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Mike's Top 10 Holiday Recs

• Holiday • Top 10 • Wine

Mike's Top 10 Holiday Recs
The holidays are an awfully busy times for all of us and, let’s be honest, usually far too expensive as well. With both of those two things in mind we try to start each interaction with guests here at Sunfish by defining the parameters of what is going to happen: i.e. I ask them how much they wanna spend. Here is a collection of some of my holiday favorites for every price point plus some easy solutions to common holiday problems. Be sure to use code WINTER17 during checkout for FREE SHIPPING.

How do you pick the perfect holiday wine?

Pairing wine with food is both extremely easy and excruciatingly difficult - on the one hand take any two things that you like (say a food and a wine) and put them together. Of course, two things that you love will usually go well with each other because you already love them … the love of each overrides any potential flaw in the pairing. On the other hand finding that truly magical combo of a wine and a food is seriously hard. There are millions of factors that go into the perfect pairing and while there are lots of ‘it works’ or ‘that’s pretty good’ there are few 'manna falling from the heavens' moments. Still we try!
Around this time we start to get lots of questions about buying wine for the Holidays. Be it getting a wine for a dinner, picking something for a party, or finding the right wine for a gift… We’re here to help in all cases. We might even help find that elusive wine that makes Manna fall from the Heavens!
Picking the perfect wine for the holidays: It’s simple. You’ll be needing a wine that is universally good. One that will make your stodgy Uncle Frank and Know-It-All Aunt Betsy happy and while that may seem difficult; it’s really not. Just find something that you love. People feed off of the love of others - if you express happiness and fondness for a wine there is a much higher likelihood that everyone else will enjoy it too. For example; the Disruption Riesling is a huge crowd pleaser. It’s generous in the fruit department, just a touch of sweetness, and lively as all get out. We often say that 90% of people like the wine … the other 10% might not be human!

How do you pair these wines with meals?

This is the really easy one. Take the style of wine you like and put it with whatever you’re serving. It may not make the lights flicker in joy but it will still serve you better with agonizing about which wine goes best with Ham. (for my money though; that Cleto Chiarli bubbly will rock the hell out of Ham. The Mas de Gourgonnier will knock out Prime Rib and the De Wetshof will make Turkey sing!)

How do you gift a wine when you don't know their taste?

Again, easy-peasy. All of these wines have universal appeal - they all punch above their weight in the cost versus quality department - but there are some small tricks to ease your plight. Find out some basic info about the person your giving the wine to. Do they like white or red, do they drink whiskey or vodka, beer or cider. If you know anything about those kind of questions it will make things a ton simpler. Like; if they’re a whiskey drinker but never Vodka: go with the Marques Murrieta or the Llama Malbec (both are richer and smokier in tone).
They like cider but not beer: Disruption Riesling or the Yorkville Sauv. Blanc. I think you can guess with the red and white question! Also, if you have familiarity with something that gives it a nice touch to say something like; 'I like this wine and I like you. I think you’ll like it too.’ Leave the baggage and worry behind: the season is about the thought and effort.
Maybe that last bit is the most important take-away: go easy on yourself. We’re here to help and we gladly love to give you the info you’ll need and want to make things better for you.

Top 10 Holiday Wines

 

Yorkville Cellars_Sauvignon Blanc

Yorkville Cellars
Mendocino | California | 2016
Sauvignon Blanc
$14.99

Lively Bordeaux inspired wine. Cool maritime breezes and organic farming contribute to make this soulful and refreshing. 

 

Cleto Chiarli

Cleto Chiarli
Emilia-Romagna | Italy | NV
Brut de Noir Rosé
$13.99

Violet-shaded rosé, delicate, well-structured, with intense fragrances of strawberries and raspberries and a lively round taste. Seductive.

 

Disruption Riesling

Disruption
Columbia Valley | Washington State | 2016
Riesling
$11.99

Balanced beautifully by mouthwatering structure and a hint of key lime sweetness. A gorgeous, loveable, wine from a master of American Riesling.

 

La Boutanche

La Boutanche
Beaujolais | France | 2016
Gamay
$17.99

Super fruit laden and incredibly ‘drinky’ wine. A masterpiece of no added SO2 wines. In a Liter bottle for more love. 

 

Cirelli

Cirelli
Montepulciano d’Abruzzo | Italy | 2016
Montepulciano
$16.99

Somehow, this wine blends elements of freshness, concentration, rusticness, and elegance into an organically farmed joy to drink. Perfect for anytime and anywhere.

 

LLama

LLama
Mendoza | Argentina | 2016
Malbec
$11.99

Great expression of fruit bound together with earthy woodiness. Plenty of sunshine gives this a plush and sensuous appeal.

 

Rickshaw

Rickshaw
California | 2015
Pinot Noir
$12.99

Always delicious this is some of the best Pinot Noir. Bright, juicy but made with an attention to detail that betrays this wines extremely moderate price.

 

De Wetshof

De Wetshof
Robertson | South Africa | 2013
Chardonnay
$16.99

A benchmark wine from a meticulous winery. Restrained fruit married to a cream centered core present an immaculately delicious wine that any Chardonnay lover will enjoy.  

 

Mas de Gourgonnier

Mas de Gourgonnier
Provence | France | 2015
Rouge
$15.99

This wine can top the richness and intensity of Rhone or Bordeaux with a crystal-clear and unmistakable expression of Provençal soil and do it at a mere fraction of the price. Stunningly good.

 

Marques de Murrieta

Marques de Murrieta
Rioja | Spain | 2012
Reserva
$19.99

An overachiever. Reaches easily towards true greatness with a beautiful combo of layered and complex fruit coupled to rich oak. A truly great wine.

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