Bobbles, Bangles and Bottles: Uncorking Wine for the Holidays| Recipes Articles

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Bobbles, Bangles and Bottles: Uncorking Wine for the Holidays

The holiday season is upon us and wine is a welcomed winter accessory for entertaining and gift giving. Michael suggests some creative wine-inspired gifts for the season and also shares some helpful holiday wine advice.

I will be hosting several parties this holiday season. What flavorful, versatile and affordable wines would you recommend?

Look for wines that offer up loads of flavor and are light on the purse. No need for the wines to be overly complicated. You want to select flavor profiles that will appeal to a large audience. For value, style and taste, select from the classic six grape varieties.

White: Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Riesling; Red: Pinot Noir, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon.

Dependable: Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi, Gallo of Sonoma, Rosemount and Glass Mountain.

Classics: Sonoma-Cutrer, Hanna, Cuvaison, Freemark Abbey, Penfolds, Casa Lapostolle

Holiday Hint: One case of wine will yield approximately 75 drinks; for a party, figure on 1- 1 1/2 glasses of wine per person, per hour. Any leftover wine can be used for your next fete.

I am invited to a New Year's Party and I want to ring in the New Year with a very special bottle of bubbly. Any suggestions?

While quality sparkling wines abound, there is no better bubbly than true Champagne, which hails exclusively from the Champagne region of France. Champagne styles will vary on body depending on the percentage of white--or red-- grapes used in the blend. (Yes! Two of the three grapes used to make Champagne are red, but since the skins are rarely used in production, the resulting wines are almost always white.)

Light: Taittinger, Perrier Jouët

Medium: Moët Chandon, < href=" http://www.champagne-roederer.com/" target="_blank"rel=nofollow">Louis Roederer, Henriot

Full: Bollinger, Veuve Clicquot, Krug

Rosé: Billecart-Salmon, Besserat de Bellefon, Pol Roger. (Some of the most prized, elegant, colorful and expensive sparklers are rosé in color)

Stunt Double: If you do not have the budget for true Champagne, look to these quality sparkling wines from around the world: Chandon(California), Peter Rumball (Australia),

You can never go wrong with one great bottle of a classic collectible wine, such as a first-growth Bordeaux (Mouton Rothschild, Lafite Rothschild, Latour, Haut Brion or Margaux.) A great California Cabernet Sauvignon would also be well-received: Beringer Private Reserve, Heitz, Silver Oak, or a cult classic like Harlan, Screaming Eagle or Colgin. Port is also a great gift. Vintage port is only produced in the finest years and the five top Port houses: Dow's, Grahams, Warre's, Taylor Fladgate and Fonsecacraft wines that will outlive us all. All you need is great stilton and some nuts.

A wine accessory like a great decanter or a glorious corkscrew is a gift that keeps giving. Riedel and Spiegelau produce lovely decanters and Laguiole (lag-ee-ole) corkscrews are works of art.

What are some other creative wine gifts for the holidays?

A Case of Wine: Twelve bottles will make for a wonderful gift. The bottles need not be expensive, but the weight and quantity is very impressive. Select two bottles each of six different types of wine. This will give the recipient the opportunity to enjoy the wines with a dinner party or savor for another time.

Large Format Bottles: Very dramatic! You can use a gold marker to sign the bottle. Many wine producers offer magnum (2 bottles) or larger formats, especially during the holiday season.

Wine of the Month Clubs: This gift that keeps giving can be purchased through either a wine retailer or your favorite winery. Each month, several bottles of wine are sent along with tasting notes, recipes and other useful wine information.

Book Smart: A great gift or add on. Some of my favorites include The Wine Bible by Karen MacNeil, Kermit Lynch's Adventures on the Wine Route and Jancis Robinson's Oxford Companion to Wine.

Journey to a Vineyard: The ultimate present-- a tour, tasting and lunch at a winery in New York. There is something romantic about a journey through wine-producing regions, and your own backyard of New York can reveal some very worthy surprises. Here, a few worth the visit: Wolffer, Channing Daughters, Schneider, Pellegrini or Paumanok.