included in the set are Winemaker s Notes as well. 12 Wines of Christmas is the Perfect Gift for any wine lover from beginner to the more experienced wine enthusiast. Plan a fun Wine Tasting with your friends or just stock your own cellar. This Christmas Collection will go far in providing you with many hours of conversation, education, satisfaction, and just plain FUN! Taste, Share & Enjoy! Happy Holidays! From, All of the Wine Critics at The Bottle Shop

4 1. Aletta Garnacha - Spain 90 points Vinous 12 Wines of Christmas My True Love Gave to Me Bright violet color. Assertedly perfumed blueberry and cherry compote scents are enlivened by suggestions of cracked pepper and smoky minerals. Zesty, focused and pure, offering gently sweet dark fruit and floral pastille flavors that deepen on the back half. Closes silky and long, with slow-building tannins adding shape and grip. 2. Alain Brumont Château Bouscassé Red France 94 points Wine Enthusiast Bouscassé is the home of Alain Brumont who also owns Château Montus in Madiran. This powerful wine, with its blend of Tannat with the two Cabernets (Franc and Sauvignon), is dense and packed with firm tannins. It is also equally full of generous black-plum fruits and considerable acidity. This is still young it's a concentrated wine that needs to age further. Drink from King Estate Pinot Gris - Oregon 93 points Wine and Spirits A lot selection from this biodynamic estate, Domaine is King's Reserve Pinot Gris. This elegant white wine exhibits tension between its leesy notes -- wheat and caramel -- and generous fruit, falling between brisk apple and citrus. It evolves with air, becoming richer and more focused, a wine that feels beautifully built and natural at once. 91 Points Wine Enthusiast Now entitled to use the expanded Willamette Valley AVA, this estate-grown wine is broad, full-flavored and loaded with fruit. Fresh sliced peaches, papaya and melon flavors abound, and a nice touch of citrus lifts the finish. 4. Rotllan Torra - Crianza Priorat - Spain 90 Points James Suckling Deep, spicy oak, very ripe berries and extract in abundance here. Really built up. Ripe too.

5 5. SOLÉNA Pinot Noir Willamette Valley Grande Cuvée 2015 Oregon 93 points James Suckling 91 points Wine Enthusiast Sleek and focused, with cherry and cranberry aromas and well-built green tea, clove and spice flavors that finish with refined tannins. Drink now through ,000 cases made. TF 6. L Ecole Frenchtown Red Wine Columbia Valley, WA 91 Points Wine and Spirits Named for Walla Walla s first non-native settlement, this is an entry-level blend of Bordeaux and Rhône varieties from valley-wide sources. It s big and it s red, with a waft of tobacco-leaf aromas holding together a wild-berry component. This it turns lean and sleek, with a tight and firmly tannic finish. Patrick J. Comiskey 7. AErena 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon (Red Hills) California 90 Points Wine Enthusiast This is a beautifully balanced, medium-bodied wine that goes beyond the basic black-fruit flavors and adds hints of dried earth and bay leaf on the nose and light wood smoke and black pepper flavors. Moderate tannins and persistent acidity complete the picture. 8. Navarros Correas Colección Privada Cabernet Sauvignon - Spain James Suckling 90 Points Brimming with blackcurrant fruit. Supple tannins and an easy-to-drink style. Would be great with steak, pizza and a whole lot else. Drink now! 9. Pewsey Vale Eden Valley Riesling 2016 Australia 93 Points James Suckling Final blend unbottled and unfiltered, this has plenty of fragrant lime and stone fruit aromas on the nose. There s a supple, even, and succulent palate- good flesh, spicy, and balanced. 90 Points Wine Advocate The 2016 Riesling opens with notes of chalk dust and wet pebbles over a core of lime juice, yuzu zest and lemongrass. Light bodied and bone dry with a racy line of acidity cutting through the intense citrus and mineral flavors, and it finishes with great freshness and length.

I turn the page to Argentina and there is La Posta Pizzella Malbec. The 2016 vintage is one of the winery s best, and I have been tasting the wines for more than a decade.

6 10. Pizzella La Posta Malbec Argentina 92 Points James Suckling This is refined and focuses with dark fruit and minerals. Tea undertones. Medium to full body, ultra-fine tannins and a beautiful finish. Precise. 91 Points Wine.com When I ask myself, Where in the world can I find the best red wine values? I turn the page to Argentina and there is La Posta Pizzella Malbec. The 2016 vintage is one of the winery s best, and I have been tasting the wines for more than a decade. This wine is bright and lasting on the palate. Its aromas and flavors of black fruit, savory oak, and leather should make it a great choice matching wine with grilled beef of any kind. 91 Wine Advocate A Malbec from LA Consulta, the 2016 Malbec Pizzella Vineyard was partly aged in used oak barrels for 12 months. This is clearly a favorite among all the single-vineyard reds, as it has varietal character and is clean, focused and fresh. It is clearly better than the 2017 too. 11. Catena Chardonnay, Tupungato, Valle de Uco 2015 Argentina 92 Points Robert Parker...Subtly balsamic and spicy from lime stone rich soils in Tupungato in the Valle de Uco... There are pungent flavors, very good intensity and balance and the chalky sensation is nicely coated by juicy fruit. 12. Protocolo Tinto 2016 Spain 91 Points James Suckling Tar-y, savory accents ahead of blackberry and blackcurrant aromas. The palate has medium body and neatly balanced tannins. Supple, soft and even layered. Punchy finish. Drink or hold.

20-Wines All 90+ Points all under $15!

20-Wines All 90+ Points all under $15! The major wine critics use the 100 point scale as a quick benchmark for the wines they review. Those rated 90 points or more are considered the finest available.