Black Friday has come and gone and it's time to get serious about this present thing. Here's a simple solution. Why not give wine? It comes in a multitude of flavors and personalities, just like the people on your list. Here are some suggestions to help you through the mind-numbing assortment available these days.
For the novice
For the young adult nephew or niece who usually doesn't drink wine, conquer their fear with a Moscato d'Asti. This is the least wine-like of all wine. It tastes like a fruit cocktail with a cherry on top. Its 5 percent alcohol and 5 percent residual sugar, combined with a bit of fizz, make for a delicious experience.
- 2013 Saracco Moscato d'Asti: This is the real deal. The wine is fermented on demand from frozen must, so it is always super fresh. It has lovely fruit and hints of ginger -- really spectacular stuff. Costs about $20.
- 2013 Cupcake Moscato D'Asti: This is Moscato at an excellent price point. True to type and loaded with fruit and carbonation. Costs about $13.
For the budget wine drinker
If your list includes a box wine drinker, kick it up a notch with some new-style blends. Most of the time these wine drinkers are just being budget-minded, so presenting them with something special shows you care.
- 2010 Chateau Ste. Michelle Indian Wells Merlot: This is a soft, yielding, mouth-coating red that is well oaked and delivers a fabulous crush of red fruits to the palate. Costs about $20.
- 2011 Conundrum White: This is a proprietary blend coming from the Wagner family, owners of Caymus Vineyards in Napa. It yields fresh white fruits like pear and fig with white flowers and spice. A very complex and charming beverage. Costs about $25.
For your office gift exchange
On a secret Santa list or have a Chinese auction to go to? Use pinot noir. It's most everybody's favorite.
- 2012 Bogle Pinot Noir: This has been a quality leader from the get-go. This value-driven pinot is delicate and tender, with a medium-bodied strawberry-cherry mouth. Costs about $12.
- 2013 Cycles Gladiator Pinot Noir: This is my go-to $10 pinot. Correct strawberry definition and a tender mouth feel provide plenty of charm for the money.
For the chardonnay snob
Your diehard chardonnay drinker comes in two styles, oaked and unoaked. The winemakers love the unoaked folks because those barrels are very expensive.
- 2013 Chamisal is aged a bit on the lees for a more creamy mouth feel, making it somewhat unique. Bright citrus abounds here for a clean, zesty, lifting mouth. Costs about $20.
- 2011 Grgich Hills Estate Chardonnay: While pricey, it is an utterly fantastic old-school representation of the grape. Toasty, creamy vanilla and bright citrus apple are complex and exciting. Costs about $50 (I told you those barrels were expensive!).
For the aspiring connoisseur
For the amateur sommelier, you're going to be buying red. It's where everyone winds up eventually. Just for the sake of argument, we're going to assume that this guy or gal has read a couple of books. Therefore I give you two words: cabernet sauvignon.
- Marietta Cellars? Arme Lot Number 1: At 88 percent cabernet sauvignon, this is my super-secret, unbelievable killer deal of a cabernet. You get huge aromatics, gorgeous waves of tannin, cedar plank and cigar box. It's got complexity above and beyond the call of duty. Costs about $25.
- 2010 St. Supery? Elu: This wine is 76 percent cabernet sauvignon; the rest is filled in by the traditional Bordeaux grape varieties. Inky black, voluptuous and coating, this is what Napa can do! Concentration with as much horsepower as you can get. This is a muscular, firm cabernet in its youth, with silky tannins woven into dense black cherry cola fruits. Costs about $100.