Holiday Shopping Tips - Start Early

Translation: Get those holiday wines organized this week while the stores are less crowded and selection is plentiful. Then you can sit back and relax and enjoy the rain or snow.

What to serve over the holidays has never been more wide open given how savvy and interested most consumers here on the coast have become. This year I want you to start in the port section of your favourite wine store and consider buying a bottle or two of fortified wine to sip on throughout the holidays. In some ways you can consider it your reward for shopping early and it can always double as a fabulous hostess gift. Should the temperature drop or the snow fly any time over the holidays a glass of port will warm the hearts of your guests in an instant.

You can choose from a variety of reserve, ruby, tawny and late-bottled, wood-aged ports, in essence the ready-to-drink fortified wines, or you can pick from a variety of aged vintage ports, say a 1997 or a 1994, to find something more mature. We have mentioned the organic Fonseca Terra Prima, $32, and the Dow LBV 2005, $26, in previous weeks but today's pick is Quinta do Crasto Late Bottled Vintage Port 2005. Expect a rich savoury, floral nose with bits of dried cherry, plum jam, chocolate and licorice. It has both finesse and length, and would be great with some toasted nuts and a piece of blue cheese. Good value.

Riesling needs to be on your go-to list if only because it works so well with a variety of appetizers and dinner menus. Turkey or ham are easily tamed as are those spicy appetizers, and you can easily serve local or imported versions of this versatile white. My picks in the fresh, mineral, racy style include: Balthasar Ress 2009, $16, or the St. Urbans Hof 2009, $20; both are from Germany. In the softer, fruity peachy-fruit style try the Devils' Rock Pfalz Riesling $12, the Dr. L Riesling, $19, or locally the Ganton Larsen Larch Tree Hill, $13, or the Nk'Mip Riesling 2009, $17.

Our holiday Riesling pick is Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling 2008. It is off-dry but surprisingly fresh and balanced. Expect a floral, peachy nose with ripe red apple flavours and, of course, refreshing acidity. Think spicy, Pan Asian foods as the match.

Sauvignon blanc continues to impress with more and more food-friendly delicious wines that are just plain fun to sip. Most see little or no wood aging and are grown in cool climate regions. Chile has really upped the ante in the last couple of years with the Santa Rita 120 Sauvignon Blanc, $10, Santa Carolina Sauvignon Blanc Reserva, $12, and the Quintay Clava Sauvignon Blanc, $15. Locally the Mission Hill Five Vineyards, $14, is a good choice as is the Bastianich Sauvignon 'B' from Italy, $20.

For crowds and casual settings look to the Robertson Winery Sauvignon Blanc 2010 from the Breede River Valley in South Africa. The style is fresh and crisp, with ripe grapefruit, artichoke, grassy, bell pepper, and green apple flavours. Just a hint of sweetness on the palate will make it a popular pour, and the price is terrific.

This is the year of malbec and you will no doubt encounter it everywhere over the holidays. The dense rich, minerally red with savoury highlights and relatively soft tannins has displaced most of the varietal red competition under $20. Some of my market favourites are: Dona Paula, 1184 Reservado, Cobos Felino, Jean Bousquet, Pascual Toso and Luigi Bosca.

Today we recommend two malbecs one from Argentina and surprisingly, one from Cahors France. First up is the Valle Las Acequias Malbec Oak 2006. This one is made from old vine -- 85-plus years -- and you can taste the intensity. Expect a big sweet New World nose with floral mineral undertones and fresh notes of cranberry and black fruits. The palate is awash in rich sweet, spicy, savoury fruit flavours with a warm vanilla-brushed finish. Big, red and glossy, this will handle any grilled meat dish or old hard cheese. Good value.

Rigal The Original Malbec 2009 hails from Cahors in the South West of France. What was a bit rustic in 2008 has really up the ante in 2009. Malbec from Argentina seldom displays this finesse in the bottle, especially at this price. Expect a spicy floral mineral nose. The entry is soft and supple with cedar, white pepper, resin and cherry flavours. The finish is polished with light tannins. Excellent value.

Pinot Noir seldom makes the entertaining lists because well-made Pinot can be prohibitively expensive to buy but Pinot is improving globally and the price of Pinot is moderating. Names to look for include Rodney Strong, Cono Sur, Belle Glos and locally Nk'Mip, Meyer Family, Quails' gate and Tantalus.

My pick for dining or gifting is the newly priced Belle Glos Pinot Noir Meiomi 2008 now permanently reduced to a very affordable $28. A blend of Sonoma, Monterrey and Santa Barbara Counties, expect a fresh, elegant and juicy Pinot with spicy, vanilla, strawberry jam and cherry/ celery flavours. Super value.

Now, off to the stores and get your wine list crossed off early.

Quinta do Crasto Late Bottled Vintage Port 2005, Douro Valley, Portugal

Price      $27

UPC       5604123002009

Score    90/100

Remarks              Warm chocolate, prune, peppery, dried fig and cherry flavours.

Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling 2008, Columbia Valley, Washington, United States

Price      $16

UPC       088586621840

Score    88/100

Remarks              Off dry and fresh with surprising balance and elegance.

Robertson Winery Sauvignon Blanc 2010, Robertson, Breede River Valley, South Africa

Price      $10

UPC       746925000977

Score    86/100

Remarks              Good value for the price.

Valle Las Acequias Malbec Oak 2006, Medrano, Mendoza, Argentina

Price      $20.00

UPC       007798067083731

Score    90/100

Remarks              Made from 85 year-old vines. Big, red and glossy.

Rigal The Original Malbec 2009, Cahors, Sud-Ouest, France

Price      $15

UPC       00714320016176

Score    88/100

Remarks              Supple red with white pepper, resin, cherry flavours. Fine value.

Belle Glos Pinot Noir Meiomi 2008, California, United States

Price      $28

UPC       00855622000231

Score    89/100

Remarks              A delicious blend of Sonoma, Monterrey and Santa Barbara County pinot.