Wino Recs: Best Christmas Gift Wines

Hey everyone! There's nothing better than giving a bottle of wine to someone if you're at a loss for a gift. Pair it with some cute personalized glasses like this:

 or

and you are someone's new best friend. Here are my recommendations for guaranteed crowd pleasers.

              For anyone:

Apothic White and/or Apothic Red - Both of these are absolutely fantastic blended wines and are a perfect balance of dry and sweet flavors with a wonderfully smooth texture.

   For the dessert wine lover:

Stonebrook Winery Black Knight - This is an absolutely delicious blend of blackberry wine and brandy. Yes, brandy. Its got a slightly higher alcohol content hence the slimmer bottle. This is probably my favorite drink of all time. I call it liquid gold.

For the broke gift-giver:

Funf 5 Sassy White - This is a very tasty mildly sweet Riesling. At only around 7 bucks a bottle, this ends up being a really great gift for the giver a little short on cash. You'd never know it was so inexpensive and neither will they.

For the adventurous wino:

Alianca Vinho Verde - This was surprisingly good in that it has a bit of sparkle to it. A nice blend of what you'd expect prosecco and mild pinot grigio would taste like together this is a great gift for someone who likes to experiment with new flavors and wines.

Wino Review: Alaverdi - Tvalebi

Type: White

Name: Alaverdi - Tvalebi (Medium Sweet White)

Location: Georgia

Review: Um... wow. I'll be honest, I was hesitant about this wine. No only is the label cheesy and mostly in a language I don't associate with wine, but the idea of a "medium sweet white" printed right on the label screamed cheap to me. Boy was I surprised! This may just be one of my new favorites, if only I could figure out where to get it.... At first taste, this slightly reminds me of a honey mead (and certainly looks like it with a gorgeous rich amber color,) but not really. Its not really like anything I've had before. On the sweeter side, but really not overwhelming, this wine has a mild fruity (almost melon-y) flavor and a smooth finish. You easily could serve this alone, with fruit or you could even pair this with a cheesy dish like alfredo.

Wino Review: Cavit - Pinot Noir

Type: Red

Name: Cavit - Pinot Noir

Location: Provincia di Pavia, Italy

Review: This was another gift from my sister-in-law (I think she's got me pegged) and as reds go, I approve. Its got a rich cherry fragrance and some berry undertones in the taste. I can also almost taste a bit of oakey-ness in the dry aftertaste. While not very sweet and very simple in its flavor profile, this red doesn't offend the tongue as an acidic or overly dry wine either. This red is also relatively light so I can see it going great with a steak salad or a ravioli with vodka sauce.

Wino Review: Chateau Ste Michelle - Riesling

Type: White

Name: Chateau Ste Michelle - Riesling

Location: Columbia Valley, Washington

Review: This white was given to me and recommended by my sister-in-law, quite rightfully so. Its got a mild apple-y aroma and light flavor. The sweet citrus and fruity notes balance nicely with a very mild dryness that results in an easy wine to pair with almost anything. Its refreshing and simple in its flavor palette so I would probably serve it with something meaty like beef shish-kabobs or even spaghetti with meatballs. 

Wino Review: Monte Maria - Torrontés

Type: White

Name: Monte Maria - Torrontés 

Location: Mendoza, Argentina

Review: A nice mild white with subtle fruity notes and a clean finish. This wine isn't extremely sweet and definitely not too dry for me to enjoy. The description claims some flowery aromas and while I can pick up on some in my initial taste, it doesn't linger. This is another great gift wine in that it will probably please most people and goes great with cheese or fruit for an "afternoon with the girls." There isn't much that impresses me as something new or interesting though so I'm not running out to buy this right away either.

Wino Review: Sterling - Pinot Grigio

Type: White

Name: Sterling Vintner's Edition - Pinot Grigio

Location: California

Review: I'm personally not really a fan of this wine. Its on the dry side as far as Pinot Grigios go and although its description spouts citrus and fruity notes, I taste very little of either. I get a lemony undertone that sits on the back of my tongue and too much tannic flavor than is pleasing. This would be best if you enjoy Pinot Grigios but dislike sweet wines of any kind as its almost completely lacking in that. It would probably taste best with a salty dish to offset the qualities of this wine, like a cheese appetizer or a buttery cajun scampi.

Picked this up at my local Alexandria Carryout!

Wino Review: Aliança - Vinho Verde

Type: White

Name: Aliança - Vinho Verde

Location: Portugal

Review: Vinho Verde is a type of wine I've never heard of nor tried until this bottle, and what a pretty bottle it is! Love love love the branding/label, and thoroughly enjoyed the wine. Slightly dry and acidic but with a magical bit of carbonation, this white reminded me of a light, un-sweet prosecco. It was faintly citrus with some lingering apple-y notes and really would make a fantastic sipping wine for a hot summer day. In keeping with the "hot summer day" theme this would be best served with some fruit and cheese, but it did not strike me as a mealtime drink.

Wino Review: Black Trail - Chardonnay

Type: White

Name: Black Trail Vineyards - Chardonnay

Location: Aconcagua, Chile

Review: I'll be honest, I am not a fan of dry whites, but this was a pretty good one. My mother-in-law prefers super dry white wines so I brought it over to share with her and she really liked this Chardonnay too. It has a nice lingering citrus flavor and little to no sweetness, but somehow I found it much more than tolerable. The acidity was enough to satisfy but not so strong that it left a salty aftertaste and I thoroughly enjoyed just sipping this without food. I would probably pair it with a fish or light cream sauce linguine. 

Wino Review: Rosenblum - Zinfandel

Type: Red

Name: Rosenblum Cellars - Vintners Cuvée XXXIII Zinfandel

Location: California

Review: Ever so slightly acidic but perfectly sweet, this red would be a crowd pleaser for any gathering. I really enjoyed this with my homemade lasagna and while I think it would be great paired with a steak also, I feel like this best compliments something cheesy. Its got fruity notes and a very soft vanilla undertone. Smooth but intense, I feel like this is really a good balance with a nice depth of flavor. Definitely a good red for any day, even in the hot summer! 

I got this at my local Alexandria Carryout, feel free to check it out!

Wino Review: Skinny Girl White Peach Margarita

Type: Cocktail
Name: Skinny Girl - White Peach Margarita

Location: n/a

Review: Better than the Cosmo but still nothing compared to a real margarita. This alcohol content is probably a little closer to a real margarita also (as opposed to the surprisingly low proof of the Cosmo) so it may be a decent substitute if you're really trying to count calories. Also, the ease of just pouring this into a cup as opposed to whipping out the blender and getting the measurements and ice content just right to make a real margarita adds points to the "pros" side of this review. Flavor wise this is slightly disappointing in that I expected to taste more peach flavor but it ended up just tasting like watered down alcohol. Actually, I'm finding that a trend with these Skinny Girl cocktails so far; they just taste flat and one-noted.

Got this one at my local Alexandria Carryout

Wino Review: Skinny Girl Cosmo

Type: Cocktail

Name: Skinny Girl - White Cranberry Cosmo

Location: n/a

Review: Eh. I guess for a low calorie cocktail its pretty good, but I prefer a real Cosmo. Not only does this only have a lower alcohol content than a regular Cosmo, its not as fresh and delicious. You can almost taste a "refining process" or something. Weird, I know. But you're not really saving calories if you're drinking more glasses of this lower proof Cosmo vs. 1-2 glasses of a regular Cosmo to get the same buzz. Cute packaging though, and if you're someone who just likes to sip the occasional adult beverage without the buzz (or are a serious lightweight) then this might be the drink for you.

Got this at my local Alexandria Carryout

Wino Review: Apothic White

Type: White

Name: Apothic White - Chardonnay/Riesling/Moscato blend

Location: California

Review: DELICIOUS. While quite sweet, it pairs perfectly with fruit. The Chardonnay balances out the Moscato nicely. We sipped on this while munching on some grapes and apples and it was fantastic because it is a smooth blend of sweet fruit notes with a sublimely clean finish. Light enough to be a summer wine with a meal (though not a heavy meal) but rich enough to stand alone after dinner or with dessert, this is a great idea for a gift. Its also in the right price point and a pretty enough bottle to bring to a friend or neighbors and make you look like you know more about wine than you actually do.

Got this one at my local Alexandria Carryout!

Wino Review: Valbella - Chardonnay

Type: White

Name: Valbella - Chardonnay

Location: Veneto, Italy

Review: I expected this to be a much tastier wine that it turned out to be. The description says its smooth and fruity, and to be honest, its close to the opposite. Initially, I taste almost a salty, tannic quality to the Chardonnay which immediately turns me off. There is a hint of citrus but it is so minute and the lack of other depths makes this an uninteresting wine for me. I wouldn't purchase this again unless I was buying it for someone who really enjoyed dry wines. Not a fan.

Wino Review: Paradise - Pinot Grigio

Type: White
Name: Paradise - Pinot Grigio
Location: Delle Venezie, Italy
Review: As Pinot Grigio's go, this is quite delicious. This is a perfect balance of dry and sweet notes with very a refreshing hint of citrus and fruit. I am content sipping this alone, but it would also be great with a light summer salad or with a rich creamy dinner. I have to say, I am a fan of this white, and I just might finish the bottle by myself... immediately.