7 Kinds of Wines to Give This Christmas

The Christmas season is around the corner.  It means that the season of gift-giving is just a few weeks away.  Wines are pretty popular gifts to clients, bosses, and close friends.  It is always a good idea to give out wines because wines have a long shelf life and it is an amazing drink for the holidays.  So, here are my wine suggestions for this Christmas.

7 Types of Wines to Gift or Keep this Holiday Season

Sparkling Wines

Sparkling wines can make any one’s Noche Buena sparkle.  It is easy to drink and it is perfect for festive celebrations.  You can never go wrong with a bubbly.  Here are good sparkling wines for the holidays:

1. Cava Classico Seco - Medium Dry and Fruity.  You can enjoy this one on its own or some cheese like the ones that are in your Noche Buena table.

2. Fat Bastard Sparkling Wine- A good balanced between freshness and sweetness.  Great with seafood and poultry.

3. Nicolas Feuillatte Brut Rose - Beautiful color.  This Sparkling Rose from Champagne is going to be a perfect aperitif on Christmas Eve.  Champagne is the queen of wines and you will have a place in your recipient's heart if you gift them with a bottle or two.




Rose

Red is the color of Christmas and a bottle of Rose fits right in on the Christmas table along with the lechon, ham, queso de bola, and your family specialties. The rose also pairs so well with a lot of Filipino food like lechon, crispy pata, and lumpia.  Since this type of wine is served chilled, many Filipinos would surely enjoy drinking it. Here are some great Rose wines for Christmas 2017:

1. GM Cotes de Provence - The Gabrielle Meffre Rose can go very well with a variety of dishes from veggies to pork.

2. Fat Bastard Rose - Highly recommended for Filipino dishes.

3. Skuttlebutt - Crisp and dry which makes this a perfect complement to shrimp, crabs, and lobsters.

Merlot

A lot of people will be serving grilled food on  Christmas and one of the grape varieties that are perfect for grilled meat is merlot.  Merlot is softer and easier to drink compared to its much bolder cousin the Cabernet Sauvignon. It is wonderful with grilled ribs, pork barbecue, and chicken inasal. You may give any one of these to your friends who love grilled food:

1. Lazo - Really easy on the palate and it will pair up well with most of the dishes on the Christmas dinner table.  This Chilean wine is also very affordable.

2. Fat Bastard - Perfect for grilled meat like baby back ribs.

3. Taylor's - Priced below 1000 pesos, this Australian Merlot is apt for that friend who loves pork and other grilled dishes.

Sauvignon Blanc

In many places in the country, the holidays are also a time to enjoy seafood. Whether you love crabs, clams, shrimps, fish, and squid, a good bottle of Sauvignon Blanc will heighten your holiday dining experience. Make seafood lovers happy with these wines:

1. The Ned - Great wine for vegetarian dishes and grilled fish.

2. Greywacke - This New Zealand Sauvignon blanc is perfect for salads and cheese as well as shellfish.

3. Fat Bastard - Excellent with seafood including shrimps and sushi and can be drunk with leaner meats.

Spanish Wines

Being a colony of Spain for four centuries, a lot of Spanish dishes are served at the Noche Buena table.  Dishes like caldereta, embutido, lengua, and callos are regular fixtures at the Christmas dinner tables of many families. Well, the best wines for Spanish food is definitely Spanish wines. Here some excellent Spanish wines to consider as gifts for Christmas:

1. Pena Roble Joven - This would be amazing with goat caldereta and it actually pairs well with traditional lechon Cebu.

2. Vina Pomal - This young Rioja red is versatile enough to be paired with different kinds of meat.

3. Resalte Crianza - This highly-rated Spanish wine from Ribera del Duero will surely make a boss or favorite Tito happy.




Australian Shiraz

The closest major wine producing country from the Philippines is Australia.  The land down under is known for its amazing Shiraz. This wine variety is perfect for beef, stews, and barbecue.   It is not hard to pair this wine, especially during the holiday season.  Consider these outstanding Australian Shiraz labels for your favorite clients:

1. Deakin Estate - This label is a fixture in some of the best restaurants in the region.

2. Taylor’s - A good value for money buy.  This is one solid Australian Shiraz.

3. Woodstock - This highly rated Shiraz from McClaren Vale can be paired up with lamb, duck, and steak.




French Wines

The first country that pops into my head, when someone says wines, is France and definitely, this country produces some of the best wines in the world. When in doubt, go get a French wine to give to your friends.  Here are some fantastic French labels to give this Christmas:

1. Fat Bastard - Catchy name, good wine, and friendly price.  These are what makes any of the Fat Bastard variants a great gift for Christmas or any other special occasion.

2. Chateau Cap de Fer - This Bordeaux blend is excellent with saucy dishes.

3. Clarendelle by Haut Brion - This wine was made by one of the world's best wineries to be served as pouring in Michelin-starred restaurants.  This label will never disappoint.




These wines are all available in Cebu at D+B Wine Shop. For more options and other wine recommendations, you may visit Cebu’s best wine shop at the Crossroads Mall in Governor M. Cuenco Avenue, Kasambagan, Cebu City.  For wine inquiries, you may also send them a message on their FB Page: https://www.facebook.com/DBWineShop/ or give an SMS at 0917-4142612.