You all know that I’m a tequila girl. I love a good margarita, or even just a quality tequila on the rocks. It’s my go to drink of choice. But with the holidays finally kicking off this week, wine usually ends up being the easy go to for entertaining or gifting. Whether you’re entertaining or heading over to a friends house, wine is universally appreciated. And you know what I love even more? Affordable wines that everyone loves.
I like wine, but wine doesn’t usually love me. I find my hangovers from wine are the worst which is why I tend to steer clear of it whenever possible. But as long as I drink a lot of water and don’t over do it (red usually kills me the most) I don’t mind it one bit. Personally I love a good sauvignon blanc or sancerre, and recently discovered a Pinto Grigio that totally transformed my view on wine. Rosé is always a good choice (I mean, I did make these once) and it’s just pretty. Simply put. And when it comes to red, a good blend like Michael David Petite Petit Lodi gets the job done.
Since Thanksgiving is Thursday and holiday parties are around the corner, bringing over a bottle of wine is one of my favorite ways to say thanks for hosting, I thought I’d share a few favorites. A few from around the $10-15 price range if you’re on a budget to splurging just a tad to those in the $20-$30 range. PS if you want to really splurge, I’ve got a few go to’s below that are sure to impress, one includes the bubbles!
6 GREAT WINES TO GIFT THIS HOLIDAY SEASON
1. Adorada Rosé
I received a bottle of this from Calhoun Wine as a gift a few weeks ago. Initially I fell in love with the bottle itself. The pretty black label and blush colored wine made me instantly love it without even having to taste it. Although once I finally popped it open (it made me sad to destroy the bottle!) I was just as much in love with the juicy watermelon and honeycomb flavors.
$24.95 Adorada Rosé
2. Veuve Clicquot
You’ve probably heard of Veuve, but you may or may not have had the pleasure of tasting it. It’s hands down the most expensive on today’s list, but I have an insider secret. That makes me sound like a lush, but whatever. If you have a Costco nearby, and you’re big into wine and mass amounts of food, this is significantly cheaper with a membership. This is my go to bottle when someone celebrates a wedding, engagement or big milestone. It just feels special and it really does taste amazing.
$65 Veuve Clicquot
3. Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio
The wine that changed my view on Pinto Grigio. When we were at Acqualina last month, we had a sommelier recommend this to us. Since we were devouring pasta and seafood, this was the perfect wine to pair with it. I had NEVER spent a lot of money on wine at dinner, but we hadn’t seen each other in months and it felt totally acceptable. This tasted to me more like a Sauvignon Blanc and was almost refreshing. It has a clean aroma that’s dry but has a bit of crispness from green apples. If I could drink this with every meal I would. This is also another one that is significantly cheaper at Costco (I want to say it’s around $25).
$42 Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio
4. Any Sancerre
I discovered Sancerre’s while in Paris and I’ve been a fan ever since. It’s a wonderful sauvignon blanc varietal and is bone dry but has some really nice fruity flavors of peaches and gooseberry. I’ve yet to have one I didn’t like so it’s always a good choice in my book.
$17 Sancerre
5. Biltmore Estate Christmas Blend Wine
When visiting Asheville, we did the wine tasting at The Biltmore. It was not only super fun, but I found a new favorite wine, the Christmas blend! They recommend serving this slightly chilled which I love. I’ll be bringing this to my parents to enjoy on Christmas this year.
$11 Biltmore Estate Wine
6. Chloe North Coast Red No. 249
I’ve tried a few Chloe wines before and they’re always great. This red blend has deep layers of flavor, spice and espresso. For me, that makes for a great holiday wine to enjoy.
$13 Chloe Wine
Don’t forget the wine accessories too! There’s some really fun gifts that go perfectly with a bottle of wine like a fun wine opener or pretty wine bag. Some of my favorites are now on sale at Shopbop with their buy more save more event happening now. Use code MORE17 at checkout. Sale ends November 26th at midnight.
Photos by Julie Florio
