Wine for the holidays

By Robert Sox   
November 1, 2013

Like it or not the holidays are upon us.  Four weeks until Thanksgiving and then it all breaks loose with parties, gift giving, Christmas dinner and New Year’s Eve.  Fortunately, for those of us in the wine business, wine plays a significant role in most events and sales surge during the last two months of the year.  On the downside, wine issues can also factor into the high stress levels people feel during this time.  Which wine to buy for a hostess gift or to serve with a special dinner?  How much wine to buy for the party?  How much should I spend?  The answer, as always, depends on your circumstances, but here are a few tips that may help.

Thanksgiving Dinner.  The first rule is to drink something you like.  Don’t drink a wine you don’t like sure you won’t like just because you think it is a better match with the food.  The time with family and friends is too special to have it spoiled by not having a wine you enjoy.  Also, the variety of foods and flavors on a typical Thanksgiving table are so broad that it is hard to pick one type of wine that will match everything.  Having said that, Riesling, Gewurztraminer, and rich buttery Chardonnays are good white wines to serve and Pinot Noir for the red.  And before you say, I don’t like sweet wines remember that good Rieslings are not the super sweet simple wines that many people believe them to be.  Choose one that has good sweet-balancing acidity like Francis Ford Coppola’s Sofia.  It is just lightly sweet and with the acidity, it is fresh and crisp.  It will cut through all of those rich tasting dishes.  The Chardonnay, on the other hand, will keep the wave of richness going.  I think of Thanksgiving as more of a white wine occasion, but a fruit forward Pinot Noir will work.  Think about it with cranberry and pumpkin dishes.

Hostess Gift.  During this time of year, an Italian sparkling Prosecco is a perfect host/hostess gift.  Prosecco is a popular alternative to expensive Champagne and it is the season for sparkling wines.  Your host will have plenty of opportunities to drink it or serve it to guests.  La Marca Prosecco is less than $15, has a pretty blue label on it and most importantly, tastes good.

Party Planning.  The first rule here is to buy enough so that you don’t run out.  Make estimates and then buy more than you think you will need.  If you are serving a wine that you like, having leftover supplies won’t be a problem.  For a casual party, I would choose three different wines:  a good easy drinking red, a dry white and something sweet like a Moscato or White Zinfandel.  While the sweeter wine may not be your style, you most certainly are going to have guests that like it so it pays to have at least a few bottles on hand.   As opposed to serving wine with a dinner, wine for the party should be something that is easy to enjoy on its own, with or without food.  California red blends that contain a heavy dose of Zinfandel are a good choice.  For quantity, estimate how many people are coming and what percentage will drink wine as opposed to beer or other drinks.  Once you have your number of wine drinkers, plan on a bottle per person.  It sounds like a lot but if a guest is at the party for three hours or more, a bottle is not out of the question.  Another standard rule is to estimate one and a half glasses per guest per hour.  That still works out to about a bottle a person.  

Try to keep it simple and the stress levels low during the next two months.  Relax and enjoy the festivities and the wine.  Cheers!

Robert Sox
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Native of Columbia, SC.  Returned to Columbia area in 2004 after being away for school and work for 25 years.  Undergraduate degree from Clemson and MBA from University of NC at Chapel Hill.  Owner of the independently owned Best Bottle Wine and Gifts in Shoppes at Woodhill since 1985. 

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