Our Elegant Holiday Gift Guide For the Posh Red Wine Lover In Your Life.
2016 Beringer Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, $170.
Rich and full-bodied, this vintage is one for the ages (and aging). Notes of black and blue fruits, baking spices, ripe plum, dark cherry and chocolate combine to create an exceedingly well balanced and elegant wine. A memorable, lingering finish continues to reveal multiple layers of complexity to be enjoyed over the next few decades. Available at beringer.com
2016 Inglenook Cabernet Sauvignon, $100
On the nose this incredible wine opens with fresh cherry and blackberry aromas. In the background, lavender, thyme, and bay emerge to build complexity. The result is a wine that’s superbly balanced, polished and in harmony that exhibits an underlying firmness which creates a lingering aromatic finish. Available at inglenook.com
PerUs Alessio 2016 Bordeaux Style Blend, $295.
This blend is a nod to the original vintage of PerUs and reveals the continued love affair between Sugarloaf Mountain’s Bordeaux varietals and Tench Vineyard’s Cabernet Sauvignon. Combining these two epic vineyard sites once again displays that sometimes the sum is truly greater than its parts. Inquire at peruswine.com
2015 Robert Mondavi Reserve To Kalon Cabernet Sauvignon, $175.
A testament to Napa’s grand cru vineyard site, To Kalon’s signature dark-fruited, dried herb complexity is seamlessly integrated with sweet oak spices of vanilla bean and toasted almonds, sending a wave of deliciously intense flavors across the richly dense palate in a tasty expression of power and elegance.
Available at robertmondaviwinery.com
2012 Zakin Family Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, $260.
This 2012 is the Zakin family’s inaugural bottling and their third release. Comprised of 100% estate grown Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, and aged for 21 months in 77% French New Oak, the wine has a smooth elegance and complexity. Available at zakinwines.com
2016 Joseph Phelps Insignia, $300
This blend of 84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Petit Verdot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 1% Malbec is aged for 24 months in 100% new French oak barrels. Fresh and smooth with earthy spices, this wine is elegant and complex with a supple, creamy texture and a velvety finish. Available at josephphelps.com
2016 Signorello Estate Padrone, $175.
Notes of wild blueberry, blackberry, a hint of cocoa blend together nicely to form a dense, full-bodied wine with good acidity and a strong but well-integrated tannin. Available at signorelloestate.com
2017 TOR Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville, $95.
TOR’s first Oakville designate Cabernet is an auspicious debut with notes of cherries, raspberries, licorice, dark chocolate, and violet. It is sumptuous and fresh with a juicy, ripe palate. Available at torwines.com
2016 Spottswoode Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, $225.
Elegant and plush, notes of dark cherry, plum, licorice and espresso are all nicely combined to produce a freshness that’s both floral and crisp. Available at spottswoode.com
Pahlmeyer 30th Anniversary, $200.
This 2016 Proprietary Red opens with clear, vibrant aromas of blueberry, blackberry, and black cherry, with intriguing nuances of cardamom, vanilla, toast and star anise that balance the intense dark fruit. A complex palate of deep blackberry and currant, with undertones of leather, is supported by firm, silky tannins. This wine honors its high elevation mountain vineyards with a rich, succulent body; a hint of dark chocolate mousse distinguishes the lengthy finish. Available at pahlmeyer.com
2016 Quilceda Creek Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley, $175.
This wine marks the 38thvintage of this flagship wine for Quilceda Creek. Both complex and luxurious, this elegant Cabernet Sauvignon is aged 20 months in 100% new French oak. Luxurious with layer upon layer of rich and concentrated crème de cassis, blackberry and black plum, notes of violet, leather and black truffle are also present in this incredibly powerful wine. Available at quilcedacreek.com
2015 Groth Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, $150.
Intrinsic black stone fruit nuances mixed with a soft tannin structure is what defines this Napa Valley-floor Cabernet. Plum, clove and tobacco mark this distinct reserve-worthy red, made from the producer’s own estate-reserve block. Inviting floral aromatics entice equally, underlining its understated elegance. Available at grothwines.com
Pride Mountain 2015 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, $145.
Medium to full-bodied, this magnificent wine delivered to the palate mouth-filling, savory black fruits and a firm, grainy frame that finishes with a fantastic length and vibrancy. Available at pridewines.com
2016 Herold Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon, $195.
This sophisticated Cabernet Sauvignon boasts pure notes of blackberry, roasted chestnuts and dried wildflowers. Secondary notes of black cardamom, mocha, and cappuccino add dimension and complexity. The result is a powerful yet elegant palate that is both concentrated yet balanced. Available at markheroldwines.com
Words by Kara Stud
