The SommSelect Holiday Six Pack
Other, Other (750mL)
Regular price$199.00
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The SommSelect Holiday Six Pack
Are you looking for a special gift for a loved one? Have you searched for something for that someone who “has it all,” yet to no avail? Or do you simply want some great wines to share with friends and family over the holiday season? Here are 6 of our absolute favorites from 2016, all of them ready to drink and guaranteed to impress!
(Please note: For delivery before Christmas, East Coast orders must be placed by December 12th and West Coast orders by December 19th.)
This is one of the most exciting projects to come out of Napa this year. The Band of Vintners is a labor of love for seven wine biz friends (including one Master Sommelier) who pooled their vast resources to create the finest Napa Cabernet, derived from fruit nurtured in one of Napa’s most sought-after parcels. The Band of Vintners are unable to reveal the site due to strict contracts, but let’s just say if the vineyard was revealed, this wine would go up exponentially in price. As it is this wine delivers the greatest pound-for-pound Cabernet value in the Napa Valley. The 2014 “Consortium” finds Napa Cabernet’s sweet spot, delivering density, concentration, varietal purity and an authentic sense of place. It is neither overripe nor too lean and dusty. A wine that will charm lovers of Old and New World alike, it introduces itself with aromas of blackcurrant, blackberry liqueur, boysenberry and black cherry, giving way to notes of violets, coffee, leather, tobacco, and baking spices on the palate. There’s a terrific balance of freshness and depth, the texture supported by firm but polished tannins. In my view, its price-to-quality is unmatched in the Napa Valley.
(Please note: For delivery before Christmas, East Coast orders must be placed by December 12th and West Coast orders by December 19th.)
1. Grower Champagne Paul Déthune, Ambonnay, Grand Cru Brut NV
Champagne’s Grand Cru village of Ambonnay, ground zero for the region’s greatest Pinot Noir, is home to Krug’s famous “Clos d’Ambonnay,” which commands $1,000+ a bottle. And while we relish tête de cuvée wines from grand old Champagne houses, our hearts (and wallets) are with the small grower-producers—artisans like Paul Déthune. Serious vignerons in Ambonnay since 1889, the Déthune family tends their pristine, 40-year-old vines organically, revealing unadulterated limestone terroir and Pinot Noir at its most pure and intense. This wine’s seamless melding of opulent richness, gripping minerality, and energetic freshness makes it one of our all-time favorites. For Champagne aficionados accustomed to paying $50 for a famous house’s entry-level wine, you will be astonished by the quality here. This dense, multifaceted wine reveals poised red fruit that evolves into enchanting flavors of brioche, white mushrooms, lemon zest, fresh cream, white wildflowers and a touch of hazelnut—finishing with oyster shell and crushed chalk minerality for a lingering, unforgettable finish. An ideal candidate to pop on any special occasion, this beauty drinks as well with main courses as it does on its own— although my favorite pairing with a rich Champagne like this is homemade fried chicken.
2. Domaine Bois d’Yver, Chablis, Burgundy, France 2015
From rising star Thomas Pico, this meticulously crafted Chablis is a testament to the magic that transpires when the the great terroir of the region is farmed organically. Bois d’Yver’s 2015 is one of the greatest examples of Chablis I have ever encountered under $30. A wine that channels greats like Raveneau, it just screams Chablis at its finest. Scents of lime, dusty chalk and oyster shells gives way to a palate of ripe, clear, rather deep apple and pear fruit. Of course, there’s that classic Chablis crushed-rock minerality, but it’s not choking off the fruit, which is akin to picking dewy, ripe grapes off the vine at harvest time. Restrained yet impactful, this wine is a joy with anything from oysters to cheese or even a main course of white-fleshed whole fish. Serve at 60 degrees in Burgundy stems and relish this beautiful, food-friendly Chardonnay with great friends and family this holiday season.
3. Domaine du Pas de L’Escalette, Zé Rozé, Terrasses du Larzac, Languedoc, France 2015
This farm-to-table beauty from Southwest France has garnered a place among my personal favorite rosés, rivaling legends like Bandol’s Domaines Tempier and Terrebrune. From organically farmed, 45 to 80-year-old vines on high, stone-walled terraces of limestone and clay, this blend of Carignan, Grenache, Syrah, and Cinsault captures the complexity and mineral verve of Bandol at a more modest price tag. If you have been following SommSelect, you are already aware of my affinity for this quality-driven producer and here’s an opportunity to understand why. This wine has it all: It is dense, full of texture, and bursting with flavors of wild strawberry, orange peel, pomegranate, white peach, orange blossoms, rose petals and crushed stones. This snapshot of la vie en rose is a chameleon that elevates any cuisine in its path, from appetizers to the main course. It actually gets more alluring with each minute in the glass.
4. Charles Van Canneyt, Bourgogne Rouge, Pinot Noir, Burgundy, France 2013
A passion project of one of Burgundy’s brightest lights, this 2013 Bourgogne Rouge transcends its modest designation with the pedigree of fine Chambolle-Musigny—and all the elegance and enchanting perfume that goes along with it. Crafted by Charles Van Canneyt, who is also the winemaker at famed Domaine Hudelot-Noellat, this is one of the greatest Burgundy values we have offered all year. Thanks to deep relationships with top vignerons across the Côte de Nuits, Canneyt has access to serious vineyard parcels awaiting maturity, and, through meticulous, non-interventionist winemaking, creates a “humble” Bourgogne Pinot Noir that exudes class. Currently nearing its peak of drinkability, this is an ideal candidate for Christmas turkey, but will also dazzle alongside roast duck or my favorite, Zuni Chicken. I’ve recommended this recipe countless times, so, if you’ve never given it a whirl, this is a wine worthy of your efforts. With classic aromatics of fresh strawberry, cherry, red plum, rose petal, forest floor and that overarching perfume we all crave, this wine’s soft tannins, elegant tension and layers of complexity are testaments to a great young winemaker at the top of his game.
5. Luigi Giordano, Barbaresco, Asili, Piedmont, Italy 2012
Barbaresco needs little introduction: known as the Queen of Italian wines to Barolo’s King, this appellation delivers elegant, refined Nebbiolo. Crafted in a traditional style by the fourth generation of the Luigi Giordano family, this expressive, perfumed 2012 hails from one of Barbaresco’s most famous crus: the southwest-facing ‘Asili’ vineyard, in the village of Barbaresco proper. Its aromas reveal a whirling tornado of classic Nebbiolo perfume, encompassing everything from dried cherry, bitter orange peel, leather, and cedar, which evolves to include cherry kirsch, dew-kissed roses, and cigar wrappers on the palate—a master class in the characteristics of this noble variety. It awakens slowly but surely, a sleeping giant in the way it reveals its deep, unexpected power. At a beautiful point in its evolution, this profound red is perfect for any holiday festivity and is a wine I will be drinking all winter long with rabbit ragu, slow-braised lamb, or any hearty, soul-warming dish you conjure up.
6. Band of Vintners, Consortium, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 2014
