Holiday 2014: Wine Gifting Guide
Dec. 8, 2014
2011 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
The 2011 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon sports a beautifully fragrant, complex bouquet of ripe dark cherry and boysenberry fruit complemented by scents of cedar, olive, dried sage, dark chocolate and toasty oak. Rich and smooth on the palate with perfectly integrated tannins and balanced acidity, the wine’s sumptuous black cherry, blackcurrant and blackberry flavors are superbly balanced and persist into a long, elegant finish with hints of chocolate, mineral and savory oak.
Learn more at cakebread.com
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2011 DUCKHORN NAPA VALLEY CABERNET SAUVIGNON
Bringing together fruit from Estate vineyards and top independent growers, the 2011 Duckhorn Cabernet Sauvignon embodies the flavorful complexity of Napa Valley winegrowing, while offering a seamless balance between fruit, oak and tannins. To add nuance to classic Cabernet elements of currant, cherry and plum, the blend also includes Merlot, yielding a layered wine that is approachable in its youth, yet worthy of cellaring.
Learn more at duckhorn.com
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2011 LA JOTA HOWELL MOUNTAIN CABERNET SAUVIGNON
The grapes for the Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon were grown on the La Jota Estate and W.S. Keyes Estate vineyards. A selection of the softer-textured Cabernet Sauvignon vineyard blocks give this wine earlier approachability, while capturing the full expression of La Jota’s cool-climate terroir. The W.S. Keyes vineyard provides a "pop" of bright fruit character and broader tannins. The resulting wine has savory aromas of anise, blackberry and a touch of sage are followed by a lush palate of blueberry, mocha toast and that signature Howell Mountain minerality.
Learn more at lajotavineyardco.com
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ORNELLAIA
The sun-filled, early-maturing 2011 vintage perfectly expresses the qualities of Ornellaia. The wine appears an intense, youthful ruby red. The nose offers rich fruit that is fully ripe yet at the same time crisp and lively, backgrounded by delicate nuances of balsam and toastiness. On the palate, the powerful concentration immediately impresses, as do the tannins, massive yet silk-smooth and glossy, which allows the wine to completely fill the mouth but with no feeling of heaviness. The finish, near endless, is deliciously pungent and spicy, with a welcome crispness throughout.
Learn more at Ornellaia.com
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TAYLOR FLADGATE 20 YEAR
The most popular 20 Year Old Aged Tawny Port in the United States, Taylor Fladgate 20 Year is matured in seasoned oak casks. Over time the Port wine gradually takes on its characteristic amber ‘tawny’ colour, slowly developing the complex mellow flavours and the smooth luscious palate. In the 20 Year Old tawny, the fruit has mellowed further than in the 10 Year Old, and the spicy, nutty aromas of ageing are more powerful and intense.
Learn more at Taylor.pt
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TAITTINGER BRUT LA FRANCAISE
Taittinger Brut La Française is a blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier wines from at least 35 villages. The presses are located in the vineyard for immediate pressing of the fruit after the manual harvest, and the resulting must is cold fermented under temperature-controlled conditions. After resting, the wine is blended, and then the final cuvée undergoes a second fermentation in the bottle in Taittinger’s cool cellars. The aging of Brut La Française for almost 4 years more than doubles the legal minimum of 15 months. This extra time in the cellars allows the wine to reach the peak of aromatic maturity, and the result is a delicately balanced Champagne, known for its consistently excellent quality.
Learn more at kobrandwineandspirits.com
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