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ARCHIVED - Best wines for Christmas dinner and gifts
These are the top Spanish wines you can put on your Christmas dinner table or give as a present
Planning your Christmas Dinner is at once a happy and stressful time. Friends and family special to us join together to leave the everyday behind and immerse themselves in the festive spirit. It’s a time of giving and receiving gifts... and of scrumptious meals paired together with delicious wines!
The choice of wines for Christmas can be challenging, but here’s a selection of superb wines to suit any Holiday meal, and, best of all, the choice will also be a helpful guide to those difficult-to-decide-on Christmas Gifts.
Our first offering results from the inspired skill of five leading Rioja wine producers who joined hands over a century ago to promote the quality of wines true to the Rioja production methods. Here are three delicious wines from La Rioja:
The grapes for this wine are sourced from three hundred hectares of organically farmed vineyards spread throughout the Rioja Alta region. The ageing process is one of patience that provides the foundation of the combined gentle red fruit flavors and oak-induced spice and vanilla notes.
Tempranillo is the predominant grape for this wine and is supported by a small amount of Garnacha. The Tempranillo grapes are sourced from thirty-year-old vines on the Cuesta and Montecillo estates, while the Garnacha grapes are sourced from the La Pedriza in Tudelilla.
Both varietals are harvested by hand and fermented spontaneously before the Tempranillo is transferred into American Oak barrels for thirty-six months. The Garnacha is separately housed also in American Oak barrels for thirty months. The smooth tannins perfectly balance the rich fruit flavors. With its lingering aftertaste, this medium-bodied wine is ideal for game and venison Christmas dinners.2015 is considered one of the best vintages of this wine. This is a blend of 78 percent Tempranillo and 22 percent Garnacha. The Garnacha provided a little more volume to the wine because of the hot summer weather.
The grapes were manually picked in October and were allowed to ferment in tanks until the end of the year. Subsequently, the Tempranillo spent three years in used American oak barrels, and the Garnacha enjoyed thirty months in the barrels. The Tempranillo was racked six times during the fermentation, and the Garnacha, five times. The wine was finally bottled in September 2019.
The wine has an attractive deep magenta color with dark cherry fruit and an almost balsamic undertone. The barrel aging supplies the nose with elements of cedar and anise. The smooth tannins are perfectly balanced with the fruit providing a wine of remarkable versatility in pairing with barbecues and rich meat dishes.
La Rioja Alta Vina Alberdi Reserva 2018
This vintage year of 2018 produced wines of lower alcohol and greater freshness. The wine is 100% Tempranillo as no Garnacha was added. It was bottled in March 2021 after maturing for two years in barrels, where it was racked four times.
There is a delicate balance between tannins and fruit. A creamy fruitiness with tangy acidity follows the nose of raspberries, sweet spices, and vanilla. The lingering finish is fresh and intense. A versatile companion to a wide variety of foods such as charcuterie and strong cheeses.
Tinto Pesquera Crianza 2019
The region of Ribera del Duero has a history of producing wine stretching back over 2 500 years. The Tempranillo grape is well suited to the relatively short growing season (the name Tempranillo is a derivative of the Spanish word for Early) and produces wines with significant body and well-balanced acidity.
If you are considering serving a Christmas meal along the lines of Coq au Vin, this is the wine to choose. The wine is 100% Tempranillo and the rounded tannins and subtle acidity perfectly balance the rich wild berry fruit. The result is a wine of elegant freshness. The deep ruby color is a warm invitation to enjoy a wine with almost fifty years of history in the making.
The grapes are destemmed and initially fermented in stainless steel vats. Subsequent fermentation in American oak for fourteen months produces the smooth and rounded tannins. Along with Coq au Vin, other food pairings that are an ideal match to this wine are casseroles and rich roast meat dishes.
What would Christmas be without some sparkling bubbles? So why not try one of the beautiful Sparkling wines made in the traditional Champagne method?
Gramona III Lustros Brut Nature 2014
Although Gramona is better known for their exceptional sparkling wines, their Brut will surprise your friends and family with its white blossom nose and a hint of green apples and citrus. This is an excellent and unusual wine to serve as a partner for seafood and light appetizers or as an aperitif. The 2014 Brut is a more serious and not lightly fizzy.
The light and crisp nature of the wine stems from the intense acidity, which is gently moderated by the wine aging for two and a half years on the lees in the bottle. No dosage is required as the flavors of orchard fruit, and sweet pastries are beautifully balanced by the clean finish and elegant dry taste. It is a beautiful way to add a little Spanish nuance to the Christmas table.
Conclusion
Ordering wine online from reputable distributors is the easiest way to select wines. The wide selection and accurate information about the wine makes the selection process so much easier, and you will be making a more informed opinion.
A bottle of wine as a Christmas present to loved ones and family is always welcome, and adding a little card explaining why you chose the particular wine adds a charming personal touch to the gift.
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